Clients We Serve
ECT has a 16-year proven track record of providing solutions to end users, EPCs, process licensors, and OEMs from simple to complex applications in the following markets:
UPSTREAM
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Reinjection
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Export Gas
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Gas Lift
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Gas Gathering
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FPSO
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FLNG
Upstream Challenges
Complex Machinery Layouts
Upstream plants often run two or more parallel, multi-section turbomachinery trains. Simple control algorithms designed for single turbomachinery trains are inadequate for complex applications resulting in machine trips, inefficient operations, and manual control.
Production Target vs Energy Efficiency
Operating personnel have a production target they have to meet. This often means the time allowed for surge control testing and tuning of the turbomachinery trains during commissioning is limited. Tuning legacy systems with outdated technology can be difficult due to their surge parameter design and surge prevention algorithms, resulting in over conservative surge margins and over-opening recycle valves.
Operator Lack of Understanding and Confidence
New FPSO designs can have up to 10 complex compressor trains operating in four services. There can be up to 100 "black box" control boxes required 16 control cabinets. Operations have little chance to effectively operate and maintain this design.
ECT Upstream Solutions
Advanced Control Algorithms
ECT's TurboPAC suite of software applications solve the most complex compressor network challenges using our patented invariant surge parameter, fast-closed loop Surge Preventer response, equidistant load sharing, and integrated process and driver limiting loops.
Limiting Loops
ECT's TurboPAC applications have five limiting loops each allowing the compressors to safely operate closer process limits including at the compressor inter-stages resulting in increased production.
Seamless Integration
ECT's use of carefully selected and tested commercially off-the-shelf hardware components allows easier operator understanding and confidence of the control system. In addition, since ECT uses the same hardware and HMI as the OEM, ECT's system can be integrated into the OEM panel providing significant space savings.
MIDSTREAM
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NGL Frac Plants
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LPG Plants
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Ethane Loading Terminals
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LNG
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GTL
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Pipeline Transportation
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​Gas Storage​
Midstream Challenges
Complex Machinery Layouts
Midstream plants often run two or more parallel, multi-section turbomachinery trains. Multi-section refrigeration compressors with side streams are particularly challenging. Simple control algorithms designed for single turbomachinery trains are inadequate for complex applications resulting in machine trips, inefficient operations, and manual control.
Production Target vs Energy Efficiency
Operating personnel have a production target they have to meet. This often means the turbomachinery trains have to be running at the shortest possible time during startup. Tuning is difficult for a variable gain system, resulting in over conservative surge margin and over-open recycle valves.
Control Loops in Manual
Plant operators struggle to keep turbomachinery trains running optimally when the control system is a 'black box' or programmable system. They have to call in high cost field engineers that end up performing technician tasks that should be done by plant maintenance personnel. The probability of a non user-friendly system being switched to Manual is very high.
ECT Midstream Solutions
Proven Advanced Control Algorithms
ECT has dozens of parallel multi-section Mixed Refrigeration trains that run in automatic for years including process control with four integrated limiting loops for driver and cold box protection.
Efficient Startup
ECT's TurboPAC control applications are rigorously tested so they work right out of the box requiring far less time to commission than "black box" or programmable systems allowing you to produce sooner - increasing revenue and profit.
Seamless Integration
ECT's use of carefully selected and tested commercially off-the-shelf hardware components allows easier operator understanding and confidence of the control system. ECT's control applications are designed and organized so operator and maintenance feel comfortable with the system.
DOWNSTREAM
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Refineries
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Ammonia Plants
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Purified Terephthalic Acid
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Nitric Acid
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Ethylene Plants
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Methanol
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Propane Dehydrogenation PDH
Downstream Challenges
Critical Compressors
Downstream plants often run one critical compressor per unit. Redundant control systems are critical to prevent unnecessary downtime due to hardware component failures. Many redundant proprietary systems have single backplanes which don't allow on line replacement should a failure occur leaving you exposed to a plant trip.
Variable Mole Weight Applications
Several downstream applications have varying mole weight gas during normal operation. Without the proper invariant coordinates system, compressors can unexpectedly surge resulting in trips and unit downtime.
Unplanned Shutdowns
One day lost production can cost over one million dollars. Without advanced integrated turbomachinery control, excessive compressor surge can lead to unplanned shutdowns.
ECT Downstream Solutions
Faster Startups
ECT's linear surge parameter allows our field engineers to enable our advanced algorithms and tune them very quickly resulting in improved efficiency, production increase, and machine protection.
Advanced Control Algorithms
ECT's core surge control algorithms
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Surge Adapter
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Surge Preventer
keeps the compressor operating point from reaching the surge limit of the compressor without excessive surge control margins.
Surge Detection
ECT's Surge Stopper detects compressor surge and counts surge cycles which can be used to alarm operations or trip the compressor when necessary.
EMERGING ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
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Blue/Green Ammonia
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Blue/Green Hydrogen
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Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage
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Biorefining
Emerging Energy Technology Challenges
Complex Machinery Layouts
Blue Ammonia Plants have complex syngas and ammonia refrigeration compressors with complex piping and instrumentation designs. Mistakes are often made during the design phase compromising the performance of the turbomachinery control system.
Ineffective DCS Solutions
Users have been attempting to use the DCS for turbomachinery controls for decades. Programmable designs without capable algorithms lead to compressor trips, excessive recycle, and manual operation.
CO Compressors
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CO compressors are one of the most complex applications out there because of high pressure CO gas and the potential of liquid formation and the difficulty of using an ideal gas based surge parameter.
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ECT Emerging Energy Technology Solutions
System Design Consultation
End users, EPCs, Process Licensors, and OEMs take advantage of ECT's consulting services to help in key decisions on turbomachinery control system design during pre-FEED and FEED project stages.
Seamless Integration
ECT has tested and proven experience using it's DCS implementation for complex syngas, ammonia refrigeration, and CO compressors resulting in excellent results.
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Advanced Control Algorithms and Engineering
ECT's invariant surge parameter is based on real gas equations which is important for CO applications. ECT's turbomachinery control engineers have proven experience in recycle line and surge control valve design. This is critical to prevent hydrate formation and liquid carryover.
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INDUSTRIAL
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Automotive
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Waste Water Treatment
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Steel Mills
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Air Separation
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Food and Beverage
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Mine and Metals
Industrial Challenges
Critical Applications
Steel mill blast furnace air blowers frequently are axial design which are at high risk to surge damage. Stove fill operation is challenging for compressor operation.
Sewage Plant Blowers
Poor parallel blower controls results in inefficient operation due to large surge control margins and over aeration of the basins.
Plant Air Compressors
Plant air compressor controls are often overlooked resulting in inefficient operation and compressor trips. Users mask the issue by using additional portable air compressors resulting in increased energy costs.
ECT Industrial Solutions
Compressor Protection
ECT's compressor control algorithms prevent axial compressor surge damage. ECT's Interaction Control and stove fill compensation algorithms ensure stable operation during stove switching.
Advanced Control Algorithms
ECT's loadsharing algorithms with integrated basin most open valve control allow equidistant blower operation with stable dissolved oxygen control.
Energy Efficiency
ECT's AirPAC plant air compressor network control system optimizes your plant air system by minimizing blow-off with header set point reduction resulting in improved energy efficiency.