Effluent Summary Guidelines No.: DDG-T-P-03341 Rev.

: 00

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 SCOPE ............................................................................................................................ 3

2.0 ASSOCIATED GUIDELINES .......................................................................................... 3
3.0 BACKGROUND .............................................................................................................. 3
3.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................. 3
3.2 DELIVERABLES.............................................................................................................. 4
4.0 PERFORMANCE SEQUENCE ....................................................................................... 4
5.0 PERFORMANCE INSTRUCTION ................................................................................... 4
5.1 ACQUIRE PFD’S ............................................................................................................. 4
5.2 STANDARD LIQUID EFFLUENT STREAMS .................................................................. 4
5.3 OTHER LIQUID EFFLUENT STREAMS ......................................................................... 6
5.4 DEVELOP TABULATION ON SPREADSHEET .............................................................. 7
5.5 GENERATE AND ISSUE DOCUMENT ........................................................................... 7
6.0 OTHER EFFLUENT STREAMS ...................................................................................... 7
6.1 AIR EMISSIONS.............................................................................................................. 7
6.2 SOLID WASTE STREAMS .............................................................................................. 7
7.0 REVISION HISTORY ...................................................................................................... 8
8.0 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................. 8
8.1 APPENDIX A: EFFLUENT SUMMARY EXAMPLE 1 ................................................... 9
8.2 APPENDIX B: EFFLUENT SUMMARY EXAMPLE 2 ................................................. 15

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Effluent Summary Guidelines No.: DDG-T-P-03341 Rev.: 00

1.0 S COP E
This guideline specifies the method for preparing the basic olefins plant Effluent
Summary document. These effluents are considered waste streams, and may
require treatment prior to disposal or reuse. The methods contained in this
standard shall be applied to preparation of proposals and basic technology
packages.
2.0 AS S OCIATED GUIDELINES
The standard shall be used in conjunction with the following:
Ethylene Plant Design Standards (DTS-T-P-03001, old No.3410P001A)
Spent Caustic System (DDG-T-P-03313, old No. 3410S008B)
3.0 BACKGROUND
3.1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
A summary of the liquid, air, and solid effluents produced by the olefins
manufacturing plant is part of every proposal and basic technology package. The
effluent data is used by clients to evaluate the requirements for downstream
treatment facilities, and possibly to support applications to various environment
regulatory agencies.
This guideline presents standard methods for calculating the rates, frequency and
composition of the process effluent streams so that all projects will report these data
on a consistent basis.
The standard liquid effluents apply to liquid feed and gas feed cracking units. An
example of typical liquid effluents are as follows:
• Dilution Steam Generator Blowdown – Inside Battery Limits (ISBL)
• Quench Exchanger Hydroblast (NNF) - ISBL
• Spent Caustic - ISBL
• MEA Unit - ISBL
• Contaminated Steam Condensate (NNF) – Outside Battery Limits (OSBL)
• Intermittent Steam Drum Blowdown (NNF) - ISBL
• Continuous Steam Drum Blowdown (NNF) - ISBL
• Regeneration Cleanup System Condensate (NNF) – OSBL
An example of typical air effluents are as follows:
• Stack emissions per furnace during normal operation
• Effluents per furnace during decoke:
▬ Dilution steam
▬ Air
▬ CO2
▬ BFW injection

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Effluent Summary Guidelines No.: DDG-T-P-03341 Rev.: 00

▬ Coke particles (exhaust to atmosphere)

• Burner NOx emissions
An example of typical solid wastes are as follows:
• Desiccant and catalyst wastes (if not included in the Catalysts and
Chemicals Summary)
• CW side stream filter media
• Condensate Polisher resin
• Sludge from waste treatment
• Condensate filter media
• Laboratory solids
3.2 DELIVERABLES
The deliverables is a single document with front cover sheet and includes the
tabulation summary of effluent streams including rates, compositions and
frequency.
4.0 P ERFORMANCE S EQUENCE
• Acquire PFD’s
• Identify on PFD’s liquid effluent lines that leave ISBL for direct discharge or
treatment prior to discharge to the environment
• Tabulate the contaminated liquid, air and solid effluents. Give rate
composition and discharge frequency
• Generate and Issue Document
5.0 P ERFORMANCE INS TRUCTION
5.1 ACQUIRE PFD’S
5.1.1 Inside Battery Limits (ISBL) PFD’S
The effluent summary for which process is responsible includes the inside battery
limits (ISBL) processing units in the feed, quench, cracked gas, demethanizer,
fractionation and refrigeration areas of the plant.
Identify ISBL liquid effluent as well as air and solid effluents that are project specific.
5.1.2 Outside Battery Limits (OSBL) PFD’S
Usually OSBL areas are not included in the effluent document. PFD’S for the utility
and tank storage areas are only included as per project specific requirements.
5.2 STANDARD LIQUID EFFLUENT STREAMS
The standard liquid effluent summary shall include the following streams and their
associated properties:
• Dilution Steam Generator Blowdown
• Quench Exchanger Hydroblast

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• MEA Unit Blowdown / Spent Caustic Waste

• Furnace Steam Drum Blowdown
• Reactor Regenerator Steam (C2, C3, C4 and Gasoline Hydrogenation
Units)
• Decoking Scrubber Effluent
Typical effluent stream quantity and characteristics are shown in Appendix A,
Summary Tables for Effluents.
The waste stream characterization is tailored to the environmental permit
requirements which establish the components and their quantities to be monitored.
5.2.1 Dilution Steam Generator (DSG) Blowdown
Dilution steam blowdown is required for controlling the solids and oxidizable
organics such as phenolic compounds . The DSG blowdown is cooled and
discharged to wastewater treatment facilities.
The standard flow scheme includes provisions for injecting live steam into the
dilution steam system when one of the DSG reboilers is out of service. The normal
blowdown rate is approximately 5% of the generator feed rate. When DSG is
shutdown for cleaning the blowdown rate is lot higher. To satisfy this situation,the
blowdown cooler is sized for as much as 60% of the normal generator feed rate.
The data can be obtained form the engineer responsible for the dilution steam
generator system.
5.2.2 Quench Exchanger Hydroblast
Hydroblast wastewater containing coke fines is generated when fouled quench
exchangers (SLE) are cleaned with high pressure water. This procedure occurs as
needed during regular maintenance and shutdown of the cracking furnaces. This is
an intermittent operation.
5.2.3 Spent Caustic
Spent caustic waste is produced in the Caustic Tower when acid gas contaminants
in cracked gas such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide are removed by
contacting with sodium hydroxide solution. Spent caustic is withdrawn continuously
from the bottom of the tower and sent to treatment facilities for final disposal. Spent
caustic may contain traces of aromatic compounds such as benzene and phenols.
This is a continuous stream.
The data is to be obtained from the engineer responsible for designing the caustic
tower and spent caustic treatment system.
5.2.4 MEA Unit
This unit is not always used in ethylene plants. The effluent from the MEA unit is a
“normally no flow” stream. It may consist of MEA, heavy hydrocarbons, polymers,
soda ash and heavy heat stable organic salts. The degraded MEA product is
discharged to wastewater treatment via the MEA reclaimer bottoms pump which
operates in batch mode. The estimated design flow is the maximum instantaneous
flow.

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The data is to be obtained from the engineer responsible for designing acid gas
removal system.
5.2.5 Furnace Steam Drum Blowdowns
Each furnace will have daily, short duration, high instantaneous rate, and
intermittent blowdown. The blowdown is discharged to the wastewater treatment
plant. This is an intermittent operation.
Each furnace will also have a small but continuous blowdown. In standard designs,
this effluent is a separate discharge. In other schemes this could be incorporated
into the DSG tower and discharged through DSG blowdown after recovering some
flashed steam.
The data is to be obtained from the engineers responsible for the steam balance
system and furnace system.
5.2.6 Reactor Regenerator Steam (GHU, C2, C3 and C4 Hydrogenation Units)
Each of the reactor systems mentioned above will be subjected to steam
consumption from time to time. The steam used to strip the contaminants from the
reactors will then have to be cleaned and discharged as an effluent. The amount of
steam and the frequency of regeneration varies with the type and size of the
reactor. These are intermittent operations.
The data is to be obtained from the engineers responsible for the regeneration
cleanup system or by the reactor supply vendor.
5.3 OTHER LIQUID EFFLUENT STREAMS
The process team is sometimes required to identify and characterize other liquid
effluent streams. This task is project specific. Examples of other ISBL/OSBL liquid
effluents are:
• Fouled or Contaminated Condensate
• Oily Waste Water
• Rainfall Surface Runoff
• Contaminated Water from Tank Secondary Containment (OSBL)
5.3.1 Fouled or Contaminated Condensate
The hydrocarbon concentration in the fouled condensate depends on the heat
exchanger involved and the duration of the process leak. This is an emergency
effluent, designed for case when the largest user develops a leak. The stream flow
rate, frequency and duration of flow and temperature are specified by the process
engineer responsible for steam balances.
5.3.2 Oily Waste Water
The normal loading for this stream is based on blowdowns from instrument
calibration, maintenance activities and mechanical leaks.
5.3.3 Rainfall Surface Runoff

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The plant surface runoff is normally segregated into several categories depending
on project requirements. The stream characterization is normally done by the
Environmental Section. Olefins Section normally identifies the areas of potential
contamination. Some of the areas are:
High Contamination Areas - This includes areas with high potential for oil spills.
The contaminated run-off is contained with concrete curbing and sent to treatment.
Low Contamination Areas.- This includes areas with low potential for oil spills. ISBL
area minus high risk diversion is typically classified as low contamination.
Clean and Contaminated Water from Tank Dike - Tank dike water is the rain water
collected within the dikes built around hydrocarbon storage tank area. The
collected rain water is tested for contamination and is directed to oily water
treatment facilities or to clean storm water sewer depending on the test results.
5.4 DEVELOP TABULATION ON SPREADSHEET
The liquid effluent summary is tabulated using Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
program. A typical example is shown in Appendix A, Effluent Summary Example 1
and Appendix B, Effluent Summary Example 2.
5.5 GENERATE AND ISSUE DOCUMENT
The front page of the Effluent Summary document is the cover sheet, with blocks
for signatures. An example front cover sheet can be found in Appendix A.
The first section of the document is the Liquid Effluent Summary. Other sections
include air emissions and solid waste streams.
6.0 OTHER EFFLUENT S TREAMS
6.1 AIR EMISSIONS
The process engineer identifies potential sources of air emissions containing Sulfur
Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulates and Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOC). The Environmental Section will quantify and characterize these
emissions. The following emissions are typical for an olefins plant:
• Emissions from furnace stacks during normal operation and decoking.
• Emissions from boilers stacks, gas turbine exhaust, compressor seals, acid
gas exhaust, and other fugitive emissions sources,
• Steam effluents from hydrogenation units (GHU, C2, C3 & C4) during
catalyst reactivation.
• Emissions via regeneration quench drum.
6.2 SOLID WASTE STREAMS
The process engineer identifies sources of solid wastes particular to the ISBL
process area. The following solid effluents are typical to olefins plant:
Desiccant, Cracked Gas Dehydrator Secondary Gas Dehydrator, Liquid Dehydrator,
C2 Hydrogenation, C3 Hydrogenation, C4 Hydrogenation, Gasoline Hydrogenation,
Decoking Residue, Filter Cartridge, Carbon Canisters, Spent Catalysts and
Chemicals, Maintenance Waste, Fuel Oil system Tars, Exhausted Mercury Removal

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Bed, Exhausted Arsenic Removal Bed, Exhausted Methanol Removal Bed and
Exhausted COS Guard Bed.

7.0 REVIS ION HIS TORY

Revision
Revision Description
Level

Guideline is reformatted to match Shaw Aug. 2010 guideline template.

00
Minor updates in red font.
Prior 0 Previously issued as 3410S029A, 1999, by AThomas.

8.0 AP P ENDICES
APPENDIX A: EFFLUENT SUMMARY EXAMPLE 1
APPENDIX B: EFFLUENT SUMMARY EXAMPLE 2

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8.1 APPENDIX A: EFFLUENT SUMMARY EXAMPLE 1

J.O. NO: EFFLUENT SUMMARY

PROJECT REVISION 0, JULY 9, 2011
HOUSTON, TEXAS PAGE: 1 OF

SHAW

PROCESS DATA PACKAGE

FOR

EFFLUENT SUMMARY

REVISION 0 1 2 3 4
ISSUE DATE
RESPONSIBLE
ENGINEER
QC ENGINEER
LEAD ENGINEER

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Effluent Summary Guidelines No.: DDG-T-P-03341 Rev.: 00

TABLE A-1
Typ ic a l IS BL No rm a l Flow Ra te s fo r Liq u id Efflu e n ts fo r a 700 KTA Na p h th a Ga s Cra c ke r

SOURCE FLOW (m3/h) REMARKS

DSG Blowdown 5-20 Continuous
Quench Exchanger Hydroblast 3-7 Intermittent
Spent Caustic 1.3-3 Continuous
MEA Unit Effluent 4-6 Instantaneous
Furnace Steam Drum Blowdown TBD From Steam Balance
Total Oily Water to WWT 40-60 Continuous/Variable
Sour Water Stripper TBD NNF

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TABLE A-2
TYP ICAL CHARACTERIS TICS FOR LIQUID EFFLUENTS

Properties Spent Spent DSG Quench MEA

Caustic Exchanger Effluent
Caustic
Hydroblast
w/ MEA unit w/o MEA unit

Temperature, 0C 40 40 43 - 65 Ambient 145

pH 13-14 13-14 7.5 - 10.0 6.5 - 8.5
BOD, mg/L 6100 6100 300 - 700 30 N/A
COD, mg/L 80600 58800 700 -1400 60 N/A
TDS, mg/L 100000 100000 100 100 N/A
TSS, mg/L 100 100 N/A 400 N/A
Total Phosphate, mg/L N/A N/A 2 -20 N/A N/A
Chloride, mg/L Note 1 Note 1 5 - 10 Note 2 N/A
Carbonate, mg/L as TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
CaCO3
Phenol, mg/L 0.1 - 0.5 0.1 - 0.5 2 - 10 None N/A
Sulfide, ppmW as TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Na2S
Oil & Grease, mg/L 80 - 200 80 - 200 2-5 10 TBD
MEA, ppmw 70 - 150 7
Polymers, wt% 3
Soda Ash, wt% 3
Salts, wt% 37

Notes:
1. Depends on chloride content of makeup caustic
2. Depends on the quality of makeup water
3. COD and BOD data does not include free hydrocarbon content

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TABLE A-3
AIR EMIS S IONS
The following tables estimate typical air emissions for 300 MTA Ethylene Plant.

1) STACK EMISSION PER FURNACE DURING NORMAL OPERATION

FURNACE NAPHTHA AGO/HCR C2 RECYCLE

HC Feed Naphtha Naphtha AGO/HCR C2 Recycle

Type of fuel (Note D) Gas Gas / oil Gas Gas
% Excess air 10 15 10 10
Flue gas flow, kg/hr 50792 – 52646 55824 49681 – 55650 20874 – 22111
Stack Temp, °C 149 – 152 151 149 – 158 139 – 150
Flue gas comp, wt%
(Note A)
O2 1.99 2.82 1.99 1.99
N2 71.97 71.75 71.97 71.97
H2O 12.54 9.59 12.54 12.54
CO2 13.50 15.84 13.50 13.50
SO2 + SO3 trace trace trace trace

2) EFFLUENT PER FURNACE DURING DECOKE

FURNACE NAPHTHA AGO/HCR C2 RECYCLE

Flue gas, kg/hr 34751 31574 13812

% Excess air 145 138 175
Duration , hours 24 24 24
Cycles per year (Note C) 6 8 4

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3) EFFLUENT FROM DECOKE DRUM PER CYCLE PER FURNACE (NOTE E)

NAPHTHA AGO/HCR C2 RECYCLE

Dilution steam, kg/hr 12274 12274 4823

Air, kg/hr (Note B) 0 – 2455 0 – 2455 0 – 965
CO2, kg/cycle 0 – 2934 0 – 2202 0 – 732
BFW injection (to quench - 183 672
effluent), kg/hr

4) COKE PARTICLES

NAPHTHA AGO/HCR C2 RECYCLE

Exhaust to atmosphere, 0 – 0.19 0 – 0.15 0 – 0.05

kg/cycle
Collected in drum, kg/cycle 1 – 188 0 – 150 0 - 50

5) BURNER NOX EMISSION LEVELS

Burner NOx emission levels to be provided by burner vendor.

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TABLE A-4
S OLID WAS TES

1) Refer to Catalysts summary for Dessicant and Catalysts wastes.

2) Shaw Environmental to provide information on solid wastes from OSBL area equipment
such as:

• CW side stream filter media

• Condensate Polisher resin
• Sludge from wste treatment
• Condesate filter media
• Laboratory solids
• others

NOTES:
A) Flue gas composition shown is on the basis of the following ambient air composition:

Component Weight %
O2 23.01
N2 75.73
H2O 1.26

B) Air flow during furnace decoking ranges from 0 to 20 weight percent of dilution steam flow
rate.

C) Decoking cycle frequency depends on the feedstock and cracking severity.

D) Fuel gas is a mixture of residue gas and C5 stream; During combination firing, fuel gas
composition shown is based on firing residue gas as fuel gas and hydrogenated C9-200 C
from gasoline hydrogenation unit as fuel oil.

E) Based on dry decoke drum.

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