2.2- Atmospheric Distillation: The desalted crude oil is then heated in a heat exchanger and furnace to about 750 degrees (F) and fed to a vertical, distillation column at atmospheric pressure where most of the feed is vaporized and separated into its various fractions by condensing on 30 to SO fractionation trays, each corresponding to a different condensation temperature. Flare Gases + Gasoline Steam SG a ers 7A nn |e. Steam Light Gas a4 rs * “oll Crude Oil 2 Steam Heavy Gas i > oll Steam F+—— Steam ‘Atmospheric Residue Fig 2.4 Process flow diagram of the an atmospheric distillation unitThe lighter fractions condense and are collected towards the top of the column. Heavier fractions, which may not vaporize in the column, are further separated later by vacuum distillation. Within each atmospheric distillation tower, a number of side streams (at least four) of low-boiling point components are removed from the tower from different trays. The side streams are each sent to a different small stripping tower containing four to 10 trays with steam injected under the bottom tray. The steam strips the light- end components from the heavier components and both the steam and light-ends are fed back to the atmospheric distillation tower above the corresponding side stream draw tray. Fractions obtained from atmospheric distillation include naphtha, gasoline, kerosene, light fuel oil, diesel oils, gas oil, lube distillate, and heavy bottoms. Most of these can be sold as finished products, or blended with products from downstream processes. Another product produced in atmospheric distillation, as well as many other refinery processes, is the light, noncondensable refinery fuel gas (mainly methane and ethane). In the tower the different products are separated based on their boiling points. The lightest fraction includes fuel gas, LPG and gasoline. The overhead, the top or lightest fraction of the CDU is a gaseous stream and is used as fuel or for blending. The middle fraction includes kerosene and diesel oil. The middle fractions are used for the production of gasoline and kerosene. The naphtha is led to the catalytic reformer or used as feedstock for the petrochemical industry. The heaviest fraction is mainly naphtha and fuel oil, which has the lowest value. Fuel oil can be further processed in the conversion unit to produce more valuable products. About one third of the products of the CDU (on energy basis) cannot beused directly and are fed into the Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU), where distillation is performed under low pressure. Crude Distillation Unit (Atmospheric column, Topping column) TOPPED CRUDE SALT WATER To VACUUM TOWER Fig 2.5: Process flow diagram of the Crude distillation unit = Major processing unit in the refinery = Separation of components according to their boiling points.No cracking to take place in the column to avoid: 1. coke formation and fouling of equipment, 2. loss to gas, 3. loss of heavy lubricating feed stock fraction vaporization takes place with the mvc concentrate in the V- phase and lvc concentrate in the L-phase it is a continuous stage contact feed introduced towards the Bottom of the column flashing takes place in the column, but as crude oil is a complex mixture, the equilibrium K-values are difficult to obtain for equilibrium calculations Contact stages are trays each being an equilibrium stage Tray types: Bubble cap trays, Grid trays, Sieve trays and valve trays Bubble caps are preferred because of their high efficiency and flexibility but expensive. Sieve trays are cheap, high efficiency for low gas velocities New plants avoid use of bubble cap trays Fractions are produced according to their IBP and FBP rather than pure components. Withdrawn as liquid streams from the column. In the design should consider: Extensive heat exchange, minimum hold up, less fire risk, ease of automatic control, continuity of operation, and many fractions could be obtained. s No Reboiler greater part of heat is supplied by the feed Products withdrawn as side streams. Injection of live stream into the base of the column and side stream strippers. Atmospheric fractionator contains 30-35 trays. Tray spacing about 2 ft. Generally 5-8 stages are needed for each side stream products. The overhead condenser condenses C5 pentane and heavier fractions of the vapors, some of this stream is returned to the tower as reflux. Tower diameters can be up to 30-40 ft and height up to 225-250 ftCrude oil distillation unit and products a boiling range products lighter (lowboiling point) |» <85°F © —__> butane and lighter products | ——> 85-185 °F —» gasoline blending components ——> 185-350 ‘F_ ——> naphtha ——> 350-450 F_ ——> kerosene, jet fuel ——> 450-650 F ——> distillate (diesel, heating oil) ——> 650-1,050 °F ——> heavy gas oil aoe ——> > 1.050°F ——> residual fuel ol2.3- Vacuum Distillation The function of a VDU is separation of the atmospheric crude tower residue to produce heavy, medium, and light gas oil as well as a vacuum residue. The reduced pressure decreases the boiling points making further separation of the heavier fractions possible. The low pressure results in much larger process equipment. The vacuum conditions are maintained by the use of steam ejectors, vacuum pumps and condensers. It is essential to obtain a very low-pressure drop over the distillation column to reduce operating costs. Condenser Demister, - MG Steam Non-condensable FL vGO Process HVGO * Water Wash Zone LT “veo and YI WEA Pumparound 7) cooler bt Atmospheric Residue 30. Steam injected intoteed °F Stripping Stripping —__= j<7 Zone ‘Steam Vacuum Residue Fig 2.6: Process flow diagram of the vacuum distillation unit Vacuum Distillation Unit (VDU) Process Steps The typical process steps involved are as follows: 1. The reduced crude oil is pumped through a series of heat exchangers and a crude furnace until reaching the desired temperature (350°C — 390°C)2. The reduced crude oil is flashed to separate the desired fractions. Light vapors rise to the top and heavier hydrocarbon liquids fall to the bottom. 3. Steam injection at the bottom of the column improves the separation of lighter boiling components 4. The vacuum column uses a series of pump arounds to maintain temperature at the correct level at certain points along the tower 5. Light vapour gases are removed at the top of the tower, condensed and recycled back to the column as reflux. Light Naphtha is drawn off and excess gases sent to flare. 6. Vacuum gas oil (VGO) and lubricating oils are drawn off and routed for further treatment in Hydrotreating units 7. Vacuum residue from the bottom is sent to intermediate storage or typically to be further processed in a FCC or delayed coking unit. Of the VDU products, the lightest fraction becomes diesel oil. The middle fraction, which is light fuel oil, is sent to the Hydrocracker (HCU) or Fluid Catalytic Cracker (FCC), and the heavy fuel oil is sent to the Thermal Cracker. Temperature and Pressure Products @ 150°F and 10 mmHg light vacuum gas oil atmospheric column bottoms »> Saihtevy vacuum gas oil > slop ——————— vacuum column bottoms 750-770°F and 20 mmHgKerosene Diese! Cracker teed To vacuum system Lt vac. gas cil Vacuum gas ot (cracker feed) Steam (optional) ~~ Asphalt Fig 2.7: Flow diagram of atmospheric and vacuum distillation units: - (1, 3) heat exchangers; - (2) Desalter, - (3, 4) Heater; - (5) Distillation column, - (6) Overhead condenser, - (7-10) pump around streams (strippers), - (11) Vacuum distillation heater; - (12) Vacuum tower2.4 Flash Zone of the Topping Column: The bottom stripping steam quantity and overflash are fixed. The volume percentage of strip-out on crude is calculated using available correlations. D: is the sum of all distillate streams (products) exclusive of overflash L, : Overflash Ven! Stripout SF = Strip factor =volume percent of stripper feed evaporated. This is obtained from figure of the relationship [volume percent of stripper feed evaporated vs. steam rate to the stripping sections). irs ED) 5, aes) Ss, Vor Preheated feed FO, Stripping steam Sy QuVeo = SF x Logg W =Lope Veg = Lore — SF x Lore = Lore (1- SF) Log =W'+L, Examplel: It is required to yield 47.6 volume percent of the crude feed as distillate products. Using 2.0 volume percent of feed as overflash and steam-to- bottoms ratio of 10 Ib./bbl., calculate the required feed flash at the flash zone inlet. Answer1: F =100 bbl Loe =2.0 bbl 2D = 47.6 bbl Reference to drawing of the flash zone: W = Lore —Vog = Lore ~ (SFM boyz) = bore (I~ SF) From figure the stripout fraction: SF = 20.7/100 = 0.207 Lore = (W’+L,) = (100-V') +L, W=[(100+ L,)-V‘](1- SF) Solve for V’ V’ = (100+ L,)-W/(1- SF) substituting : W =F -yp=100-47.6=52.4 V' = (100+ 2)-52.4/(1—0.207) = 35.92 H.W: Calculations have determined that, at the minimum pressure and maximum temperature conditions allowable at the tower inlet, a feed flash vaporization of 42.1 volume percent will occur. Using 3.0 volume percent of feed as overflash and steam-to-bottoms ratio of 8.0 Ib./bbl., calculate the volume of the total distillate products. (To be handed next week)VOLUME PERCENT OF STRIPPER FEED REVAPORIZED Steam rate to the stripping sections |b/bbl of stripped liquid Volume percent of stripper feed evaporated vs. steam rate to the stripping sections