BRCP Energy Initiatives & Critical Exchanger Cleaning Program

ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge Chemical Plant has engaged in a number of energy-saving initiatives over the past few years, earning it the IETC Energy Award and many ACC Energy Efficiency Awards. Presentation will highlight ACC recognition and focus on the site's Energy Critical Exchanger Program.

As part of ExxonMobil’s Global Energy Management System (G-EMS), several best practices are recommended for manufacturing facilities. In 2008, Baton Rouge Chemical Plant (BRCP) began the adoption of a particular best practice regarding heat exchanger monitoring, and has demonstrated a significant number of successful implementations post roll-out of the program.

The program is built on the concept of heat transfer and monitoring fouling rates. By identifying potential areas of concern, and building appropriate models for routine updating, fouling rates of heat exchangers can be identified and an appropriate cleaning interval can be chosen. Since monitoring all exchangers may be impractical, an appropriate set of criteria based on duty and service can be set for qualification. Those which met the criteria are then entered into a simple heat transfer monitoring tool and trended based on historic plant data.

The program has proved beneficial for every business unit at Baton Rouge Chemical Plant. Based on the qualifying criteria, each business group had at least one exchanger qualify into the monitoring program, and over 50% of the businesses have cleaned exchangers that may otherwise not have been cleaned, whether that be due to competing work priorities or lack of monitoring. Since inception of the program in 2008, BRCP has demonstrated over $500,000 in energy savings. The plant will continue to monitor exchangers and present qualifying cases for sustained improvement.