Close collaboration between Sulzer specialists in Asia, Europe and the US was key to a complex project that allowed twelve sophisticated pumps from three individual designs to be manufactured at Sulzer’s China plant for the first time.
In 2016, the refinery took the decision to introduce new equipment across its plant, including a new ebullated bed hydroprocessing system using H-OilRC technology from a French process licensor. When it came to the selection of pumps for the new system, the refinery was aware that the nature of the various feedstocks created demanding operating conditions. The internal components can be exposed to high levels of wear and there is a significant potential for flow to be disrupted by large solid particles.
The refinery knew that it was possible to obtain pumps designed specifically to perform well in these conditions, but it was unable to find a local source of supply. Using equipment manufactured in China wherever possible is an important part of the refinery’s procurement strategy, as it seeks to localize supply chain and ensure ease of maintenance and support.Sulzer already had a significant presence in China, producing pumps in the Dalian factory since 1999, and at a second plant in Suzhou since 2010. Sulzer also has a long-standing relationship with the parent company of the refinery, supplying and supporting pumps at many of its facilities in the country.
The first of those products was the CP multistage barrel pump designed to API 610 type BB5 specifications. The Sulzer CP design incorporates an axial-split volute casing, which is less susceptible to wear than alternative designs when a high level of abrasive solids are present.
Sulzer’s design and manufacturing specialists in China worked closely with their colleagues from the USA, who hold the design responsibility for the CP, to allow for some important design modifications. This particular application required a low flow, high head, high speed solution.
