Thermodynamic optimization of an entire crude oil distillation unit

  • Imen Farhat ENIG
  • Professor Nejib Hajji ENIG
Keywords: Crude oil distillation, energy, exergy, simulation, efficiency, optimization

Abstract

The energy use of the crude oil refining industries has risen over the years. This work deals with the simulation, thermodynamic analysis and optimization of an entire crude oil distillation unit (CDU) composed of an atmospheric distillation unit (ADU), a vacuum distillation unit (VDU), Train heaters (TH), Stabilizer Unit (SBU) and Splitter Unit (SPU). The obtained results showed that the total exergy losses are about 120 MW for a crude flow rate of 561t.h-1: 69% of those losses are located in the ADU, 21.5 % in the VDU, 7 % in the exchange trains, 2 % in The stabilization column and 0.5% in the splitter column.  The efficiency of the furnace and that of the atmospheric and vacuum column prove that these equipments can play an important role in improving the unit performance. An optimization study of atmospheric and vacuum unit was carried out by adjusting operating parameters to maximize efficiency. Results showed a considerable economic benefit at no additional cost of equipment without trading off the products qualities.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Imen Farhat, ENIG

Department of Chemical Engineering, National Engineering School of Gabes, Omar IbnElkhattab, Gabes 6029, Gabes University, Tunisia

Professor Nejib Hajji, ENIG

Department of Chemical Engineering, National Engineering School of Gabes, Omar IbnElkhattab, Gabes 6029, Gabes University, Tunisia

References

M.A. Waheed, A.O. Oni, Performance improvment of a crude oil distillation unit, Applied Thermal Engineering 75 (2015), 315-324.

R. K. More,V. K. Bulasara, R.U. Vikas, R.Banjara, optimization of crude distillation system using aspen plus: Effect of binary feed selection on grass-root design, Chemical Engineering Research and Design 88, (2010), 121-134

A.K. Azad, M.G. Rasul, M.M.K. Khan, Sukanta Kumar Mondal, Rubayat Islam,Modeling and Simulation of Heat and Mass Flow by ASPEN HYSYS for Petroleum Refining Process in Field Application, Thermofluid Modeling for Energy Efficiency Applications (2016), 227–257

F. N.Osuolale, J. Zhang,Thermodynamic optimization of atmospheric distillation unit, computers and chemical enginneering 103, ( 2017) , 201-209

Y. Knasha, A. kishimoto, A. Tsutsumi, Application of the self heat-recuperation technology to crude oil distillation Applied Thermal Engineering 43 (2012),153-157.

H.M. Feintuch, V. Peer, M.Z. Bucukoglu, A preflash drum can conserve energy in a crude preheat train, Energy Prog. 5 (1985) 165–172.

A. M. Al-Mayyahi, F.A. Andrew Hoadley, G.P. Rangaiah, Energy optimization of crude oil distillation using different designs of pre-flash drums, Applied Thermal Engineering 73 (2014), 1202-1208.

M. Errico, Giuseppe Tola, Michele Mascia, Energy saving in a crude distillation unit by a preflash implementation, Applied Thermal Engineering 29 (2009), 1642–1647.

C. Yan, L. Lv, S. Wei,A;Eslamimanesh, W. Shen, Application of retrofitted design and optimization framework basedon the exergy analysis to crude oil distillation plant, Applied Thermal Engineering 154(2019), 637-649.

H. Al-Muslim, I. Dincer, Thermodynamic analysis of crude oil distillation systems, Int. J. Energy Res. 29 (2005), 637-655.

R.L.Cornilesson, Thermodynamic and sustainable Developpment- The use of Exergy Analysis and the reduction of Irreversibilty,Enschede, the Netherlands, (1997)

T. Benali, D.Tondeur, J.N. Jaubert , An improved crude oil atmospheric distillation process for energy integration: Part II: New approach for energy saving by use of residual heat, Applied Thermal Engineering 43 (2012) 153-157

T. Benali, D. Tondeur, J. N. Jaubert, An improved crude oil atmospheric distillation process for energy integration: PartI: energy and exergy analyses of the process when a preflash is installed in thepreheating train, Applied Thermal Engineering 32 (2012), 125-131.

F.M.Fábrega, J.S.Rossi, J.V.H.d'Angelo, Exergetic analysis of the refrigeration system in ethylene and propylene production process, Energy 35 (2010):1224-1231

M.A. Waheed, A.O. Oni, S.B. Adejuyigbe, B.A. Adewumi, Thermoeconomic and environmental assessment of a crude oil distillation unit of a Nigerian refiner, Applied Thermal Engineering 66 (2014),191-205.

J.Szargut, D.R Morris, F.R Steward, Exergy analysis of thermal, chemical and metallurgical processes. Hemisphere publishing corporation. (1988)

F.P.J.M.Kerkhof, A.B.K.Lie, J.De Swaan Arons, H.J.Van Der Kooi, Exergy analysis with a flowsheeting simulator—I. Theory; calculating exergies of material streams, Chemical Engineering Science 51 (1996), 4693-4700

H. Al-Muslim, I. Dincer, SM Zubair. 2003. Exergy analysis of single- and two-stage crude oil distillation unit. ASMEJournal

of Energy Resources Technology 125(3):199–207.

I. Dincer, M. A. Rosen, ExergyEnergy, Environment And Sustainable Development, Elsevier, Oxford, 2007

R. Rivero, Application of the exergy concept in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industry, Energy Convers. Manag. 43 (2002), 1199-1220

R. Rivero, C. Rendo´ n, S. Gallegos, Exergy and exergoeconomic analysis of a crude oil combined distillation unit Energy 29 (2004) 1909–1927

X.Q.You, J.L. Gu, C.J.Peng, W.F.Shen, H.L. Liu, Improved design and optimization for separating Azeotrpes with heavy components as distillate through energy saving extractive distillation by varying pressure, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. Res. 56 (2017) 9156-9166

Published
2019-07-29
How to Cite
Farhat, I., & Hajji, P. N. (2019). Thermodynamic optimization of an entire crude oil distillation unit. IJRDO-Journal of Applied Science, 5(7), 07-23. https://doi.org/10.53555/as.v5i7.3042