CAROL - Robotic Catalyst Removal
Abstract
WorleyParsons has developed the industry’s first commercial robot for catalyst unloading from refinery and petrochemical vessels. The development of CAROLTM (Catalyst Removal Amphirol) responds to increasingly stringent requirements to reduce human risk in inert confined-space entry. It is the culmination of a three-year development effort from conception and design to prototyping and testing and represents a potential game-changer in the industry. The number of fixed-bed catalytic vessels in the global refining and petrochemical industry is estimated to exceed 58,000. Based on current technology a rough estimate of the number of worker days of risk exposure due to confined-space entry during catalyst unloading exceeds 10,000 days per year. Current practices for catalyst removal from each of these vessels pose a risk to safety and/or the environment. CAROL provides an alternative option that minimizes risk to workers. CAROL is a simple, one-of-a kind machine that has been demonstrated to achieve vacuum catalyst removal without the placement of workers inside the vessel. A review of operating characteristics in a single bed test vessel is provided. Additionally, two case studies from commercial field trials are presented. This paper showcases the challenges associated with current catalyst removal techniques, and the inherent safety advantages that CAROL has shown. The presentation includes video of the test vehicle operating characteristics and discussion on industry acceptance progress and preliminary test results.
Description
PresentationCollections
Citation
Jansen, Christopher; Sloley, Andrew W.; Schroeder, Scott (2018). CAROL - Robotic Catalyst Removal. Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center; Texas &M University. Libraries. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /193458.