Client: ExxonMobil / Exxon Chemical Limited, Fawley Refinery
Industry: Chemicals and Energy
Region: Fawley Chemical Plant, Southampton, United Kingdom
Product: Kleerflo Automatic Self-Cleaning Filter – 2 x DD6E4/500/40 + 2 x DD4E4/500/30 + 2 x DD4E4/500/35
Installation: 1988

Challenge

• Exxon Chemical’s Fawley facility requires considerable quantities of process cooling water.
• They extract raw seawater for this purpose – piping it about two miles from the Solent to small filtration stations on the site’s blocks.
• Filtration is required to remove any material which could foul up the condensers and heat exchangers in the plant.
• The filters must be highly reliable, effective and efficient automatic self-cleaning filters that ensure continuous flow and that can operate in Zone II Hazardous Areas.
• In 1987, Exxon had motorised, rotating filters in place that did not live up to expectations
  • “not providing the required filtration and unavailability of spare parts.”

Application

• Primary Filtration – Seawater Cooling Systems
• Filtration of seawater to protect heat exchangers and condensers from damage caused by shells, pebbles, seaweed and
  stones in raw water.

Solution

• The inherent simplicity of the Kleerflo filter design appealed to ExxonMobil.
• This, combined with the offer of an innovative, all-pneumatic control system for safe operation in Zone II Hazardous Areas was enough to convince ExxonMobil to commission a trial
• At the conclusion of the 3-month trial in 1987, ExxonMobil “recommended to install the Kleerflo filter: combined with the mark two pneumatic controller: to replace the existing saltwater strainers.”
• With this began an ongoing, near 40-year relationship during which time Kleerflo has remained the filter of choice.
• Current installed units (all Duplex Stainless Steel):
  • Kleerflo Automatic Self-Cleaning Filters, 2 x DD6E4/500/40 + 2 x DD4E4/500/35 (MEK/ Basic Chemicals) and 2 x DD4E4/500/30 (Butyl Polymers)
• Key Features that make Kleerflo automatic self-cleaning filters uniquely suitable for this tough, industrial application:
  • no rotating parts
  • very few moving parts
  • no close tolerance elements
  • no electric motor
  • high-quality, durable, stainless steel wedgewire screens

Results

• Kleerflo filters deliver filtrate in compliance with client acceptance standards – now for almost 40 years.
• Inherent simplicity and rugged design ensure low maintenance costs and high in-service time.

Client Experience

“The Kleerflo Automatic Self Cleaning Filter for industrial water, combined with the MKII pneumatic controller, can be seen as a reliable, maintenance-free, heavy chemical filter usable in hazard areas.”
– PL van Roon – Exxon Chemical Ltd.