LPG/LNG plants, oil refineries, processing plants, storage farms, offshore plants, and pipelines produce a large number of hazardous combustible and toxic gases. Apart from this, the processes involved in all these industry verticals also produce a huge amount of non-toxic gases that can deplete oxygen when accumulated in high concentrations causing a very risky environment for people present in the area without any protection. Safety has always been the first and foremost factor in the installation of AC for oil and gas industry across the world. In simple words, safety factors can overrule all other considerations in an oil and gas facility.
Two of the most important objectives always need to be fulfilled when it comes to the installation of an AC in an oil and gas plant:
- Survival of the occupants
- Continuation of operations without any interruption.
The aspect of safety has more relevance and importance for all off-shore platforms as these plants or facilities are always more prone to producing highly toxic gases. When accumulated, these gases have a strong possibility of getting pumped out with gas and crude oil apart from the fire hazard. These crucial factors can prove to be disastrous for human life apart from damaging the extremely costly tools and equipment installed in the facility, resulting in a very adverse effect on the activities downstream.
Why is it necessary to be particular about the AC system in the oil and gas facilities?
Oil and gas companies need to be extra particular about their air conditioning systems. It is necessary because just a single mistake can wreak havoc on the entire installation. Apart from countering the risk factors, they also need to be very specific about the safety of the men working there. An industrial air conditioner unit plays a very important role in providing a safe and comfortable environment to the workers.
An air conditioning system installed in the oil and gas facilities works on principles of thermodynamics as well as fluid mechanics with strong connectivity through pipes in each and every corner. Even the slightest mistake can prove to be fatal for both men and machines inside the facility.
This blog presents you with some proven tips to take care of an AC system in the oil and gas industry:
Ensure the installation of the best quality refrigerant leak detector
Refrigerant is a part and parcel of all the HVAC systems that necessarily contain gas. It acts as a heat-absorbing agent from the environment and offers conditioning of air with the support of evaporators and compressors. To make sure that the system always runs smoothly without posting any operational or security threat, you need to make sure the refrigerant is always in the best of conditions with no possibility of any leakages.
Any leakage in the AC system of the oil and gas facility needs to be fixed and addressed as early as possible. To accomplish this specific job, you will need the best quality refrigerant gas sensor. Before carrying out the things, try to get some technical information associated with this aspect, and seeking professional help might also prove to be a great idea in this regard.
Schedule annual or bi-annual maintenance
Regular maintenance is the key to the proper functioning of an industrial air conditioning unit. Depending upon your usage, you need to schedule annual or bi-annual maintenance of your AC units to be carried out by the best professionals within the business. Various business owners are under the impression that while they can follow all the safety instructions, they can also maintain their unit well. But, they might be quite wrong in their approach. As a matter of the fact is that they cannot have the eye of an expert in this regard.
Professionals within the business check the AC system comprehensively, carry out all the necessary testing tasks, and then service the unit. In case they feel your unit requires any repair, they do it accordingly while performing all the needful. Once you get a green signal from them, your AC unit will give no problem for the period it is serviced for. Therefore, never make a compromise on the servicing front.
Perform cleaning at regular intervals
Even in industrial units, it is a common practice to depend upon professionals for each and every task when it comes to carrying out some common cleaning and general inspection tasks. You must remember that any issue, be it a big or small one, can remain with your air conditioner system for around a year in case you wait only for the professionals’ visit to your premises. Depending on professional help for the regular cleaning and general inspection is not a good idea at all. You need to be well aware of the system’s general cleaning which it calls for at regular intervals. Be it domestic, commercial, or industrial AC, some general tasks can be performed by the owners themselves.
You don’t need to be an HVAC engineer to perform some basic functions associated with your industrial AC. First, you need to make sure that there is no debris around the unit installed outside. Inspecting and cleaning the system for regular dust and mold should be in your regular practice. You must have an idea about when filters need to be changed. Also, make sure the filters you are going to replace are of the highest industrial grade quality. Last but not least important factor lies in the high-quality lubricant that needs to be applied to all the moving parts. You can seek professional recommendations in this regard.
Concluding Remarks
Founded in the year 1982, Kabu Projects is an Indian conglomerate headquartered in New Delhi. Today, the company enjoys an unmatched reputation and international recognition as one of the leading providers of AC for oil and gas industry and air conditioners for hydraulic room.
The company, with its brand “ATMOS”, specializes in the field of industrial heavy duty air cooler & refrigeration. Today, Kabu Projects is the most trusted and reliable brand in steel plants, non-ferrous smelters, heavy equipment manufacturing & mines.