Maximising the use of process energy
Integrating a flash drum in an atmospheric and crude distillation unit offers the
potential for savings and capacity enhancement
SUNIL KUMAR, SHRIKANT NANOTI and M O GARG
CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum
T
he crude distillation unit has
the highest processing capac-
ity in a refinery. It is highly
energy intensive and consumes
around 2% of the total crude
processed to meet its energy
requirement.1 Various methods
have been reported for better heat
recovery, such as the application of
pinch analysis and exergy analysis,
and for achieving energy savings,
for instance the installation of a
flash drum or pre-fractionation
column.2,3-8 The energy requirement
of a pre-flash integrated crude
distillation unit is slightly lower
than for the design without a
pre-flash device.5,6 However, yields
of valuable distillate products from
the atmospheric distillation column
are decreased3,5 and the yield of
residue is increased. Processing of
more residues in a vacuum column
requires a significantly larger
Atmospheric
Water
HEN
Crude
oil
Desalter
HEN
Sour
water HEN
Furnace
Figure 1 Simplified schematic of atmospheric and vacuum column integrated crude distillation unit
www.digitalrefining.com/article/1000960
diameter column as one pound of
vaporised oil at 10 psi pressure
occupies 70 times more space than
at atmospheric pressure. Energy
consumption is also increased due
to greater residue flow and the
requirement to generate more
vacuum.9
Benali et al7 reported a decrease
in exergy destruction up to 14% as
a whole and more than 21% in the
furnace alone due to integration of
a pre-flash drum with the atmos-
pheric distillation unit. It is also
reported that the overall change in
the energy requirement for a
pre-flash integrated design is
marginal; however, the level of this
energy changes significantly.8
Substantial amounts of energy can
be saved utilising low level heat.
However, the finding that low level
heat utilisation can increase the
crude temperature to the furnace is
Condenser
distillation
column
Water
PA1 Naphtha
PA2 Steam
Heavy
naphtha
PA3
Steam
Kerosene
Flash
zone
Steam
Diesel
Residue Steam
Steam Furnace Steam
to be read with utmost caution.
This will be true only if the pinch
temperature is below the tempera-
ture of this low level energy. It is
essential to note that application of
low level energy below the pinch
point will rather increase the cold
utility requirement without saving
high level energy (furnace duty).2,10-12
In view of the energy intensiveness
and carbon footprint of a crude
distillation unit, it is important to
emphasise that a small improve-
ment in its energy efficiency will be
of great importance.
This study focused on the quanti-
tative evaluation of savings in
furnace duty, carbon dioxide emis-
sions and fuel expenditure, and the
capacity for potential enhancement
of an atmospheric and vacuum inte-
grated crude distillation unit by
installation of flash drum, without
compromising on quality and yields
Vapour
to ejector
HEN
VD
HEN
LVGO
HEN
HVGO
Flash
zone Vacuum
distillation
column
Vacuum
residue
PTQ Q2 2014 1
 is fed to the desalter to remove
Crude properties
water soluble salts from the crude.
The desalted crude enters another
Specific gravity @ 15C 0.8282 heat exchanger network and
Light end analysis
Component Volume% Component Volume%
receives heat from hot streams. The
Methane 0.000 n-Butane 1.242 preheated crude enters the furnace.
Ethane 0.090 i-Pentane 1.000 Partially vaporised crude from the
Propane 0.414 n-Pentane 1.850 furnace is fed to the flash zone of
Iso Butane 0.414
the atmospheric column. The
TBP distillation range of crude oil vapour from the flash zone moves
Volume% Temperature, C Volume% Temperature, C upwards in the column whereas
5.0 40.7 50.0 267.7 liquid falls to the bottom of the
10.0 75.6 70.0 379.3
30.0 162.1 90.0 475.9
column. The vapour is then frac-
40 217.1 95.0 535.2 tionated into distillate products
such as naphtha, kerosene and
Table 1 diesel in the upper section of the
column. To recover heat at a differ-
of distillate products. Pinch technol- modification in the process. In this ent temperature, heavy naphtha,
ogy, a well-proven tool to minimise study, an atmospheric and vacuum kerosene and diesel pumparound
utility consumption in a crude distil- column integrated crude distillation circuits are used along with the
lation unit, was used to estimate the unit with a capacity of 5.0 million overhead condenser. The distillate
utility targets and excess process t/y was selected to represent the products withdrawn from different
heat available in the process. Insight base case. This base case was used trays of the column are then
from the principles of pinch technol- to establish the basis for yields of stripped by steam in their respec-
ogy was applied to create the scope distillate product and their quality, tive side strippers for removing
for utilising excess process heat to and for separation criteria for prod- lighter components to meet ASTM
save furnace duty. Area targeting ucts obtained in other cases to be D-86 distillation specifications. The
for each case considered was also studied. liquid falling downwards from the
carried out to understand the quali- flash zone is stripped out using
tative effect of energy savings on a Description steam at the bottom of the column
heat exchanger network. Figure 1 is a simplified schematic of to remove lighter, diesel-range
a conventional crude distillation material from the residue.
Conventional crude distillation unit unit. Crude is first heated in a heat The residue from the atmospheric
It is essential to establish a base exchanger network using the hot distillation column is fed to the
case to understand the quantitative products and pumparound streams furnace along with the coil steam.
benefits of any improvement or before entering the desalter. Water Partially vaporised crude from the
furnace is fed to the flash zone of
Parameters used in simulation of atmospheric distillation column the vacuum column. The vapour
from the flash zone is then fraction-
ated into distillate products such as
Crude flow, tonne/hr 62.5 Total number of actual trays 40.0 vacuum diesel, light vacuum gas
Crude entry at tray number 6.0 Striper trays efficiency 0.4
oil and heavy vacuum gas oil. The
Flash zone pressure, kg/cm2a 3.254 Column top pressure, kg/cm2a 2.50
liquid from the flash zone is
Efficiency for different sections of column stripped using the steam at the
From To Efficiency From To Efficiency bottom. Heat at a different temper-
40.0 32.0 0.65 18.0 15.0 0.55
ature from the vacuum column is
31.0 29.0 0.30 12.0 14.0 0.30
28.0 22.0 0.55 7.0 11.0 0.55 recovered using the vacuum diesel,
21.0 19.0 0.30 6.0 1.0 0.40 light vacuum gas oil and heavy
vacuum gas oil pumparound
Pumparound detail
circuits. The combined flow of
Draw stage Return stage Flow, m3/h Temperature drop, C
Heavy naphtha 29__Main TS 31__Main TS 349 976.6 60.0 pumparound and product is taken
Kerosene 19__Main TS 21__Main TS 539 188.7 40.0 from the specific column tray and
Diesel 12__Main TS 14__Main TS 614 544.8 50.0 cooled to the desired pumparound
return temperature. The combined
Strippers and stripping steam detail
No of actual Liquid draw Vapour return Stripping steam, stream is then divided into product
stages in stripper stage stage kg/hr and pumparound streams. The
Heavy naphtha 6.0 29__Main TS 31__Main TS 1624.0 pumparound stream is returned to
Kerosene 6.0 19__Main TS 21__Main TS 2117.0
the upper tray in the column. The
Diesel 4.0 12__Main TS 14__Main TS 2066.0
Column bottom 8500.0 product stream further exchanges
heat with the cold streams and is
Table 2 finally cooled in a water cooler to

2 PTQ Q2 2014 www.digitalrefining.com/article/1000960

attain the desired
temperature.
Simulation
An atmospheric and vacuum inte-
grated crude distillation unit,
selected in the study to represent
the base case, is shown in Figure 1.
Simulation was carried out using
Aspen Hysys. The Grayson-Streed
thermodynamic model was used in
a simulation for the prediction of
stream properties.3,13-14 The proper-
ties of crude used in the study are
given in Table 1. The details of
important information/parameters
used in the simulation of atmos-
pheric and vacuum distillation
columns are given in Table 2 and
Table 3 respectively. Crude was
heated to a typical furnace coil
outlet temperature of 364.5C.
Partially vaporised crude was fed
to the flash zone of the atmospheric
distillation column containing 40
trays. Stripping steam (8500 kg/hr)
was used at the column bottom to
obtain liquid distillate yields of
66.11 vol% predicted from the true
boiling point curve of the crude,
with a final boiling point tempera-
ture of 370C.
The temperatures corresponding
to 95 vol% of top product, heavy
naphtha, kerosene and diesel were
fixed at the values 110C, 160C,
245C and 370C respectively, to
predict the distillate yield of each
product. The values of stripping
steam used in the strippers to
remove the lighter material are
given in Table 2.
Residue obtained from the
bottom of the atmospheric distilla-
tion column was mixed with steam
and an ethane-propane mixture
(4:1). This mixed stream was heated
in the furnace to 365C and fed to
the flash zone of the vacuum distil-
lation column. Vacuum diesel, light
vacuum diesel and heavy vacuum
diesel streams were drawn from
the column.
Energy targeting
Pinch technology is a proven tool
for the estimation of minimum hot
and cold utility targets in a
process.2,10 The technology is based
on the first and second laws of ther-
modynamics and is straightforward
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run-down
Parameters used in simulation of vacuum distillation column
Residue flow, std. ideal liquid volumetric flow, m3/h 257.4
Flash zzone pressure/temperature, mmHg/C 49/365
Column top/ bottom pressure, mmHg 26/65
Residue entry tray number 3.0
Total number of theoretical trays 14.0
Bottom stripping steam, kg/hr 600.0
Furnace coil steam, kg/hr 600.0
Light ends, std. ideal liquid volumetric flow, m3/h 5.0
Pumparound detail
Pumparound name Draw stage Return stage
Vacuum diesel 13__TS-1 14__TS-1
LVGO 8__TS-1 9__TS-1
HVGO 6__TS-1 7__TS-1
Pumparound name Flow, m3/h Temperature drop, C
Vacuum diesel 100.0 115.0
LVGO 113.0 86.9
HVGO 350.0 63.7
Product detail
Product name Draw stage Flow, m3/h
Vacuum diesel 13__TS-1 39.8
LVGO 8__TS-1 92.0
HVGO 6__TS-1 68.9
Table 3
Enthalpy and temperature of cold and hot streams of base case
Stream name Supply T, C Target T, C Enthalpy, million kcal/hr
Crude 35.0 290.0 96.65
Crude 290.0 364.5 53.56
Heavy naphtha 130.1 40.0 2.68
Kerosene 181.0 40.0 7.72
Diesel 265.5 40.0 21.16
Heavy naphtha PA 148.3 88.3 -12.58
Kerosene PA 198.0 158.0 -13.87
Diesel PA 283.0 233.0 -21.20
Vacuum diesel 165.0 50.0 2.14
Light vacuum gas oil 267.9 90.0 8.85
Heavy vacuum gas oil 308.7 90.0 8.43
Slop 357.2 120.0 1.62
Vacuum residue 349.9 120.0 6.46
Vacuum diesel, PA 165.0 50.0 -5.39
LVGO, PA 267.9 181.0 -5.66
HVGO, PA 308.7 245.0 -13.85
Table 4
to implement in the design and cold utilities to cool the hot streams
revamping of plant operations to to their target temperature. The
minimise energy consumption. pinch point temperature is
Composite and grand composite governed by the enthalpy of the hot
curves are generated in pinch tech- and cold streams. The grand
nology to estimate hot and cold composite curve provides an esti-
utility targets and their temperature mate of the amount of excess heat
level. A pinch point in the compos- available below the pinch and its
ite curve divides the whole process temperature level.
into two sections. The section above Table 4 lists the enthalpies,
the pinch point is in heat deficit and supply and target temperatures for
requires hot utilities to heat the cold cold and hot streams which were
streams to their target temperature, extracted from the simulation file.
whereas the section below the pinch The composite and grand compos-
point is in heat surplus and requires ite curves shown in Figure 2 were
PTQ Q2 2014 3
 Flash drum integrated crude
400 distillation unit
Hot
350 Cold
T=357.5
Q=131.5 T=364.5
The vaporisation of the lighter frac-
T=309.0
Q=130.0
Q=186.4 tion of crude and its vapour routing
300 T=286.3
T=283.3
to the column above the flash zone
Temperature, C
Q=122.6 Q=131.5
T=233.7
250 Q=82.6
T=283.3
Q=130.0 can be facilitated through installa-
T=199.1 T=263.6 tion of a flash drum below the
200 Q=72.7 Q=122.6
pinch point. Besides, the loss of
T=134.5 T=158.4
150 Q=36.2 Q=82.6 carrier effect due to separation of
T=132.1
100 Q=72.8 the lighter fraction of crude in the
T=89.1
Q=11.4 flash drum and the lower energy
50
T=35.0 input to the column as it bypasses
Q=36.2
0 the furnace can be compensated by
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 increasing the stripping steam,
Enthalpy, MMkcal/hr increasing the coil outlet tempera-
400 ture of the furnace, and adjusting
the pumparound return tempera-
350 T=374.8
Q=54.7 ture/duty to maintain the distillate
300 yields as established in the base
Temperature, C

250
200
150
100
50
0
0 5
Figure 2 Composite and grand composite curves for the base case
generated using pinch software.
The composite curve indicates that
36.1 million kcal/hr of excess heat
is available below the pinch point
during the process. The grand
composite curve shown in Figure 3
indicates that out of 36 million
kcal/hr of heat, 17.8 million kcal/
hr is available in the temperature
range 188-234C. This suggests use
of the plus minus principle of
pinch technology to reduce the util-
ity targets. The plus minus
principle suggests that the utilities
target of a process can be changed
by modifying the enthalpy of hot
and cold process streams above
and below the pinch point. That is,
the hot utility target reduces if the
cold stream enthalpy above
the pinch decreases, and the cold
utility target reduces if the hot
stream enthalpy below the pinch
decreases.
This desired change in enthalpy
of the hot and cold streams above
or below the pinch point is made
possible by vaporising the crude
T=233.7
Q=17.9
case.
To investigate the quantitative
T=188.3 benefits of flash drum integration
Q=17.8
with the atmospheric and vacuum
column in a crude distillation unit
without compromising on the
T=29.9
distillate yields and their quality,
Q=36.1 the present study considered two
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 cases:
Enthalpy, MMkcal/hr Flash drum case 1 (FD-1): the
bottom stripping steam was
increased to the required amount
Flash drum case 2 (FD-2): the coil
outlet temperature was increased
using the excess energy available by 5C, then bottom stripping
below the pinch point and avoiding steam was increased to the required
the superheating of vapour of amount.
lighter distillates in the furnace.
The heat of vaporisation of crude is Simulation of flash drum cases
around 100 times its specific heat. Changes made to the operating
Thus, crude vaporisation below the parameters in simulations of flash
pinch point will decrease the drum cases, keeping other parame-
enthalpy of the cold stream above ters the same as were used in
simulation of the base case, are
described below.
Direct routing of
vapour to the column FD-1 case
Crude was heated to 215C then
eliminates the energy fed to the flash drum at 4.2 kg/
cm2a pressure. Vapour from the
requirement for flash drum was fed to the column
at the 18th tray from the bottom.
superheating in the The vapour entry location was
selected on the basis of the temper-
furnace atures of the vapour and the feed
tray in the column. Flashed crude
the pinch and the enthalpy of hot was heated to 364.5C. The strip-
stream duty below the pinch. ping steam was increased to a
Moreover, direct routing of vapour value of 12 200 kg/hr, against the
to the column also eliminates the 8500 kg/hr used in the base case, to
energy requirement for superheat- match the distillate yields value
ing in the furnace. established in the base case.

4 PTQ Q2 2014 www.digitalrefining.com/article/1000960

FD-2 case
In this case, flashed crude was 400
Hot T=356.9
heated to 369.5C, then stripping 350 Cold
Q=122.1
steam was increased to 10 200 kg/ T=308.4
Q=120.6
300

Temperature, C
hr, keeping the crude temperature T=279.2
Q=112.0
T=280.4
Q=122.2
to the flash drum, the pressure of 250 T=241.5
Q=81.5
T=277.4
Q=120.6
the flash drum and the vapour T=195.5
200 Q=69.2 T=200.3 T=258.8
entry location the same as in the Q=81.5 Q=112.0

FD-1 case. 150 T=113.0

Q=22.7
T=165.6
Q=69.2
In both cases, the return tempera- 100 T=96.2
tures of the pumparounds and the Q=13.4
50
stripping steam in the kerosene and T=35.0
Q=22.7
diesel stripper were adjusted to 0
meet the separation criteria for 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
distillate products. The parameters Enthalpy, MMkcal/hr
of the vacuum column simulation 400
were not changed because the flow Hot T=357.5
rate of residue feeding the vacuum 350 Cold
Q=123.2
T=308.4
column was the same as established Temperature, C
300
Q=121.7
T=279.2 T=280.9
in the base case. T=239.1
Q=113.3 Q=123.2
250 Q=81.1
T=278.0
Q=121.7
T=194.9
Energy targeting of flash drum cases 200 Q=68.7 T=196.7 T=260.0
Q=113.3
Q=81.1
The enthalpies of the cold and hot 150 T=115.4 T=161.4
streams and their supply and target Q=23.6 Q=68.7

temperatures taken from the 100 T=96.8

conversed simulation file for each
case are given in Table 5. Hot and
cold utility targets were estimated
from composite and grand compos-
ite curves generated using pinch
software with the DT minimum
value of 20C. The composite
curves generated for the FD cases
are shown in Figure 3.
Area targeting
Figures 2 and 3 indicate that vapori-
sation of crude below the pinch
point decreases the delta tempera-
ture difference between the cold
and hot composite curves; this will
lead to a decrease in the tempera-
ture gradient across the heat
exchangers. This also results in an
increase in the area required in the
heat exchangers network in the FD
cases. The effect of this negative
impact on the capital cost of the
heat exchanger network can be
captured by estimating the UA
values for each case using the
assumption of the same heat trans-
fer coefficients for hot and cold
streams. The composite curves
were divided into seven sections
depending upon the change in
slope of the hot and cold composite
curve to represent heat exchangers
with vertical and countercurrent
heat transfer. The five sections on
the right hand side represent the
Q=13.6
50
T=35.0
Q=23.6
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Enthalpy, MMkcal/hr
Figure 3 Composite curves for FD-1 and FD-2 cases
Enthalpy and temperature of cold and hot streams of FD-1 and FD-2 cases
FD-1 case FD-2 case
Stream name Supply T, Target T, Enthalpy, Supply T, Target T, Enthalpy,
C C million kcal/hr C C million kcal/hr
Crude 35.0 215.0 64.40 35.0 215.0 64.40
Crude 203.5 223.7 75.42 203.5 220.1 77.90
Heavy naphtha 129.0 40.0 2.64 129.5 40.0 2.66
Kerosene 176.0 40.0 7.49 176.4 40.0 7.53
Diesel 253.4 40.0 19.70 254.2 40.0 19.89
Heavy naphtha PA 146.0 96.0 -10.53 147.0 97.0 -10.55
Kerosene PA 194.0 154.0 -13.79 195.0 156.0 -13.47
Diesel PA 278.0 241.0 -15.73 279.0 239.0 -17.00
Vacuum diesel 154.6 50.0 1.96 154.6 50.0 1.96
Light vacuum gas oil 267.9 90.0 8.85 267.9 90.0 8.85
Heavy vacuum gas oil 308.7 90.0 8.43 308.7 90.0 8.43
Slop 357.2 120.0 1.62 357.2 120.0 1.62
Vacuum residue 349.9 120.0 6.46 349.9 120.0 6.46
Vacuum diesel, PA 165.0 50.0 -5.39 165.0 50.0 -5.39
LVGO, PA 267.9 181.0 -5.66 267.9 181.0 -5.66
HVGO, PA 308.7 245.0 -13.85 308.7 245.0 -13.85
Table 5
process-to-process heat exchangers the heat exchangers were extracted
and the subsequent two sections from the hot composite curve.
represent cold utility heat exchang- Temperatures for the cold streams
ers. The temperatures of the hot for process-to-process heat
streams and the enthalpy values for exchangers were extracted from the

www.digitalrefining.com/article/1000960 PTQ Q2 2014 5

cold composite curves whereas for
utility exchangers it was assumed
that the cold stream is heated from
32C to 40C. Equations 1 and 2
were used to estimate the UA value
for process-to-process and utility
heat exchangers. The overall UA
for each case was calculated using
Equation 3:
(1)
(2)
(3)
Where:
LMTD is log mean temperature
difference
p represents process-to-process heat
exchangers
c represents cooling stream and
process heat exchangers
I is the number of a heat exchanger.
Comparison of base and FD cases
Distillate products
Table 6 lists the yields, D-86 5% and
95% points and (5-95) gaps for
distillate products obtained for all
cases. D-86 5% and -95% points
imply the quality of distillate prod-
ucts and the (5-95) gap indicates
the quality of separation between
adjacent products.
The results shown in Table 6 indi-
cate that there is only slight
variation in the distillate product
yields for the proposed cases in
comparison to the base case. Almost
the same value of atmospheric resi-
due flow rate in all cases ensures no
change in the yields of distillate
products obtained from the vacuum
column. The lower values of the
D-86 (5-95) gap obtained in the FD
cases suggests better fractionation
among the products. It can be
concluded that product yields and
their quality were not compromised
in a flash drum integrated crude
distillation scenario.
Vapour traffic profile
The diameter of the distillation
column is estimated using the
www.digitalrefining.com/article/1000960
Products yields and their separation gaps
Distillate products yields, M3/hr
Products Base case FD-1 case FD-2 case
Top product 129.9 130.2 130.2
Heavy naphtha 68.2 68.1 68.1
kerosene 118.7 120.0 119.2
Diesel 183.1 181.7 182.6
Atmospheric residue 257.4 257.3 257.3
D86 5% point, C
Heavy naphtha 110.2 110.2 110.2
kerosene 155.4 155.5 155.4
Diesel 232.0 232.2 231.7
Atmospheric residue 335.8 339.6 338.4
D86 95% point, C
Heavy naphtha 110.0 110.0 110.0
kerosene 160.0 160.0 160.0
Diesel 245.0 245.0 245.0
Atmospheric residue 370.0 370.0 370.0
Product quality: D86 (5-95 gap), C
Top product-heavy naphtha 0.2 0.2 0.2
Heavy naphtha-kerosene -4.6 -4.5 -4.6
Kerosene-diesel -13.0 -12.8 -13.3
Diesel-atmospheric residue -34.2 -30.4 -31.6
Table 6
7104
Actual vapour volumetric flow,
6104
5104
4104
m3/hr
3104
2104
Base case
FD-1 case
104
FD-2 case
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Number of trays
Figure 4 Vapour traffic profile of atmospheric distillation column
maximum value of vapour flow requirement, to ensure smooth
rate throughout the column. In the operation of the column.
FD cases, either stripping steam or The vapour profile indicates that
the coil outlet temperature along maximum vapour flow rate in the
with stripping steam were base case is significantly higher
increased to maintain the yield and than the maximum vapour rate
quality of distillate products obtained in the FD cases. This
obtained in the base case. The implies that flash drum integration
increase in stripping steam, furnace creates scope for increasing the
coil outlet temperature gives an stripping steam flow rates in an
impression that it can lead to flood- existing atmospheric distillation
ing in the column. Therefore, column without disturbing the
vapour traffic profiles of the atmos- columns operation. Moreover, in a
pheric distillation column for all grass roots scenario this also
cases were generated (see Figure 4) provides the opportunity to reduce
to understand the effect of flash the diameter of crude distillation
drum integration on the diameter columns.
PTQ Q2 2014 6
Hot and cold utilities and
CO2 emissions
The estimated minimum hot and
cold utility targets for all cases are
given in Table 7. The savings in
utilities and CO2 emission were
estimated using their normalised
values (see Figure 5). Normalised
values were estimated by selecting
the hot and cold utility targets for
the base case (BC) at a value of
100%. There is a substantial reduc-
tion, ranging from 17-19% in hot
utilities, 14-15% in cold utilities and
17-18% in CO2 emission targets in
the FD cases. The savings in utili-
ties are attributed to utilising excess
process heat below the pinch point
by vaporising the crude and avoid-
ing the superheating of vapour
from lighter distillate products in
the furnace. The estimated saving
in hot utility leads to fuel savings
equivalent to 92 039-82 982 million
Kcal/y in the furnace and a reduc-
tion in CO2 emissions to the value
of 28 76225 932 t/y for the FD
cases.
Fuel expenditure
Detail of energy consumption
Utility type Base case FD-1 case FD-2 case
Furnace duty, MMkcal/hr b
Hot utility 54.6 40.4 42.6
a
Stripping steam, Kg/hr Heavy naphtha 1624 1624 1624
Kerosene 2117 2617 2617
Diesel 2066 3066 3066
Bottom 8500 12 300 10 200
Total 14 307 19 607 17 507
Total hot utility requirement, millionkcal/hr 61.9 50.4 51.5
Cold duty, million Kcal/hr Condenser duty 34.1 37.1 35.7
c
Cold utility 35.5 22.5 23.5
Total cold utility requirement, MMkcal/hr 69.6 59.6 59.2
a 1000 kg of MP steam (temperature: 240C; pressure: 12kg/cm2a) is equivalent to 0.5085 MMkcal/hr.
b Minimum hot utility predicted by pinch analysis for heating the crude to its target temperature in furnace.
c Minimum cold utility predicted by pinch analysis for cooling the hot streams to their target temperature.
Table 7
from $/t to $/million Btu.15 The for natural gas and from $3.287
sensitivity analysis is shown in million to $5.479 million for fuel oil
Figure 6. Fuel cost savings increased (see Table 7).
with increase in fuel costs. The
saving in fuel expenditure varied Area requirement
from $2.739 million to $4.565 million The UA values of heat exchangers
100
Base case
95
FD-1 case
90
FD-2 case
Normalised level

85
Natural gas and fuel oil are the
80
most commonly used fuels in refin-
eries. The choice of fuel is basically 75
governed by its price and availabil- 70
ity. Sometimes, costlier fuel is used 65
in a refinery due to availability and 60
disposal issues. Therefore, financial 55
savings due to a reduction in hot
50
utilities were estimated for both Hot utility Cold utility CO2 emissions
fuels. The base prices of natural gas
and fuel oil were used at the rate of
$6.0/million Btu and $300/tonne Figure 5 Normalised percent savings in hot utility, cold utility and CO2 emission
respectively. The thermal efficiency
of the furnace was assumed to be
80%. 6.0
The respective estimated values of 5.5
Natural gas
Fuel cost savings, US$106

savings in fuel expenditure for natu- Fuel oil

5.0
ral gas and fuel oil are $2.739
4.5
million and $3.287 million.
Considering the fluctuation in fuel 4.0
prices over a period of time, a sensi- 3.5
tivity analysis of savings in fuel 3.0
expenditure with respect to fuel 2.5
price was also carried out. The price
2.0
of fuel was varied from $6 to $10/
million Btu for natural gas and from 1.5
$300 to $500/t for fuel oil. The price 1.0
1 2 3 4 5
range was divided into four sections
using five equidistant points. A Points representing the fuel-price range
calorific value of 10 500 Kcal/kg for
fuel oil was used to convert its cost Figure 6 Sensitivity analysis of fuel prices for financial savings

www.digitalrefining.com/article/1000960 PTQ Q2 2014 7


FD-2 case Base case
42.6 54.6
FD-1 case
A 40.4
FD-2 case Base case
689 833
FD-1 case
C 677
Figure 7 a) Minimum furnace duty, MMkcal/hr; b) UA values for process-to-process heat
exchange; c) UA values for process to cooling stream heat exchange; d) UA values for
combined (b+ c) heat exchange
were estimated for process-to-
process heat exchangers and cool-
ing utility heat exchangers to
understand the effect of utilising
excess process heat on the heat
exchanger area, which is in turn
responsible for the cost of heat
exchanger network. Figure 7
summarises the UA results for all
cases.
It is clear that the total area of
process-to-process heat exchangers
follows the reverse trend of
furnace duty, whereas the trend of
area for cooling stream to process
heat exchangers is the same as the
furnace duty in the cases studied.
The order of the combined area
requirement of the overall heat
exchanger network is FD-1 case >
FD-2 case > base case. This implies
that the area requirement increases
with the utilisation of excess
process heat below the pinch
point. Hence, more investment in
the heat exchanger network is
required for a case with a target of
minimum furnace duty. However,
it should be noted that furnace
costs will also decrease as duty
reduces. Very accurate financial
savings due to reduced furnace
duty and fuel expenditure can be
estimated by a detail engineering
8 PTQ Q2 2014
the higher side and adjusting the
pumparound duty
FD-2 case Base case
2644 1933
Though the above changes
require additional energy, the
results still indicate 17% and 16%
reductions in hot and cold utility
requirement with flash drum
integration
The 17% drop in furnace duty
FD-1 case alone results in a reduction in CO2
B 2676 emissions to the environment by
17%
FD-2 case Base case The reduction in furnace duty
3334 2766 requires more area in the heat
exchanger network due to the
reduced temperature gradient
across process-to-process heat
exchangers
There is a reasonable reduction in
maximum vapour traffic load in the
FD-1 case
D 3354 atmospheric column which
provides an opportunity for capac-
ity enhancement in the existing
crude unit without a column
revamp, or a reduction in the diam-
eter of the atmospheric distillation
column in a new crude unit design
company after factoring out the The substantial reduction in
change in the installation cost furnace duty also provides a solu-
of a furnace with reduced duty tion to debottleneck the furnace to
and an exchanger network with enhance the capacity of an existing
increased area requirement. crude unit
However, at the prima facie level For a typical crude processing
financial savings due to the capacity of 5 million t/y, savings in
substantial reduction in furnace hot utility alone lead to fuel savings
duty seems to be more than the equivalent to 92 039-82 982 million
additional expenditure required Kcal, a reduction in CO2 emissions
for the additional area of heat to the value of 28 76225 932 t/y
exchanger network. and financial savings of $2.739-
4.565 million and $3.2875.479
The total area of million for natural gas and fuel oil
respectively, depending on the
process-to-process price of fuel available in the refin-
ery. These savings will increase
heat exchangers further with a rise in the processing
capacity of the crude unit
follows the reverse In view of the above, it seems
very attractive to revamp the exist-
trend of furnace duty ing conventional atmospheric and
vacuum column integrated crude
Conclusion distillation units by adding a new
A rigorous simulation and pinch drum with revised operating
analysis of integrated crude distilla- parameters.
tion units, with and without a flash
drum, is presented. From this
References
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furnace coil outlet temperature to using pinch analysis effectively in your daily
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2013, 99-102.
3 Errico M, Tola G, Mascia M, Energy saving
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technology, www.ou.edu/class/che-design/a-
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Sunil Kumar is a Scientist in the Separation
Process Division of Indian Institute of
Petroleum, Dehradun, working in the areas
of modelling and simulation of petroleum
refinery separation processes, process
integration, pinch analysis, development
of solvent extraction processes, molecular
modelling and simulation application in
adsorption and solvent extraction. He holds a
masters in chemical engineering from Indian
Institute of Kanpur, India, has been awarded a
Certificate of Merit for Academic Excellence
in the Master of Technology Programme
in Chemical Engineering at IIT Kanpur and
received Ambujas Young Researchers Award.
Shrikant Nanoti is Head of Separation Processes
Division at the Indian Institute of Petroleum,
Dehradun. He has 26 years experience in
the development and scale-up of separation
based technologies, process designing, process
integration and pinch analysis for the petroleum
refining and petrochemical industries, has
published more than 35 research papers, and
has eight patents to his credit. He holds a
bachelors degree in chemical engineering
from Laxminaryan Institute of Technology,
Nagpur, and a doctorate from Indian Institute
of Technology, Roorkee.
M O Garg is Director of the Indian Institute of
Petroleum, Dehradun, a constituent laboratory
of the Council of Scientific & Industrial
Research, and specialises in liquid-liquid
extraction, simulation and modelling, process
integration, advance control and process
conceptualisation. He has 33 years experience
in the refining industry, has developed and
commercialised several technologies and has
received two CSIR Technology Awards as well
as a CSIR Shield for his commercialisation
efforts. He graduated from Indian Institute
of Technology, Kanpur, in the Research &
Development Division of Engineers India Ltd,
holds a PhD in solvent extraction from the
University of Melbourne, Australia, and has 207
papers and 26 patents to his credit.
LINKS
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Crude Vacuum Units
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PTQ Q2 2014 9