Development of the Separation Column’s Temperature Field Monitoring System

Abstract

Oil is one of the main resources used by all countries in the world. The ever-growing demand for oil and oil products forces oil companies to increase production and refining. In order to increase net profit, oil producing companies are constantly upgrading equipment, improving oil production technologies, and preparing oil for further processing. When considering the elements of primary oil refining in difficult conditions, such as hard-to-reach or in remote locations, developers face strict limitations in energy resources and dimensions. Therefore, the use of traditional systems causes a number of difficulties, significantly reducing production efficiency. In this study, the authors solve the problem of improving the characteristics of the oil separation process. In their work, the authors analyzed the separation columns of primary oil distillation, identified the shortcomings of the technological process, and searched for technological solutions. Having identified the lack of technical solutions for monitoring the state of the temperature field of the separation column, the authors developed their own hardware–software complex for monitoring the separation column (RF patents No. 2020665473, No. 2021662752 were received). The complex was tested and successfully implemented into production. The study provides an assessment of the economic efficiency of implementation for a year and a forecast of the economic effect for 10 years.

1. Introduction

The oil industry is still one of the most important sectors for the economy of a big number of countries. Oil separation is one of the most important processes in the primary preparation of extracted raw materials; it separates oil from water and associated gases before transportation, which increases the service life of transportation equipment. Despite the fact that separation is most often based on simple phenomena such as gravity, the process itself is quite complex, since it requires control of certain parameters, such as temperature, pressure, liquid content in the mixture, and volumes of separated components.

Many oil companies already use automated separation units, but the proposed solutions do not pay enough attention to monitoring and controlling the temperature field of this equipment, which certainly affects the performance of the separators. Often, temperature sensors are installed in insufficient quantities to ensure the necessary information content of the system, which does not allow one to fully judge the current state of the separation column. Thus, due to incorrect operation of the measurement system, a number of man-made accidents have occurred [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. Man-made disasters are also associated with the peculiarities of the functioning of specific oil refineries. Operating conditions, such as seasonal natural phenomena have a significant impact on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of software and hardware complexes of automated temperature field control systems. Thus, within the framework of this study, a number of tasks are set such as:

• analyzing existing offers on the market, identifying their advantages and disadvantages;
• selecting the necessary equipment, suitable in characteristics and optimal in cost;
• developing and implementing a system for monitoring the temperature field of the separation column;
• evaluating the effectiveness of the developed system.

Obtaining the solution to the set problems will increase the efficiency of the separation columns, reduce the cost of operation, and improve production safety.

The object of study in this work is an oil and gas separator (OGS). The main task of this device is the primary preparation of the produced raw materials, which consists of separating oil from water and associated gases. The separation process is a necessary stage in the preparation of raw materials for further transportation and processing, which helps prevent premature failure of oil refining equipment, since a mixture containing a large amount of water leads to the corrosion of metal elements [9,10,11].

The operation of a vertical gravity separator is based on gravity and the difference in densities in the components of the incoming mixture [12,13]. The oil and gas mixture enters the separator body through the inlet pipe, then passes through the distribution manifold [14,15,16]. The next element on the path of the incoming raw material is inclined shelves, which increase the area on which degassing occurs. From the inclined shelves, the liquid phase enters the oil collection section, the level in which it is controlled by a float and regulated by a valve [17]. The level is also observed in the sight glass. Fine insoluble particles (sludge) contained in the collected oil are removed through a separate line. Gases released from the incoming mixture pass through a louvered drip collector and enter the drip removal section. Droplets separated from the gas phase enter section B through a drainage pipe. Gas and section removal are regulated by a valve. The pressure in the separator is regulated by the pressure of the supplied mixture and the valve on the gas removal line. The temperature of the working environment is maintained in various ways:

• preliminary heating of the incoming oil and gas mixture;
• heating of the mixture by heating the inclined shelves by feeding water vapor into the lower part of the separator.

Identification of the research problem. At the moment, solutions for the modernization of separation columns are already presented on the market. Many technologies and solutions are used to automate the separation process due to its complexity. Existing monitoring and control systems based on microprocessors allow you to monitor various parameters and control them with high accuracy [18].

The proposed solutions for the automation of separators actively use pressure and liquid level sensors. They play an important role in ensuring the stability of the separation process. Pressure sensors allow you to monitor the pressure inside the body of the object under study, which guarantees timely detection of depressurization, and maintains the parameter within the specified limits to comply with the separation technology. Pressure sensors allow you to monitor the liquid level in the separation column. This, in turn, prevents overflow of the liquid phase collection section and shows the efficiency of separation.

A problem area of the existing solutions is temperature control. Despite the long path of separator modernization, temperature sensors are installed in small quantities or are absent altogether. The importance of monitoring this particular parameter is due to the fact that temperature has a great influence on the process, since it affects the viscosity of oil, its density, and the nature of the interaction between the phases. A change in the above-mentioned properties can lead to a decrease in the quality of separation. The development and implementation of a system for monitoring the temperature field of the column will significantly improve the technological process taking place in a vertical separator. The essence of this solution is to create a grid of temperature sensors on the surface of the object′s body. They should be placed at the same distance from each other at several levels around the circumference of the separator. Information about the temperature field will be sent to the operator′s workstation in real time via the controller. The incoming data should be processed, displayed graphically, and analyzed by the worker to adjust the operation of the main and auxiliary heating equipment of the separation unit to maintain the required temperature regime [19].

The formation of zones with low or high temperatures has a negative impact on the separation process. The monitoring system helps to respond in a timely manner to such situations. The optimal temperature regime reduces the viscosity of the raw material and accelerates the process of separating oil from water and associated gases, which increases the productivity and efficiency of the separator.

The occurrence of abnormal temperature zones may indicate the formation of deposits on the walls, the occurrence of blockages, and other problems in the technological process. The automatic monitoring system will improve the process of diagnosing the condition of the equipment. This upgrade will also simplify the maintenance of the separator as operators will be able to clean the corresponding element in a timely manner. High-quality maintenance and prompt elimination of emerging problems extends the service life of plant equipment.

Optimization of energy costs is another advantage of automation. One of the most significant consumers of electricity is the heating element. The temperature field monitoring system will prevent excessive heating of the incoming mixture, which reduces the consumption of energy resources and the cost of paying for them. Reducing costs, in turn, increases the operating profit of the enterprise. Thus, the development and implementation of a temperature field monitoring system for a separation column is a necessary upgrade that improves the efficiency and profitability of production by reducing operating costs.

Analysis of existing solutions and clarification of the research task. Currently, there are about 110 oil refineries in the Russian Federation: 30 large ones (with a capacity of over 1 million tons per year) and 80 mini-refineries (with a capacity of up to 1 million tons per year). Given the multi-level nature and complexity of refining processes, this industry is in a condition of constant technological development, the basis of which is automation.

Automatic control theory (ACT) is a discipline that deals with solving this problem by introducing automated and automatic systems into production. To assess the achievements and work done in the field of ACT, it is necessary to conduct a literature review. In the textbook, Theory of Automatic Control, Dushin S. E., Zotov N. S., and Imaev D. Kh. outlined the basics of ACS, including the classification of objects and control systems, problems of control theory, as well as types of mathematical models and methods for constructing them [20]. In the textbook by V. F. Dyadik, S. A. Baidali, and N. S. Krinitsyn, the characteristics of control systems and their evaluation criteria were considered; in addition, the process of synthesizing automatic control systems (ACS) was described [21]. Klokotov I. Yu. talks about the implementation of automation in the production process in the article “Automation of Technological Processes” [22]. In addition, the work describes the principles of designing an automated process and identifies a number of problems that enterprises face during the modernization of existing structures. In more detail, the problems of implementation, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the automation of technological processes were described by Voronov V. E. in the article “Problems of automation of technological processes and production” [23]. The advantages of the APCS include acceleration of operations, increased speed of decision-making, and increased control accuracy by eliminating the human factor.

Considering that the goals of this modernization and the equipment used are different, it is divided into several types, which are described in the work “Automation of technological processes” [24]. For example, the automation solution based on programmable logic equipment was considered by P.E. Kuznetsov, M.V. Safronov, N.V. Maksimov in the work “Problems of automation of the technological process at an industrial enterprise” [25].

Oil and gas production is one of the main industries for the application of APCS. This is due to the presence of constantly emerging difficulties and the desire of companies to improve the quality of their products and net profit, and therefore their competitiveness [26].

Automation has become widespread in the petrochemical industry, which was caused by the high speed of processes and the accuracy required for them, as well as the danger to workers. Details of the implementation of automated systems in oil refining production were described by Shirikina E. V., Meister D. V., and Shatunov V. V. in their publication “Automation of the technological process of oil refining” [27].

The competitiveness of oil refineries in Russia is significantly lower than similar production facilities in other large developing countries. The main reasons for this situation were identified by Solomonov A. P. and described in the article “Problems of International Competitiveness of Russian Oil Refining Companies” [28]. One of the main problems is, of course, the low innovative activity even of market leaders. According to the study, the results of which are presented in the work of A. D. Arkhipenko “The Current State and Problems of Development of the Oil Refining Complex in Russia”, the volumes of oil produced and processed in the territory of the Russian Federation are growing rapidly. However, the depth of processing has remained at the same level for most enterprises in recent years. Similar conclusions were made in the work of V. S. Kolodin, and G. V. Davydova, “Problems of Modernization of the Oil Refining Industry of Russia in the Context of Sanction Pressure” [29]. The authors paid special attention to the age of large oil refineries: most of them were commissioned during the Soviet Union, and only six of them were built in the 21st century. All this can be offset by a high level of modernization, the absence of which is evidenced by the low depth of raw material processing (only five oil refineries in Russia have this indicator exceeding 80%).

The importance of increasing the depth of processing is discussed by I.A. Zemlyanskaya in her article “Problems and Prospects of the Russian Oil Refining Industry” [30]. According to the State Program “Energy Strategy of Russia until 2020”, by the end of 2020, the depth of processing at Russian oil refineries should have reached 85%. However, current data indicate that the set goals have not been achieved. I.A. Zemlyanskaya cites the active involvement of international companies and the use of imported equipment, access to which was limited in modern conditions, as reasons for the lag. Having studied the state of the selected subject area and the problems existing in it, it becomes clear that there is a need to modernize the technological process of oil refining by introducing domestic automation systems into production.

One of the most important stages in oil refining is the preliminary preparation of raw materials, which consists of separating oil from associated gases and water. The basics of this process are briefly described in the work of N. O. Nuraddinov and M. O. Sattorov, “Study of the physicochemical foundations of the process of preliminary preparation of oil” [31].

It is worth paying attention to the fact that the problem of the growth of the gas factor is most acute in the late stages of oil field development, which is what the authors talk about in the work “Analysis of the causes of the growth of the gas factor at the late stages of oil field development” [32]. Increasing the efficiency of preliminary oil preparation is a task, the implementation of which will solve the existing problem and optimize costs in the development of existing fields.

The basic equipment used at this stage is an oil and gas separator. An integral part of which is a mass-exchange element, various variations of which are registered by patent RU 2 498 839 C1 [33]. The main versions of the oil and gas separator itself, intended for use in various conditions, are described in paragraph 1 of this work [34,35]. Initially, the efficiency of oil and gas separators was increased by increasing its working volume, which increased the throughput of the equipment. However, at the moment, the dimensions of the separation equipment have reached their reasonable limits, which means that this method of improving the characteristics is becoming irrational. The development of oil separation technology must be carried out in other directions. This problem and ways to solve it are discussed in the study by Khabibullin M.Ya., Gilaev G.G., and Suleimanov R.I., “Separation equipment with an increased effect of separating well products” [36].

The importance of upgrading mass transfer equipment and the methods for carrying it out are shown by M. I. Farakhov and A. G. Laptev in their work “Energy-efficient equipment for separating and purifying substances in chemical technology” [37]. It is the upgrading that will reduce costs, improve product quality, equipment productivity, and also adapt to constantly changing external conditions and the composition of processed raw materials.

Separation efficiency is the most important criterion for evaluating the performance of a separator. The method for determining it, as well as its necessity, are given in the work of V. V. Pivnya and V. S. Shchelkonogov, “Analysis of the criteria for the efficiency of separators for industrial preparation of hydrocarbon raw materials” [38]. Increasing the intensity of the operation of separation devices with minimal financial costs is a task, the solution of which will increase the productivity and profitability of oil refining industries [39].

The most significant parameters of oil and gas separators are operating temperature and pressure. Their importance and the degree of influence on the process are described by Nikolaev E. V. in the article “Study of the Peculiarities of Oil and Gas Separation Processes in the Operating Modes of Oilfield Equipment” [40]. The major role of these parameters in the separation process was confirmed by Otanyozov, F. I. [41] in his work “Selection of Optimum Pressure and Temperature at the First Separation Stage during Oil Preparation”. The results of Pavlov R. P. and Muftakhov E. M. indicate that, in the case of established optimal values of operating temperature and pressure inside the oil and gas separator, its productivity can double [42].

The object of study of this final qualification work is a vertical oil and gas separator [43]. This device has become widespread due to its size and higher productivity relative to a horizontal oil and gas separator.

Modernization of the oil and gas separator will increase its productivity. This assumption is confirmed by the work “Monitoring the catalytic reforming unit of gasoline at the Achinsk Oil Refinery using a computer modeling system”, the results of which prove the positive effect of introducing a monitoring system into an oil refinery [44]. The authors of this study managed to increase the efficiency of the process unit by 5%.

As an upgrade, it is also proposed to introduce an automatic monitoring system. During the analysis of the technological process and solutions available on the market, it was decided to select the temperature field of the separation column as the observed parameter [45].

Based on all of the above, we will present the main problems associated with oil separation (see

Table 1. Main problems associated with oil separation.

№	Problem Literary	Problem Literary
1	Temperature problems	[1,4,8,9,22,26,29,30,33,34,35,37,40,44,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84]
2	Chemical problems	[6,9,73,74,75,76,77,78,80,85,86]
3	Physical problems	[1,3,6,8,9,20,21,22,24,28,34,35,38,41,51,63,67,69,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108]
4	Economic problems	[27,36,37,55,60,71,72,86,90,91,92,93,101,102,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111]
5	Electrical problems	[1,3,5,9,21,27,28,33,36,37,39,51,52,58,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84,90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,100,103,105,106,107,108,109,110,112,113,114,115,116,117,118,119,120]

). For clarity, we will present them in a table, divided into groups.

Based on this analysis, we will clearly formulate the objectives of this study.

Statement of the problem. At the moment, solutions for the modernization of separation columns are already presented on the market. Many technologies and solutions are used to automate the separation process due to its complexity. Existing monitoring and control systems based on microprocessors allow you to monitor and control various parameters with high accuracy.

The proposed solutions for the automation of separators actively use pressure and liquid level sensors. They play an important role in ensuring the stability of the separation process. Pressure sensors allow you to monitor the pressure inside the body of the object under study, which guarantees timely detection of depressurization, maintaining the parameter within the specified limits to comply with the separation technology. Pressure sensors allow you to monitor the liquid level in the separation column. This, in turn, prevents overflow of the liquid phase collection section and shows the efficiency of separation.

A problem area of \u200b\u200b existing solutions is temperature control. Despite the long history of separator modernization, temperature sensors are installed in small quantities or are absent altogether. The importance of monitoring this particular parameter is due to the fact that temperature has a great influence on the process, since it affects the viscosity of oil, its density, and the nature of the interaction between the phases. A change in the above-mentioned properties can lead to a decrease in the quality of separation.

The development and implementation of a column temperature field monitoring system will significantly improve the technological process taking place in a vertical separator. The essence of this solution is to create a grid of temperature sensors on the surface of the object′s body. They should be placed at the same distance from each other at several levels along the circumference of the separator. Information about the temperature field will be sent to the operator′s workstation in real time via the controller. The incoming data should be processed, displayed graphically, and analyzed by the worker to adjust the operation of the main and auxiliary heating equipment of the separation unit to maintain the required temperature regime.

The formation of zones with low or high temperatures has a negative impact on the separation process. The monitoring system facilitates a timely response to such situations. Optimal temperature conditions reduce the viscosity of the feedstock and accelerate the process of separating oil from water and associated gases, which increases the productivity and efficiency of the separator.

The occurrence of abnormal temperature zones may indicate the formation of deposits on the walls, the occurrence of blockages, and other problems in the technological process. The automatic monitoring system will improve the process of diagnosing the condition of the equipment. This upgrade will also simplify the maintenance of the separator: operators will be able to clean the corresponding element in a timely manner. High-quality maintenance and prompt elimination of emerging problems extend the service life of the plant equipment.

Optimization of energy costs is another advantage of automation. One of the most significant consumers of electricity is the heating element. The temperature field monitoring system will prevent excessive heating of the incoming mixture, which reduces the consumption of energy resources and the cost of paying for them. Reducing costs, in turn, increases the operating profit of the enterprise. Thus, the development and implementation of a system for monitoring the temperature field of a separation column is a necessary modernization that allows for increasing the efficiency and profitability of production by reducing operating costs.

2. Development of a Hardware Complex

The system for monitoring the temperature field of a separation column developed in this study is a comprehensive solution for upgrading a vertical oil and gas separator. According to the existing technical specifications, its functionality should include the following components:

• Collecting data on the temperature inside the separation column body;
• Transmitting information from the process unit to the operator′s workstation;
• Graphical display of the temperature field on the station monitor;
• Signaling when the observed parameter goes beyond the permissible delta.

To implement points 1 and 2, it is necessary to create a grid of temperature sensors inside the separator body. The sensors must be connected to the controller via a wire connection, which will provide primary data processing and further transmission to the operator′s workstation.

The implementation of points 3 and 4 will be performed based on the Python 3.0. programming language. Data on the operating temperature delta of the process facility is preliminarily entered into the program. The developed software will process the information coming from the installation, check for compliance with acceptable values, provide the operator with a graphical display, and notify him of any problems that arise.

The basis of the developed solution is the Arduino UNO microcontroller board. This device is widely used in the field of creating electronic projects of varying complexity. The platform is open, which has a positive effect on the interest of users who create various libraries that expand the functionality of the board. Arduino UNO is based on an 8-bit single-chip microcontroller ATmega328P from Microchip Technology (San Jose, CA, USA), which provides the necessary computing power of the product [90,91] (see

Table 2. Temperature sensors.

Sensor	Type	Value Range	Accuracy	Interface
DS18B20 (China)	Digital	−55 °C–+125 °C	±0.5 °C	One wire
DHT11 (China)	Digital	0 °C–+50 °C	±2 °C	One wire
DHT22 (China)	Digital	−40 °C–+80 °C	±0.5 °C	One wire
LM35 (China)	Analog	−55 °C–+150 °C	±0.5 °C	Analog
TMP36 (China)	Analog	−40 °C–+125 °C	±1 °C	Analog

).

The selected Arduino UNO board has a large list of advantages, which determine the choice of this product. In addition to those listed above, it is worth noting the large number of sensors and modules on this work, a digital temperature sensor DS18Bn the market, allowing you to select components for any task. An unconditional advantage of the Arduino platform is its cross-platform nature, thanks to which equally convenient interaction with the board is available through devices based on Windows, Linux, and MacOS.

The sources of data on the state of the separation column temperature field in this system are temperature sensors. There are many different options on the market. It is necessary to conduct a comparative analysis to identify the most suitable for use in this work.

Each of the options under consideration has its advantages and disadvantages. Analog sensors have good accuracy, their cost is lower than digital ones, they have a wide range of values, and easily process the received data, but noise immunity does not meet the requirements for the system being developed.

The cost of digital sensors is slightly higher and the signal processing process is more complicated, but DS18B20 will be used to implement the system. This sensor meets all the requirements: high accuracy, the required range of measured temperature, and acceptable cost. The main advantage of DS18B20 is the availability on the market of a version with long wires and within a sealed design.

Development of the Program Algorithm and Programming of the Microcontroller

Critically important in the development of the monitoring system is the creation of the operational algorithm. At this stage, the order of the operation is set, and the type and volume of the data to be processed are determined.

There are many options for describing algorithms, including verbal description, mathematical formulas, pseudocode, and block diagrams. In this case, a combined description method was chosen: a block diagram with pseudocode elements. Figure 1 shows the algorithm for the hardware part of the proposed solution: operations, variables, and order are described. Figure 2 shows the algorithm for the software part of the proposed solution.

In this work, a digital temperature sensor DS18B20 (San Jose, CA, USA) in a sealed design, shown in Figure 3, is used to implement the system. The pinout of the selected one is shown in Figure 3.

This sensor can be connected in two ways: via the 1-wire protocol using three wires to connect to the controller; and in the “parasitic power” mode using two wires (for example, a coaxial cable), used when sensors are located at a large distance from each other (Figure 4).

However, the “parasitic power supply” mode does not meet the criteria of this system, since without a separate power supply, the manufacturer does not guarantee operation at temperatures above 100 °C.

An absolute advantage of this sensor is the ability to connect several sensors to one pin of the Arduino board. This advantage is due to the fact that each DS18B20 has a unique 64-bit address from the factory. This allows for address polling of sensors using one data bus.

Using the 1-wire protocol when connecting has additional features. In order for one wire to be used for both data transmission and reception, the control signal must be increased. This can be done using a resistor with a nominal resistance of 4.7 kOhm, which must be connected to the data line and the power line. A model of the circuit assembled using the described technology was created using the online modeling service Tinkercad (Figure 5).

The microcontroller is programmed in the Arduino IDE. To work with DS18B20 sensors, you need to connect the library. At the moment, there are 2 main options:

Official package from the Dallas developer 8.0: DallasTemperature.h and OneWire.h;

MicroDS18B20 library, created by the community.

In this work, preference is given to the second option due to its simplicity and advanced built-in functionality.

After connecting the library, you need to use the “readAddress()” function and get the addresses of all 36 sensors by connecting them to the board one by one. The received addresses are saved and entered into a two-dimensional array, which is then used in the final code. The addresses of the corresponding sensors are set using the “setAddress()” function. Further polling of the sensors is carried out by serial number, and not by address.

Data transfer from the microcontroller board to the PC is carried out via the COM port, for work with which “Serial” is used, which does not require installation of additional modules; this tool is included in the package of standard libraries.

The main stage in the program cycle is the sequential polling of sensors. For this, the addresses recorded in the array and the temperature request function “requestTemp()”, built into the microDS18B20 library, are used. Preparing data before transferring via the COM port is an important stage in the operation of the monitoring system. For the convenience of further processing and minimization of the volume of transmitted information, it was decided to send it as a line with numerical temperature values and special separators.

Numeric temperature values are sequentially converted into strings and attached to the line that will be transferred to the PC. The line is transferred via the COM port using the “Serial.print()” function. For consistent and correct operation of the microcontroller and personal computer, it is necessary to set the data transfer rate. In this case, the value of 9600 baud was selected.

To ensure stable operation of the system, it is necessary to take into account the time required to read information from the sensors and to transmit it via the COM port. Using the “delay” function will add a delay to perform all operations before the next cycle repetition.

3. Development of a Software Package

To display the state of the temperature field on the screen of a personal computer, it is necessary to create a window application. The Python programming language was chosen for implementation. The choice is due to the variety of existing libraries both for communication via a COM port and for creating a visual component.

One of the most powerful and developed environments, PyCharm 3.5., was chosen as a development environment. The advantages of this option are that it is cross-platform, has a large collection of plugins, as well as a convenient and functional code editor. The primary task is to establish a connection to the COM port. To do this, it is necessary to import the PySerial 3.1 library, designed to write and read data from Arduino 3.0. The library′s functionality allows you to fine-tune the connection: select a port, set the reading speed.

The program inputs data from the microcontroller as a string containing numerical temperature values and a separator between them. The program reads the strings, selects the numerical values, and fills the array with them. Creating an array is necessary for further display of data in the correct order, as well as their analysis. The Numpy library is used to work with arrays.

To create a graphical interface, it is necessary to import the Tkinter library (the most common solution for creating window applications). Tkinter was chosen because it is part of the standard Python library and allows for the creation of various widgets to display temperature values. Color indicators are used to display the temperature field in this system, which will ensure high speed of data analysis by the operator.

The temperature field is displayed using the functionality of the matplotlib library. In the working window, 36 points are created, corresponding to 36 sensors located on the column. They are given coordinates corresponding to the place of their installation (level and sector of the circle) (Figure 6). To create a temperature gradient, the values of the maximum and minimum allowable temperatures are entered into the program. Using this data, the points on the graph are colored in the appropriate color. The temperature gradient is also displayed in the working window.

For ease of reading information about the state of the temperature field, it is necessary to make changes to the display method (Figure 7):

• number the sectors of the column at the upper level;
• create the outlines of the figure.

In order to save the operator from having to be distracted from the monitor, the display of the date and time was added to the working window (Figure 8).

The main program window can be divided into two halves:

• the left half contains the name of the unit, the current date and time, the display of the column temperature field, and the line for displaying the unit status and error indication;
• the right half contains a temperature scale to speed up the operator′s analysis of the unit status.

Before starting work, it is necessary to identify the unit operator responsible for the technological process at the moment.

The functionality of the developed program allows for logging (Figure 8), which is necessary for monitoring the dynamics of the technological process, as well as for conducting an investigation in the event of an emergency caused by a failure in the operation of the vertical separator.

Real-time data updating is a necessary component of the temperature field monitoring system. The main program window operates in a cycle. The mechanisms included in the Tkinter library regularly check for new incoming data on the COM port and update the image on the screen. Using the after function allows calling functions at certain points in time with specified intervals.

When developing a system, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of failures associated with signal interruption and problems with transmission or processing of information. Accordingly, the use of exception handling functions is also mandatory to ensure the stability and correctness of the program. In case of loss of connection, a message about the error that has occurred appears.

4. Experimental Studies

We conducted a series of studies at the Achinsk field. At the initial stage, the data on the assembled column was collected (separator CK-3. (Technohim, Russia)). In Figure 9 are presented the sensor readings, date, and time of measurements.

The column is completely filled with liquid. The liquid temperature is 20 °C. Room temperature is 28 °C. The result is shown in Figure 9b. The column is completely filled with liquid. Liquid temperature up to level 5 is 20 °C, while level 6 is filled with water at a temperature of 98 °C. Room temperature is 28 °C. The result is shown in Figure 9c. The first level of the column is filled. Liquid temperature is 15 °C. Room temperature is 28 °C. The minimum allowable temperature is set to 20 °C. The result is shown in Figure 10a.

The first level of the column is filled. The liquid temperature is 98 °C. Room temperature is 28 °C. The maximum allowable temperature is set to 90 °C. The result is shown in Figure 10b.

Having analyzed the results of the experiments, it can be concluded that the developed temperature field monitoring system, implemented on the separation column model, works correctly. The accuracy of the system meets the requirements, the temperature is displayed correctly, and all the necessary functionality of the program is implemented and works correctly.

5. Economic Assessment of the Project

The calculation of costs for the necessary materials and equipment is carried out according to the formula:

$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{o}\mathrm{и}}={\sum }_{i=1}^n{(c}_i+t_i)·v_i$$

(1)

where:

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{o}\mathrm{и}}$—total costs of equipment and materials;

i = 1, 2, 3, … n—type of material/equipment;

n—number of types;

$c_i$—cost of resource number i;

$t_i$—cost of transportation and procurement costs for type number i;

$v_i$—number of resource units.

The results of the calculations for this expense item are presented in

Table 3. Costs of equipment and materials.

Name of Material	Unit	Price Unit of Material, RUB.	Quantity	Cost, RUB.	Transportation and Procurement Costs		Amount, RUB.
					%	RUB.
Materials
PVC pipe (d = 110 mm)	м	700	2	1400	5	70	1470
PVC coupling (d = 110 mm)	шт	120	1	120	5	6	126
PVC plug (d = 110 mm)	шт	50	2	100	5	5	105
Soldering consumables	г	20	10	200	2	4	204
Glue sticks	уп	600	2	1200	2	24	1224
Tools
Drill	шт	4000	1	4000	0	0	4000
Band saw	шт	25,000	1	25,000	3	750	25,750
Soldering station	шт	5000	1	5000	0	0	5000
Mechanical skeleton gun	шт	500	1	500	0	0	500
Hot glue gun	шт	1000	1	1000	0	0	1000
Drill set	шт	2600	1	2600	0	0	2600
Total:							41,979

.

The total cost of tools and materials is 41,979 rubles. The next item of expenditure in this R&D is the purchase of hardware for the implementation of the system (

Table 4. Hardware costs.

Name of the Hardware	Unit	Price of Unit of Material, RUB.	Quantity Consumed.	Cost, Rub.	Transportation and Procurement Costs		Amount, RUB.
					%	RUB.
Microcontroller (Arduino UNO)	шт	3600	1	3600	5	180	3780
Temperature sensor (DS18B20)	шт	140	36	5040	5	252	5292
Connecting wires (male-male)	шт	3	20	60	5	3	63
Connecting wires (female-male)	шт	3	20	60	5	3	63
Personal computer	шт	55,000	1	55,000	7	3850	58,850
Data transfer cable (USB A–USB B)	шт	500	1	500	5	25	525
Total:							68,573

). The calculation is carried out using Formula (2).

Total expenses for tools and materials amount to 68,573 rubles.

• Maintenance and repair costs

Complex technical equipment requires maintenance and repair, the costs of which are calculated using the formula:

$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{o}\mathrm{p}}={\sum }_{i=1}^n{ins}_i·T_i+r_i$$

(2)

where:

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{o}\mathrm{p}}$—total costs of maintenance and repair;

i = 1, 2, 3, … n—equipment type;

n—number of types;

${ins}_i$—monthly maintenance cost of equipment number i;

$T_i$—time of use of equipment number i;

$r_i$—cost of repair of equipment number i.

Total equipment maintenance and repair costs amount to 6865 rubles (

Table 5. Maintenance and repair costs.

Name	Time of Use, Months	Cost of Service for 1 Month, RUB.	Cost of Service During Research, RUB.	Cost of Repair, RUB.	Total Cost of Maintenance and Repair, RUB.
Microcontroller (Arduino UNO)	2	184	368	552	920
Personal computer	2	600	1200	1800	3000
Drill	0.2	287	57.4	861	918
Band saw	0.1	433	43.3	1299	1342
Soldering station	1	101	101	303	404
Hot glue gun	0.5	80	40	240	280
Total:					6865

).

• Energy costs

Energy costs consist of electricity and water supply costs. The cost of electricity is calculated using the formula:

$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{Э}}={\sum }_{i=1}^n{P}_i{·k}_i·T_i·\mathrm{E}$$

(3)

where:

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{Э}}$—total costs of electricity;

i = 1, 2, 3, … n—type of equipment;

n—number of types;

$P_i$—capacity of equipment number i;

$k_i$—cost of transportation and procurement costs for type number i;

$T_i$—time of use of equipment number i;

E—tariff for electricity.

Total electricity costs are 2628 rubles (Table 6). The cost of water supply is calculated using the formula:

$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{B}}=V·W$$

(4)

where:

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{B}}$—total costs of water supply;

V—water consumption;

W—water supply tariff.

Table 6. Electricity costs.

Energy Consumption Source	Number of Equipment	Rated Capacity, kW	Utilization Factor	Operating Time, h	Price of 1 kW/h, Rub.	Costs, Rub.
Microcontroller (Arduino UNO)	1	0.2	0.8	90	7,5	108
Personal computer	1	2	0.8	180	7.5	2160
Drill	1	2	0.8	4	7.5	48
Band saw	1	4	0.8	2	7.5	48
Soldering station	1	1	0.8	40	7.5	240
Hot glue gun	1	0.4	0.8	10	7.5	24
Total:						2628

Table 6. Electricity costs.

Energy Consumption Source	Number of Equipment	Rated Capacity, kW	Utilization Factor	Operating Time, h	Price of 1 kW/h, Rub.	Costs, Rub.
Microcontroller (Arduino UNO)	1	0.2	0.8	90	7,5	108
Personal computer	1	2	0.8	180	7.5	2160
Drill	1	2	0.8	4	7.5	48
Band saw	1	4	0.8	2	7.5	48
Soldering station	1	1	0.8	40	7.5	240
Hot glue gun	1	0.4	0.8	10	7.5	24
Total:						2628

Total costs associated with energy resources are calculated using the formula:

$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}}={\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{B}}+{\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{Э}}$$

(5)

where:

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}}$—total energy costs;

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{Э}}$—electricity costs;

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{Э}\mathrm{B}}$—water supply costs.

Total energy costs are 2498.4 rubles (

Table 7. Water supply costs.

Name	Consumption, m3	Price, Rub.	Expenses, Rub.
Water	8	109.2	873.6
Total:			873.6

and

Table 8. Energy costs.

Name	Costs, RUB
Electricity costs, rub.	1624.8
Water costs, rub.	873.6
Total, RUB:	2498.4

).

• Employee labor costs

The center′s employees are involved in the research and development work, and their labor costs are calculated using the formula:

$${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{T}\mathrm{C}}={\sum }_{i=1}^n{(c}_i+t_i)·v_i$$

(6)

where:

${\mathrm{H}}_{\mathrm{T}\mathrm{C}}$—total labor costs;

i = 1, 2, 3, … n—employee;

n—number of employees;

${sal}_i$—wage rate of employee i;

$T_i$—number of hours worked by employee i.

The total costs for paying the salaries of the Research Center employees amount to 117,200 rubles and 23,440 for social expenses (

Table 9. Employee labor costs.

Stages and Content of Work Performed	Executor	Labor Intensity, Man-Hours	Tariff Rate, RUB/Hour.	Basic Salary, RUB
Pipe cutting	Turner	2	200	400
Marking and drilling holes	Turner	10	250	2500
System assembly	Electronics engineer	110	310	34,100
Software development	Programmer engineer	180	390	70,200
Testing	Engineer	40	250	10,000
Total:				117,200
Social needs contributions:				23,440
Total:				140,640

).

The economic effect of implementing an automated system at an oil refinery is extremely important. Systems of this kind help to manage processes more accurately, increase productivity, reduce costs, and decrease the risk of accidents and emergencies. In the long term, the use of an automated system not only leads to a significant reduction in costs, but also increases the competitiveness of the enterprise. The cost estimate was based on the state standard. Brief summary values are presented in

Table 10. Development costs.

Expense Item Name	Money Amount, Rub.	The Specific Weight of the Article to the Total Amount of Expenses, %
1. Materials, tools, equipment	110,552.00	42.3
2. Equipment maintenance and repair costs	6864.70	2.6
3. Energy costs	3501.60	1.3
4. Payroll fund	117,200,00	44.8
5. Social security contributions	23,440.00	9.0
Total:	261,558.70	100.0

.

The total cost of the research work is 261,558 rubles.

To assess the economic effect of implementing the proposed solution, it is necessary to recalculate labor costs with the condition of a reduction in the number of full-time employees in the position of a process plant operator (

Table 11. Cost of providing the technological process after implementing the system.

Employee Position	Salary, Rub.	Number of Staff Units	Insurance Premiums, Rub.	Total for the Year, Rub.
1. Head of the installation	95,000	1	31,400	1,516,200
2. Senior operator	80,000	4	26,400	5,107,200
3. Machinist	65,000	4	21,400	4,149,200
4. Operator	60,000	8	19,800	7,660,800
Total	13,860,000		4,573,800	18,433,800

).

After recalculation, the following results were obtained:

• the total salary of employees is 13,860,000 rubles per year;
• the total contribution to insurance funds for employees is 4,573,800 rubles per year;
• the total costs of paying employees′ wages who are providing the technological process are 18,433,800 rubles per year.

The reduction in the number of staff units involved in providing the technological process made it possible to reduce labor costs by 3,830,400 rubles per year. The cost of modernization, consisting of the cost of R&D and the cost of implementing the system, was 601,558 rubles.

Thus, by substituting the available values, the payback period is found to be 2 months. To illustrate the effectiveness of the system, it is necessary to estimate the total savings over 10 years of using the proposed solution. Annual expenses before implementation include wages for workers of the process unit, and after implementation they include wages for workers and payment for software and its technical support.

The result of the Temperature Field Monitoring system implementation is a significant savings of 36,512,442 rubles over 10 years. The benefit derived from the use of the proposed solution indicates the high efficiency of the system and the economic justification for its implementation to optimize costs and increase the profitability of the enterprise JSC Syzran Oil Refinery.

6. Conclusions

The oil industry remains in a state of constant development and modernization. One of the key stages in primary oil refining is the separation of oil from associated gases.

In order to improve product quality and reduce costs, modernization of separators in conditions of high competition and sanctions pressure is extremely necessary. The existing separator automation systems on the market have their advantages and disadvantages, one of which is inadequate control over the temperature field of the separation column.

The following results were obtained within the framework of this study:

• A deep and comprehensive analysis of the object of study was carried out. Problems with the functioning of the units were identified.
• A device for diagnosing the thermal field was developed.
• A software package for displaying the results of measuring the temperature field of the separation column was developed.
• A number of experiments on diagnosing the temperature field were carried out.
• An assessment of the project cost was carried out. The payback period of the project was calculated.

Thus, within the framework of this study, a full range of measures was carried out to develop and implement a software–hardware package that allows real-time monitoring of the temperature field of the separation column in remote and hard-to-reach regions.