After the bottom of the water cooling tower of the air separation equipment is filled with water and enters the nitrogen pipeline, it may cause pipeline rupture, valve jamming, and even damage to key equipment such as compressors due to low-temperature freezing (if the nitrogen temperature is extremely low) or water hammer effect. Pressure fluctuations in the nitrogen system may affect the stability of the entire process flow; Nitrogen pipelines are usually connected to enclosed spaces (such as storage tanks and reactors), and when water is full, it may be poured back into these areas through nitrogen inlets, creating a nitrogen rich environment; Water may contain impurities or chemicals, and long-term retention in pipelines can accelerate metal corrosion and shorten equipment life.
Solution: Immediately close the inlet valve and nitrogen inlet valve of the water cooling tower, and cut off the water source and nitrogen source.
Open the nitrogen pipeline drain valve and use gravity or nitrogen blowing to drain the accumulated water to a safe area (such as a sump) to prevent water from flowing back to other equipment.
Protective measures: Install a U-shaped overflow pipe at the bottom of the tower to automatically drain water to a safe area when the liquid level is too high. Form a water seal through a U-shaped tube to block the gas backflow path. Install a liquid level nitrogen valve interlock system that automatically closes the nitrogen inlet valve when the liquid level exceeds the limit.
