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    Optimising Crude Unit Design

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    Optimising Crude Unit Design

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    Karina
    5 views8 pages
    Optimising Crude Unit Design

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    Optimising Crude Unit Design

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    5 views8 pages

    Optimising Crude Unit Design

    Uploaded by

    Karina
    Optimising Crude Unit Design

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    of 8
    Optimising crude unit design Real retrofit examples demonstrate how crude units can be successfully optimised with the crude slates currently being processed. Process design strategies are discussed in detail and highlight how retrofit targets are achieved Soun Ho Lee and Ian Buttridge GTC Technology ihe basic function of a crude | distillation unit (CDU) Is. to provide initial separation of the ‘tude oil feed mixture into the desired factions to be further processed in the downstream units. The crude unit's quality of pesformance impacts heavily con the downstream unit's performance, A lot of crude units currently operate With different feed slates to their original feed specifications. This change in feed ‘composition often results in inferior ‘crude unit performance and reduces the units run length. Reoptimising the design and operation of the crude unit with current feed slates is essential to maximise a refiner’ economics. In addition, recent crude cil price fluctuations and increased economle pressure further emphasise the importance of optimising crude unit performance. Crude atmospheric column The crude atmospheric column Is the CDUS core piece of equipment. In a typleal crude unit design, crude oll is hheated and introduced to the cnade atmospheric column's fash zone. The light products are typically recovered a5 distillates from multiple liquid product duaws. and the remaining crude is discharged atthe column's bottom. The ‘original process aangement relied on a Single top refx flow. The column top reflux provided condensation for all the required product draws, plus. the foverflash, This approach created high Variations in the intemal vapour-liqud trathc throughout the column (from column top to flash zone), with a ‘maximum rex loading a the top and the lower wash section receiving only a small amount of liquid, wash oll. The columns were then sized according to the greatest load, top section intemal trafic, which resulted in an oversized column diameter. Moreover therequlted size of the overhead condenser was substanvilly increased To minimise these liquid. traffic variations, Inter-condenser design Jay J Ha GS Caltex Corporation sage Pumparound reflux Falatve stage locaton ‘elstve nana molar iid ate Figure 1 Comporison of internal-eflux rates for three methods of providing reflux | t= oft | “tse ke one es | Figure 2 Typical crude atmospheric column overhead configurations philosophy was adapted in the crude rate variations through the crude atmospheric column design. Inter atmospheric column {from column top condensers can be configured a either to flash zone) among three reflux pumpback or pumparound circuits. methods.’ The pumparound reflux Figure 1 compares typical internal reflux method achieves more uniform liquid Pra c2 2009 61 oft as Unsabatied op PA naphtha — seca Kerosene Figure 3 Crade atmospheric column configurations — previous retrofit balancing through the column than the overhead _condenser_size/limitations. other two reflux methods. This ‘Typical crude atmospheric column “uniformity of liquid enables the column overhead configurations are depicted in to be sized at a smaller diameter for Figure 2 for cases A.C. Case A shows that reduced investment cost, The higher the top section reflux is provided by a pumparound draw temperaturesincrease top pumparound circuit only. In this the opportunity for heat recovery for configuration, the column — top lower energy consumption. In addition, temperature is relatively high and the ‘the overhead condenser size Is reduced, chance of water condensing at the The main trade-off is that the column top can be minimised. In pumparound circuit design requites addition, the overhead condenser size more trays and/or packing for heat can be minimised due to a lack of top transfer performance. In summary, the reflux stream. However, the top advantages of the pumparound reflux pumparound trays and/or packing do arrangements far outweigh any not contribute towards fractionation, ‘disadvantages, and as a result it has An additional fractionation section is replaced the pumphack reflux method required to achieve the desired inmost modem crude atmospheric fractionation between the overhead. ‘column designs. distillate and the first side product, The presence of a top pumparound which increases the overall column ‘ircult depends on overhead distillate height. yield/fractionation requirements, Case B depicts a crude atmospheric ‘column top temperature control and top section with a top reflux without a 62 wa 02 209 top pumparound circult This top reflux temperature is usually lower than the reflux through the top pumparound circuit. In this case, fractionation performance between the overhead distillate and the frst side product can be maximised at the given column Iheight. However, the required overhead ‘condenser duty ishigher and the column, top temperature is lower than for Case A Case C is somewhat of a compromis- ing design between Cases A and B, This configuration has a top reflux irigation line as well asa top pumparound circuit. ‘The amount of cold reflux (from top reflux) and hot reflux (from top pumparound) can be controlled at given, processing conditions, This configura- tion is suitable forthe crude atmospheric ‘column, which faces high variations in. ‘overhead distillates and yields Crude column intemal vapour and luguld wafficrely heavily on pumparound ‘circuit locations. The number and location of pumparound circuits are determined by crude slate structures, product yield patterns, fractionation equlrements, overhead condenser size and other factors. The crude atmospheric ‘column is designed to provide the best performance for specific ranges of crude slates and product yields. Therefore, a large change from design conditions ‘may induce performance downgrading in the crude unit. Fractionation performance between adjacent products requires specific design internal reflux at a given number of fractionating trays or packed bed depth. Crude overhead condenser duty Is also determined by design heat balances. In most cases, the actual crude slate structures processed in the crude unit

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