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Process Description

Chapter # 3

PROCESS
DESCRIPTION:

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Process Description

Process Description:
The BTX unit can be divided in to two sections.
1) Extraction
2) Fractionation section

These sections consist of many columns which would be described


individually in detail. The extraction section consists of the extractor,
water wash column, stripper column, recovery column, and the water
stripper column. The fractionation section consists of benzene column
and the xylens.

Extractor column:
The extraction employs a rain deck design. The rain desks act as
distributers to keep on even “Rain” of the solvent droplets throughout
the extraction. The extractor is operated liquid full. The feed stock is
pumped storage from tank (V-1) in to the feed Nozzle of the extraction
column. It enters the column through a distributer and travels upward
the top of the extraction and flow downward through the hydrocarbon
phase (low sp.gr.) removing essentially all aromatics from the feed
stream. While aromatics are soluble in the solvent, the solvent also has
the ability to dissolve non-aromatics are more soluble than the heavier
ones.
The rich solvent leaving the bottom of the extraction contain aromatics
and the lighter non-aromatics which can be separated by extractive
stripping, in the stripper (C-3). Leaving the extraction, the rich solvent is
pre-heated in an exchanger (E-2) by the lean solvent; combine with a
stream of lean solvent enters the top of the stripper column (C-3). The
aromatic content raffinate stream leaves the top of extractor.

Water Wash Column:


In the column which is operated liquid full, dissolve solvent in
washes. From the raffinate and is subsequently recovered. The raffinate
after passing through the heat exchanger enters the bottom section of
the water wash column. Solvent _free water from the recovery columns
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Process Description

over head receiver (V-3) is pumped to the upper portion of the washed
column. The water phase (high sp.gr.) flows downward across the trays
and separate, in the bottom of the column. A column portion of the
water leaving the bottom of the column is recycled back in to the
column feed stream before the raffinate cooler to recover the solvent
that separates out when the raffinate in coded (E-I). The net water from
the bottom of the column of the column is taken to the water stripped
column (C-4). The raffinate jets through the deck and rises to the top of
the column where it is pumped to storage (V-2) through a control value
which regulates the flow to maintain a set back pressure on the column.
When the raffinate water wash feed rate is less than design, raffinate
water wash feed rate is less than design, raffinate is recycled through a
controller provided to maintain design a contract in the column.

Stripper Column:
The stripper column contains normal fractionation trays
and is designed to strip the non-aromatic hydrocarbons from the rich
solvent. Feed to the top of the column is combined stream of rich
solvent from the extraction plus added lean solvent from the recovery
column. The stripper reboiler heating medium is stream from the high
pressure steam system. The hat input is set to ensure essentially
completed stripping of non-aromatics from the rich solvent.
The amount of lean solvent diverted to the stripper feed
is determined by stripper selectively. High hydrocarbons concentrations
in the stripper feed stream make the selective stripping of the non-
aromatic hydrocarbons more difficult. Lean solvent for this purpose may
be added from the lean solvent line.
The overhead vapor which contain the remaining non-
aromatic hydrocarbons that can not be tolerated in the overhead
vapour from the water stripper column condense and enter the stripper
receiver (V-3). The receiver is vented to the vent tank. Water is pumped
from the receiver boot to combine with the water from the raffinate
water wash flowing to the water stripper column. The hydrocarbon is
pumped from the stripper receiver (V-3) and combines with the raffinate
product of the water wash column to form the net raffinate. This is sent
back to the plateforming unit for further processing. The stripper

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Process Description

bottoms, which are partially free on non-aromatic hydrocarbons, are


sent to the recovery column.
Recovery Column:
The recovery column is designed to srip aromatics from the
solvent and to fractionate solvent out of the aromatics stream.the
recovery column has a stab in reboiler.heat is suppied by high pressure
steam systemlean solvent from the bottom of the column is pumped
through the water stipper columnreboiler before flowing through an
exchanger where it pre heat the rich solvent
Stipping steam from the water stipper enters the recovery
column before the reboiler bundle.the remaining water necessary for
srtipping is pumped from the water stripping column to recovery
column.this steam will contain the solvent recovered from the raffinate
in the raffinate wash column and any solvent stipped overhead in the
stipper column

Water Stripper Column:


The water stipper column containing .fractionating trays and
maounted on the top of its reboiler,is designed to preside hydrocarbon
free stipping steam and wear for the recovery column.water from the
bottom of the rafinate water wash column with water from the stipping
column above the top trays.the column is reboiled with hot lean
solventfrom the bottom of the recovery column.
The overhead vapours containing some hydrocarbons
dissolved in the feed and some water vapours leave above the the
column.
A controller regulates the stipping steam flow.the water containing
some solvent in water stipper reboiler is pressured to the recovery
columnon water stripper reboiler level control.the solvent present in the
water stripper column is thus recoberd in the recovery column.

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Process Description

Benzene Column:
The benzene column is designed to to remove a high purity benzene
stream from the treated extract product.high purity benzene stream is
withdrawn as side stream the column bottoms are sent to toluene
column.

Toluene Column:
The toluene column is designed to to remove a high purity toluene
stream from the stream leaving from the bottom of the benzene
column.high purity toluene stream is withdrawn as side stream. the
column bottoms are sent to xylene column.

Xylene Column:
The xylene column is designed to to remove a high purity
xylene stream from the stream leaving from the bottom of the toluene
column.high purity xylene stream is withdrawn as side stream. the
column bottoms are widrawn as propyl benzene.

THERE ARE TWO SECTIONS:


There are two sections in process flow diagram.

 EXTRACTION SECTION
 FRACTIONATION SECTION

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Process Description

EXTRACTION SECTION:

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Process Description

FRACTIONATION SECTION:

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