TRAX builds powerful analytic models that allow a variety of potential utility, power and process plant solutions to be tested and refined. These customized analyses are specialized, dynamic studies developed for a client’s specific needs — verifying upgrade designs, operational changes as the result of fuel conversions and NFPA85 compliance, optimizing plant operation, or predicting plant dynamics for a plant or facility.
We work with our clients to test control logic across the load range, tuning the controls as necessary to avoid nuisance trips while providing protection against catastrophic failures. Conducting a dynamic analysis during an equipment or controls upgrade is an important part of ensuring the safety and reliability of a plant with a new configuration.
Changing fuel brings several challenges to operating the furnace air-gas system. TRAX can help you navigate these potential issues.
To perform an analysis, TRAX engineers use the ProTRAX simulation software system to develop high-performance, high-fidelity models to solve even the most complex plant problems. ProTRAX is comprised of an extensive library of over 200 modules, configured to exactly match a site component. The individual modules are tailored to match the specific plant, resulting in a high-fidelity model that truly represents plant operation. The method is described in more detail here: "How is an Analysis Conducted?".
Protect your plant with a TRAX Furnace Draft Study before the upgrade, not after
For energy industry organizations, major changes to your furnace air/gas system or fuel changes can lead to excessively high or low pressures in the furnace and ductwork during severe transients. If not properly controlled, this can cause furnace or duct implosions. These implosions can cause lengthy outages and can be very expensive to fix.
TRAX tests control logic across the load range, adjusting controls to avoid nuisance trips while providing protection against catastrophic failures. Conducting a dynamic analysis during an equipment or controls upgrade is important for ensuring the safety and reliability of the plant with new configurations.
A furnace draft analysis begins with building a dynamic model of the existing plant, replicating both the plant process and control system.
After verifying the model performance closely matches the plant function, TRAX tests new fan configurations, piping designs, duct changes, or any other proposed scenarios you may want to examine.
A draft analysis is helpful during major equipment changes, when problems arise, or when processes need optimization. Our clients seek studies for…
As part of every analysis, TRAX assesses plant controls for compliance with NFPA-85 industry code for the prevention of fire, explosion, and implosion. In addition, we explore controls strategies to optimize plant operation and mitigation strategies for explosion and implosion protection. These strategies are tested on the plant model and tuned for optimal performance while avoiding nuisance trips.
Conducting a furnace draft study during an equipment or controls upgrade is an important part of ensuring the safety and reliability of the plant with new configurations. It can help a plant achieve NFPA 85 compliance while avoiding nuisance trips and implosion of equipment — improving plant safety, reliability and efficiency.
SAFETY
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Prevent furnace implosion
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Prevent ductwork/equipment pressures from exceeding design limits during abnormal operation
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Reduce/eliminate positive furnace pressure excursions for operator safety
CONTROLS CHECKOUT
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Ensure compliance with current NFPA 85 code
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Tune to prevent nuisance trips
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Retune controls for more effective responses
COST EFFECTIVENESS
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Potential insurance savings
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Reduce costs by using tested controls mitigations compared to boiler strengthening (potential savings in millions of dollars)
PROCESS RELIABILITY
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Ensure that new equipment is properly sized
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Increase operation efficiency
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Investigate actuator stroke times
For more than 30 years, TRAX has provided draft analysis studies covering an array of process configurations and types. Utilities and design engineers consistently choose TRAX furnace draft study analyses to validate designs and performance predictions. Let TRAX help you take the guesswork out of your new plant configuration, today.
