UPS Petrochemical Industry Solutions

I. Challenges of power supply in the petrochemical industry

The petrochemical industry is a key area of the national economy. Its production process involves complex chemical reactions and high-precision process control, which places extremely high demands on the reliability and stability of power supply. The following are the power supply challenges faced by the industry:

1. High continuity requirements for the production process

Petrochemical production is usually continuous. Once a power outage occurs, the production process may be interrupted, causing the chemical reaction to stop suddenly. This will not only cause huge economic losses, such as waste of raw materials, substandard product quality, damage to production equipment, etc., but may also cause serious safety and environmental accidents. For example, in the process of oil refining, key reactions such as catalytic cracking and hydrofining need to be carried out under high temperature and high pressure. Power outages can cause the reaction to get out of control, resulting in equipment overheating and sudden pressure increase, which may cause explosions or fires.
Many chemical products have a long production cycle, which takes hours or even days from raw material input to product output. Power fluctuations can undermine production stability, reduce product quality, or even completely destroy the product, affecting the company’s market supply and economic benefits.

2. Sensitivity of key production equipment to power quality

In petrochemical enterprises, automated control systems (such as DCS, PLC, etc.), precision analytical instruments (such as chromatographs, spectrometers, etc.) and variable frequency speed control equipment have extremely high requirements for power quality. These devices require stable voltage, frequency and pure electric energy to ensure their normal operation and measurement accuracy. Power quality problems such as voltage sag, voltage swell, harmonic distortion, etc. may lead to misoperation of the control system, inaccurate instrument readings, equipment failure and shutdown, etc., which in turn affects the stability of the entire production process and product quality.
High-precision chemical production requires precise control of equipment operating parameters. Power fluctuations make it impossible for equipment to accurately control reaction conditions, resulting in unstable product quality and reduced product competitiveness.

3. Harsh working environment conditions

The environment at the petrochemical production site is harsh, with many unfavorable factors such as high temperature, high humidity, dust, corrosive gases (such as hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, etc.) and flammable and explosive gases. These environmental conditions pose severe challenges to the performance and reliability of UPS equipment. For example, high temperature may cause the performance of electronic components of UPS equipment to decline and shorten their lifespan; corrosive gases may corrode the metal parts and circuit boards of the equipment, causing short circuits, open circuits and other problems; flammable and explosive gas environments require UPS equipment to have high safety and explosion-proof performance to prevent fires or explosions caused by equipment failures.
Harsh environments accelerate equipment aging and damage, increase maintenance costs and replacement frequency, and reduce production efficiency.

4. Complexity and uncertainty of power supply

Petrochemical enterprises have a large production scale, with many electrical equipment and huge power differences, ranging from lighting equipment of a few kilowatts to large compressors and reactors of thousands of kilowatts. This makes the power load of enterprises complex and changeable, and puts higher requirements on the stability and reliability of the power supply system. At the same time, the production plan of enterprises may be adjusted according to market demand, raw material supply and other factors, resulting in increased uncertainty in power load. The power supply system needs to adapt to load changes to ensure stable power supply.
Enterprises have many electrical equipment with large differences in power, which creates complex power loads, increases the burden on the power supply system and increases the difficulty of management.

II. Overview of UPS petrochemical industry solutions

To ensure the safe, stable and continuous operation of petrochemical production, we provide professional UPS solutions for the petrochemical industry.

Solution goal : To provide high-quality, high-reliability uninterrupted power supply for key production equipment and automation control systems of petrochemical enterprises, to ensure the continuity and stability of the production process, to avoid production accidents, equipment damage and environmental pollution caused by power problems, and to improve the power supply management level and emergency response capabilities of enterprises.
System architecture design : According to the production scale, process flow and distribution of key equipment of petrochemical enterprises, a UPS system architecture combining distributed and centralized is designed. In large-scale joint petrochemical enterprises, centralized UPS systems are mainly used to provide power guarantee for the key control systems (such as DCS central control room) and important public engineering systems (such as instrument air compressors, circulating cooling water systems, etc.) of the whole plant; at the same time, distributed small UPS systems are configured in various production unit areas and dangerous places to provide power support for on-site analysis huts, local control cabinets and other equipment. In medium-sized petrochemical enterprises, a relatively centralized UPS system architecture is adopted. According to the distribution of production units and power requirements, multiple UPS sub-centers are set up to be responsible for the power supply of key equipment in different areas. For small petrochemical enterprises or remote oil and gas field sites, integrated and compact UPS equipment is used, which can be flexibly installed to meet the power requirements of specific areas and ensure the stable operation of key equipment.

1. UPS system selection and configuration

Select the appropriate UPS capacity according to the power and power demand of production equipment : Conduct comprehensive power statistics and power demand analysis for various key equipment in petrochemical enterprises, including automation control system equipment, analytical instruments, variable frequency speed regulation equipment, emergency lighting systems, etc. Calculate the required total UPS capacity based on factors such as the equipment’s simultaneous use coefficient, power factor, and possible future expansion needs. It is recommended to reserve a certain amount of redundancy when selecting a model, generally 1.2 to 1.5 times the total capacity can be selected to meet the development needs of the next 3 to 5 years.
Battery configuration and battery life determination : Determine the battery life of the UPS according to the production process requirements and power outage emergency processing time of the petrochemical enterprise. In the control system of key production equipment and important public engineering systems, the UPS battery life can be set to 30-60 minutes to ensure that when the city power fails, it can provide sufficient time for the start-up of the emergency generator set, and ensure the safe shutdown operation of key equipment during the power outage, avoiding equipment damage and safety accidents caused by sudden power outages. For some special important equipment (such as environmental monitoring equipment, safety instrument systems, etc.), the battery life can be appropriately extended to 2-4 hours to meet its continuous operation requirements during power outages. In terms of battery type selection, considering the complexity of the petrochemical environment and the high requirements for battery reliability, lithium-ion batteries can be used first, which have the advantages of high energy density, long cycle life, low self-discharge rate, etc., and can maintain good performance in harsh environments.

2. UPS protection strategy for key production equipment

Automation control system equipment : Automation control systems (such as DCS, PLC, etc.) are the core of petrochemical production and are responsible for real-time monitoring, control and regulation of the entire production process. The UPS system provides precise power guarantee for automation control system equipment. When the mains power is normal, it ensures the stable operation of the control system equipment and the accurate collection and transmission of data; when the mains power is interrupted, the UPS immediately switches to battery power mode to maintain the continuous operation of the control system equipment, ensure the smooth transition of the production process and safe parking, and avoid production out of control due to power outages, causing equipment damage, secondary safety accidents and environmental pollution.
Precision analytical instruments and equipment : In the petrochemical production process, a large number of precision analytical instruments are used to monitor the quality indicators of raw materials, intermediate products and final products in real time, providing data support for the optimization of the production process and product quality control. UPS provides a stable power supply for precision analytical instruments and equipment, ensuring that the instruments can work normally in the event of power fluctuations or power outages, continuously providing accurate quality monitoring data for the production process, timely discovering quality problems in the production process, avoiding instrument damage and data loss due to power problems, and ensuring product quality and production efficiency.
Variable frequency speed regulating equipment : Variable frequency speed regulating equipment is widely used in various fans, pumps and other loads in petrochemical enterprises. It achieves energy-saving operation and precise process control by adjusting the motor speed. UPS provides high-quality power support for variable frequency speed regulating equipment, ensuring that the inverter can operate stably when the mains voltage fluctuates or when the power is cut off, avoiding inverter failure and shutdown due to power problems, maintaining the normal operation of production equipment, ensuring the continuity and stability of the production process, and reducing the damage to the motor and related mechanical equipment caused by frequent start and stop of equipment, thus extending the service life of the equipment.

3. Environmental adaptability and reliability assurance

Design considerations for harsh environments : In response to the harsh working environment conditions in the petrochemical industry, UPS equipment adopts special protection design and high-reliability components. In terms of dust and water resistance, the UPS equipment shell adopts a high protection level design, which can effectively prevent dust and water vapor from entering the equipment, ensuring the normal operation of the equipment in harsh environments. For corrosion resistance, the circuit board of the UPS equipment is treated with an anti-corrosion coating, and the metal parts are specially surface treated to improve the corrosion resistance of the equipment in an environment containing corrosive gases. In terms of explosion-proof design, for UPS equipment installed in flammable and explosive gas areas, an explosion-proof design is adopted to meet the requirements of relevant explosion-proof standards and ensure the safe operation of the equipment in hazardous environments. At the same time, UPS equipment also has a wide temperature operating range and good heat dissipation performance, which can adapt to extreme environmental conditions such as high temperature and low temperature at the petrochemical site.
Measures to improve the reliability of UPS systems : adopt redundant designs, such as dual power input and parallel redundancy, to improve the reliability of UPS systems. In key production areas and control centers of petrochemical enterprises, dual power input design is adopted. When one mains power supply fails, it can automatically switch to another mains power supply to ensure continuous power supply of the UPS system. Parallel redundancy design allows multiple UPS devices to operate in parallel. When one UPS device fails, other UPS devices can quickly assume the entire load and continue to provide power support for key equipment to avoid production interruption. Strengthen the heat dissipation design and component reliability screening of the UPS system, and conduct strict quality inspection and aging screening of key components (such as capacitors, transformers, power modules, etc.) to ensure that the quality and performance of the components meet high standards. At the same time, establish a complete regular maintenance and inspection system to promptly discover and deal with potential equipment problems and ensure the long-term stable operation of the UPS system.

4. Intelligent monitoring and management

UPS system monitoring function : The UPS system is equipped with an intelligent monitoring module that can monitor key parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, battery status, load status, etc. in real time, and display these parameters intuitively to the company’s operation and maintenance personnel through a touch screen or network interface. The operation and maintenance personnel can check the operating status of the UPS equipment at any time, keep abreast of the power supply and equipment operating conditions, discover potential problems in advance and take preventive measures. When an abnormal situation occurs in the UPS system, such as voltage exceeding the set range, battery failure, overload, etc., the monitoring system will immediately send out an audible and visual alarm signal, and automatically pop up an alarm information window to remind the operation and maintenance personnel to deal with it in time to ensure the safe operation of the equipment.
Remote monitoring and management : Using network technology, the UPS system supports remote monitoring and management functions. Operation and maintenance personnel can remotely monitor the operating status of UPS equipment, set parameters, diagnose faults, and upgrade software through mobile phone APP or computer client, whether they are in the control room within the enterprise or in a remote office, as long as they can connect to the enterprise’s LAN or the Internet. For example, operation and maintenance personnel can use the remote monitoring system at home to promptly detect the fault alarm of UPS equipment, remotely diagnose and initially handle the faults of the equipment, such as remotely switching the UPS operating mode, resetting the UPS equipment, etc., to reduce the response time of on-site maintenance personnel and improve the availability and production efficiency of the equipment. At the same time, the remote monitoring system also supports centralized management and monitoring of multiple UPS devices, realizing unified dispatching and management of the power supply system of the entire petrochemical enterprise.

5. Installation and Implementation

Preparation before installation : Before installing the UPS system, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive inspection and evaluation of the power wiring system, grounding system, installation environment, etc. of the petrochemical enterprise. Ensure that the mains input line can meet the power demand and power quality requirements of the UPS equipment, the grounding system is good, and the grounding resistance meets the relevant standards to provide reliable safety protection for the equipment. According to the production process layout of the enterprise and the distribution of key equipment, the installation location of the UPS equipment should be reasonably planned to ensure that the UPS equipment is installed in a well-ventilated, clean environment, and easy to maintain place, and leave enough space for equipment heat dissipation and future expansion and transformation. Develop a detailed installation plan and safety construction plan, clarify the installation steps, personnel division of labor and construction schedule, and provide safety training and technical briefing to the installers to ensure that the installation process is safe and orderly. Set up obvious safety warning signs at the installation site to prevent accidents during construction.
Installation steps and precautions for UPS system : According to the installation manual provided by the UPS equipment manufacturer, first place the UPS host in the predetermined installation position and use fixing bolts to firmly fix it to the ground or a dedicated mounting bracket to ensure that the equipment is stable and reliable during operation. Next, install the battery pack in the battery cabinet and correctly connect the battery pack to the DC input and output ports of the UPS host. During the connection process, attention should be paid to the polarity and tightness of the battery connection to prevent loose or reverse connection from causing the battery to malfunction or cause safety accidents. Then, connect the input and output distribution cabinet of the UPS host to the company’s mains input line and the power lines of key equipment. When connecting, the operation should be strictly carried out in accordance with the electrical wiring specifications to ensure that the wiring is firm and reliable and avoid problems such as virtual connection and short circuit. During the installation process, attention should be paid to the safe distance between the UPS equipment and the surrounding equipment to ensure that the ventilation and heat dissipation channels of the equipment are unobstructed, and effective dust and moisture-proof measures should be taken to prevent foreign objects from entering the equipment and causing failures. At the same time, the installer should wear safety protection products such as insulating gloves and insulating shoes, and strictly abide by the safety operating procedures of petrochemical enterprises to prevent safety accidents such as electric shock and fire.
System debugging and testing : After the installation is completed, the UPS system is fully debugged and tested. First, the appearance of the equipment is checked to ensure that the equipment is firmly installed, the wiring is neat and beautiful, and there is no damage. Then, connect the mains power supply, turn on the UPS host, observe whether the startup process of the equipment is normal, and check whether the displayed information on the UPS panel is accurate, including whether the displayed values of the input and output voltage, current, frequency and other parameters are consistent with the actual measured values. Then, use professional electrical instruments to accurately measure and adjust the voltage, current, frequency, waveform and other parameters of the UPS output to ensure that the power quality of the UPS output meets the power requirements of key equipment in the petrochemical industry. Carry out charging and discharging tests on the UPS to check whether the charging performance and discharge capacity of the battery pack meet the design requirements, and verify that the UPS can provide sufficient backup power support for key equipment when the mains power is cut off. Simulate the mains failure situation to test whether the switching time between the mains mode and the battery mode of the UPS meets the power outage switching requirements of key equipment, and ensure that at the moment of the mains power outage, the UPS can quickly switch to the battery power mode to maintain the normal operation of key equipment and avoid production accidents caused by power outages. At the same time, the alarm function of the UPS system is tested to check whether the alarm signal can be issued promptly and accurately when the equipment fails or is abnormal, so as to remind the operation and maintenance personnel to handle it.

6. Operation and maintenance

Daily maintenance points : Develop a detailed daily maintenance plan and assign dedicated operation and maintenance personnel to be responsible for the maintenance of the UPS system. Clean the UPS equipment regularly, wipe the dust and dirt on the surface of the equipment with a clean damp cloth, and keep the equipment clean and heat dissipated well. Check the appearance of the battery pack to see if the battery is leaking, bulging, or the shell is cracked. Use a battery tester to measure the battery voltage and internal resistance, evaluate the health of the battery, and promptly discover battery aging or failure problems. Check whether the cooling fan of the UPS equipment is operating normally, whether the heat dissipation channel is unobstructed, and remove dust and debris at the heat dissipation vents to ensure a good heat dissipation environment for the equipment. Regularly inspect the UPS equipment, record the input and output voltage, current, frequency, battery voltage and other operating parameters of the equipment, as well as the operating status and alarm information of the equipment, and promptly discover potential faults and hidden dangers and handle them. For example, clean the surface of the UPS equipment and inspect the appearance of the battery once a week, inspect the heat dissipation system and inspect the equipment once a month, and perform charge and discharge maintenance and performance testing on the battery pack once a quarter to ensure the stable operation of the UPS system.
Regular maintenance and overhaul : According to the operation time of the UPS equipment and the maintenance cycle recommended by the manufacturer, the UPS system should be fully maintained and overhauled every six months or one year. During the maintenance process, first conduct a comprehensive inspection of the internal components of the UPS equipment, including capacitors, transformers, power modules, control boards, etc., to check whether the components are damaged, aged, overheated, etc., and replace abnormal components in time. Conduct a comprehensive inspection of the input and output distribution system of the UPS equipment, check whether the contact of electrical components such as circuit breakers, contactors, and busbars is good, whether there are looseness, ablation, etc., to ensure the safety and reliability of the distribution system. Conduct a comprehensive charge and discharge test and balanced charging maintenance on the battery pack, check whether the discharge capacity of the battery pack meets the design requirements, optimize and adjust the charge and discharge parameters of the battery pack, and extend the service life of the battery. At the same time, conduct a comprehensive inspection and maintenance of the cooling system of the UPS equipment, clean the dust and debris inside the radiator, check the bearing wear of the cooling fan, and perform necessary lubrication and replacement operations on the cooling fan to ensure the normal operation of the cooling system. During the regular maintenance process, we strictly follow the maintenance process and quality standards of the equipment to ensure that the UPS equipment after maintenance can operate normally and meet the power supply requirements of key equipment in petrochemical enterprises.
Emergency plan preparation and drills : In order to deal with possible failures of the UPS system, petrochemical enterprises should formulate detailed emergency plans, clarify the emergency response process, division of responsibilities and contact information. The emergency plan should include emergency power supply measures when the UPS system fails (such as enabling the backup generator set, switching to the bypass power supply mode, etc.), emergency shutdown and restart operation procedures for key equipment, and safety protection measures at the accident site. Regularly organize the company’s operation and maintenance personnel and production operators to conduct emergency plan drills, simulate emergency response scenarios when the UPS system fails (such as city power outages, UPS equipment failures, battery pack failures, etc.), and improve the emergency response capabilities and collaborative combat capabilities of relevant personnel. Through emergency plan drills, the effectiveness and operability of the emergency plan can be tested, and problems in the emergency plan can be discovered and improved in a timely manner to ensure that when the UPS system fails, emergency measures can be taken quickly and effectively to minimize the impact on production, ensure the safety of enterprise personnel and equipment, and reduce environmental pollution risks.

In short, our UPS petrochemical industry solution fully considers the characteristics of the petrochemical industry and the power supply needs. Through reasonable system design, selection and configuration, intelligent management and perfect operation and maintenance guarantee measures, it provides reliable power support for key production equipment, ensures the continuity and stability of the production process, improves the company’s production efficiency and safety, and ensures the stable operation and sustainable development of petrochemical enterprises.