Woven Metal Products (WMP) is proud of its state-of-the-art fabrication facility located in Alvin, Texas. With more than 50 years of experience manufacturing reactor and tower process internals, custom precision fabrication and consignment hardware, WMP executes jobs of any size and is equipped with a full-time night crew, at any time 365 days a year. WMP offers a variety of solutions for licensors, end users (refineries and chemical plants), installation companies and more, all with the same strategic purpose and mission of reliable quality, partnership attitude and attention to detail that the industry has come to know and expect.
One such solution is a patented Outlet Support Grid (OSG) from WMP, developed in partnership with Haldor Topsoe, created to obtain a lower pressure drop in an axial flow reactor. Years of research and development went into designing this product, and the WMP-proprietary design of this improved support grid reduces operating costs substantially by decreasing energy consumption and increasing production. The state-of-the-art OSG is simple and quick to install with a short fabrication window — as little as six weeks.
"The patented OSG, developed by both our teams of engineers and experts, along with WMP, has made a significant impact in the industry," said Dan Morton, engineering lead for Haldor Topsoe. "We partner with WMP on a variety of products and their fabrication knowledge and experience has always been integral in our design."
Compared to traditional support grids or standard outlets, the OSG can achieve a pressure drop decrease of up to 75 percent over the conventional system, as the unique design of the support grid minimizes the pressure drop at the outlet. This allows for a boost in the production capacity as well as energy savings because of the lower pressure drop. Due to the enhanced design, the OSG can sit at a lower position in the base of the vessel compared to standard installations, allowing for more media capacity of up to 40 percent. This, in turn, creates improved output and effectiveness and increased production.
Easy installation is another advantage, as the average installation time is in the range of 24 hours for one reactor. The OSG is custom-made for each reactor, and therefore adapted for a fast and simple installation through its existing manway. Approval by pressure vessel authorities is not required, as no welding is necessary. Packing rope and insulation are not needed to close the grid, and the OSG can easily be retrofitted to current vessels. In addition, the OSG is easily removed in sections, which makes inspection or repair easy. By installing the OSG, customers can see significant savings in the amount of necessary support material.
"Because the OSG is custom-made for each reactor, we work closely with inspectors and engineers on the exact design to ensure proper fit-up within the vessel during installation," said Russell Hillenburg, president of WMP. "We constantly provide feedback and support to our partners and clients on a variety of issues, and with the OSG, we developed another great option and solution."
The payback time for the OSG is normally as little as a few months. WMP offers full-solution packages to its customers -- from concept inception, inspection with an industry-leading quality control department to final completion. Because WMP never compromises on quality, you can rest assured that you will be more than satisfied with your product.
For more information, visit www.wovenmetal.com, call (281) 331-4466 or email sales@wovenmetal.com.
