Title: Ethylene Plant Condensate Splitter High Pressure Drop

1. Problem Statement
Ethylene Plant (2SE) Condensate Splitter, 2T-390N experienced high pressure drop
(PDI) even though there was no significant increase in the total plant load. 2SE total
plant load was 940% – 950%.

Plant Load with 2T-390N PDI

1050 0.30

950 0.25
2SE Plant Load (%)

2T-390N PDI
850 0.20

750 0.15

650 0.10

550 0.05
11/22/2013 3/2/2014 6/10/2014 9/18/2014 12/27/2014 4/6/2015 7/15/2015

Plant Load 2T-390N PDI

Figure 1: Trend of Plant Load and 2T-390N PDI

2. Background / Information

2.1 Process Flow Diagram

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 2E-402

Pre-
Inter- Demethanizer
stage 2E-401
2D-370A/B
Naphtha Cracking Quench Compressor Drums Compressor
2D-
Feed Furnaces Section 355N
Compressor

Condensate
Splitter
2D-380A/B 2T-390N

C4s
Ethylene Propylene
Towers Towers

De- De- De-

Ethanizer Propanizer Butanizer

TCG

TCG

Figure 2: Process Flow Diagram of Ethylene Plant

Naphtha (feedstock from refineries) are cracked in the cracking furnaces at ~800°C to
produce furnace effluent with components from C1 (Methane) to C9+. The naphtha
quality changes will determine the furnace cracking operation and subsequently the
composition of the furnaces effluent. Heat from the furnaces’ effluent are recovered in
the Quench Section. The Quench Section also fractionates out the heavier thermal
cracked gasoline (TCG), C6 – C9.

The cracked gas then undergoes a series of compression, cooling and separation in
the compression section. Further fractionation of the cracked gas stream, to minimize
the heavier components through the compression section also occurs here. The
heavier components are then recycled back to the Quench Section where TCG
fractionates out.

The cracked gas is cooled by seawater exchangers i.e. uses seawater as cooling
medium. After cooling, the stream is separated in a flash drum and the cracked gas
compressed again in subsequent stage. The final discharge from the compressor is
separated in flash drum, 2D-355N.

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2D-355N overhead, vapour stream, is passed through the cracked gas dryers, 2D-
370A/B, to remove moisture before chilled down in Demethanizer feed cooler No.1
and No.2 (2E-401 and 2E-402). There are inline strainers, with bypass lines, on each
of the coolers to trap any debris to the coolers.

2D-355N bottom, liquid stream, is passed through liquid dryers, 2D-380A/B, to remove
the moisture as well. The outlet from 2D-380A/B is then feed to the Condensate
Splitter, 2T-390N. The tower separates the Methane and lighter from the C2s and
heavier. The distillate is recycled back to the compressor and the tower bottom is fed
to the De-ethanizer.

2T-390N bottom stream then undergoes a series of fractionation towers (De-ethanizer,

De-propanizer, De-butanizer, Ethylene tower and Propylene tower) to produce
Ethylene, Propylene, C4s and TCG. The remaining TCG that was not fractionated out
in the quench and compression section is produced from De-butanizer bottom.

2.2 Details of 2T-390N

2E-402

2PI3558 Pre-Demethanizer
2TC
3520 Gas Dryers 2E-401
2D-370A/B
2D-355N 2FI3950
Compressor Discharge
2TI3950
(from Compressor) Compressor

2FC3800
Condensate
Splitter
2T-390N
Liquid Dryers
2D-380A/B
LEGEND:
: Strainer

: Control Valve Deethanizer

2FC3900
2TI3901

Figure 3: Detailed schematic of 2T-390N

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The final compressor discharge temperature is controlled by 2TC-3520, by adjusting
the cooling medium flow. The separation drum, 2D-355N, pressure is measured by
2PI-3558.

2T-390N takes feed from the liquid dryers, 2D-380A/B. The tower is to separates the
Methane and lighter from the C2s and heavier. The feed flow to 2T-390N is measured
by 2FC-3800 while the tower bottom and top distillate flow is measured by 2FC-3900
and 2FI-3950 respectively. The top and bottom temperature is measured by 2TI-3950
and 2TI-3901 respectively.

(a) 2T-390N Data

Tower Diameter: 1600mm

Tower Height: 24m

No. of trays: 25

Type of trays: 1-pass valve trays

Trays Spacing: 650mm

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(b) 2T-390N design composition and parameters
PIIDIII Design
Components Vol%
Feed Overhead Bottom
H2 + CO 0.75 2.97 0.00
Methane 6.66 26.43 0.00
Acetylene 0.29 0.44 0.24
Ethylene 21.70 44.07 14.17
Ethane 5.84 8.26 5.02
M-Acetylene 0.85 0.24 1.06
Propadiene 0.55 0.18 0.68
Propylene 25.52 12.85 29.78
Propane 0.98 0.44 1.17
1,3 BD 9.73 1.46 12.51
1 Butene 3.05 0.48 3.92
cis2-Butene 2.05 0.24 2.65
trans2-Butene 1.76 0.19 2.29
I butene 6.94 1.12 8.90
n-butane 1.50 0.20 1.93
C5s+ 11.84 0.44 15.68
Total 100 100 100

Flow, kg/h 60126 9737 50014

Temp, °C 7.7 11.2 50.1
Pressure, kg/cm2 (a) 24.02 23.16 23.34

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2.3 Naphtha Quality

CASE 1 2 3
N-Para 41% 38% 44%
Iso-Para 41% 44% 38%

Hydrogen 0.809 0.810 0.808

Methane 15.221 15.361 15.083
Acetylene 0.237 0.237 0.236
Assume Gas
Ethylene 25.958 25.446 26.469 Yield
Ethane 4.270 4.198 4.342
Methyl-Acetylene 0.294 0.303 0.286
Propadiene 0.207 0.213 0.201
Propylene 16.495 16.516 16.473
Propane 0.544 0.541 0.547
Vinyl-Acetylene 0.031 0.031 0.031
Butadiene 4.407 4.420 4.394 Assume
Butene (sum) 5.700 5.915 5.488 Liquid Yield

Butane (sum) 1.066 1.066 1.066

Total C5-C9's 20.903 21.073 20.734
Total C10+ 3.796 3.811 3.780
Furnace Yield (wt%) with different Naphtha Quality

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