Sulzer Chemtech

De-Butanizer Revamp at PreemRaff, Lysekil, Sweden

Norman Burcher, Erika Wikstrom, PreemRaff

Giuseppe Mosca*, Andrew Hausman, Sulzer Chemtech
Peter Wilkinson, Shell Global Solutions

Presented at the AIChE Spring National Meeting, 23 April 2007, Houston, TX

* Speaker De-C4 Revamp / Gas Plant FCC / PreemRaff / AIChE April 2007 1
PreemRaff Sulzer Chemtech

Outlook

1) Background
2) Scope of the Revamping
3) Tower modifications
4) Test run data
5) Analysis of the plant data
6) Conclusions

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Background, page 1 of 2

1) A new Hydrocracker plant went on stream beginning 2006

at PreemRaff for hydro-treating the Vacuum Gasoil.
2) The feed quality to the FCC improved significantly.
3) The conversion of the FCC plant was increased towards
the production of Gasoline and LPG by higher dosage of
ZSM-5 catalyst, as well as improved feed-stock.
4) The feed rate to the De-Butanizer increased, as well as its
LPG content.

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Fluid Catalytic Cracking

Reactor, Main Fractionator, Absorbers & Stripper

MF To Amine
Absorber
Sponge
Primary Absorber
Absorber
Stripper
Reactor

To De-C4

HCN

LCO

Feed
Slurry

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T1508 Fuel Gas

D1510 T1507 T1804
FCC Gas Plant D1519 D1806
F1801
Lean D1517
Amine
T1801
To EA1521
P1544
Rich Spent
EA1525 Amine Caustic
MF OVHD EA1503

Stripper EA1501
D1507 T-1504 D1536
P1516 EA1526 D1537
D1508
P1545
P1543
P1517
LCN
P1542
EA1530
De-C2
Rich LCO
E1508 T-1513
E1521A E1524
E1521B

E1530 E1522 To C3 Splitter

P1521 E1509 E1523 T-1514
By pass

EA1528 EA1502

Lean LCO Primary Abs. Sponge Abs. De-C4 C3 / C4 To Caustic

T-1503 T-1505 T-1506 T-1512 Abs. T-1802
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Background, page 2 of 2
5) The De-Butanizer was originally equipped with 30
Conventional 2 pass trays, and put on stream in 1985.
6) Ten years later, it was retrofitted with 30 High
Performance Chordal Downcomer trays to boost the
capacity by 15 %.
7) The column achieved the target of the first revamping,
and was running at its maximum useful capacity, in
particular the Stripping section was not able to produce
more than 80 m3/h of Stabilized Naphtha with 75 m3/h of
LPG from the Rectifying section.
8) The tray efficiency at the maximum achievable
throughput was not more than 65%

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Scope of the Revamp

1) Increase the capacity by approx 15 % over the
maximum achievable throughput after the first revamp:
case 1: feed 175 m3/h; LPG 79.3 m3/h; LCN 95.7 m3/h
case 2: feed 175 m3/h; LPG 90.3 m3/h; LCN 84.7 m3/h
2) Operating range: 1 to 2.5, to comply with the two
different cases: Normal and Rich LPG.
3) Maximize the Mass Transfer Efficiency.
4) C5s content on the top Stream less than 0.6 % Vol.
5) RVP of the bottom LCN <=85 KPa
6) Minimize the investment cost

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Scope of the Supply

Based on a process study developed by an Engineering
company and cross-checked by the Refinery, the
following goods were supplied:
1) 15 HiFi PlusTM trays in the rectifying section, designed
by Sulzer and cross-checked by Shell Global Solutions.
2) 15 ConSep™ Trays in the Stripping sections designed
by Shell Global Solutions.
3) Top reflux distributor designed by Sulzer.
4) Mixed Phase feed inlet distributor designed by Sulzer.
5) Expansion Rings and other tower internal supports
designed by Sulzer.

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Modifications in the Rectifying Section

Top Reflux

HiFi PlusTM Trays

Chordal DC HPT

Feed
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Modifications in the Stripping Section

Feed

Chordal DC HPT

To Reboiler
ConSep™ Trays
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HiFi™ downcomer
HiFi Plus™ trays in the
Rectifying Section
Self-Balancing MVG
Multi-pass Trays valve

Pass 1 Pass 2 Pass 3

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HiFi Plus™ trays in the Rectifying Section

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ConSep™ Trays in
the stripping section

Swirl Tube

HiFi™ downcomer

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HiFi™ downcomer ConSep™ Trays in

the stripping section

Swirl Tube

Secondary
downcomer

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ConSepTM : The Ultra System Limit Mass Transfer Component tested at FRI

Liquid flow Vapor flow

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Large Bubbling Area and Liquid

Handling Capacity of HiFiTM Tray
Combination
Liquid De-Entrainment
Device of Swirl Tube Tray
V
Clear Vapor

Liquid Liquid

Liquid
entrainment Liquid
L

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Efficiency Comparison with high capacity trays at FRI

(iC4/nC4 at 11.4 bar)
140

120

100
Tray efficiency (%)

80

60

40 Shell ConSepTM tray

20 Sulzer VGPlusTM tray

0
0.00 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.10 0.12 0.14
Column load factor (m/s)

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Swirl Tubes underneath the active area

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Top Reflux Distributor

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Mixed Phase Feed Inlet Distributor

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Test Run 16-19 January 2007

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Test #1: 16Jan, 0 am 11 pm, 24 hours

Top Reflux C5s Bottom T1512

90 1.5

C5s content (%Vol.)

89 1.3
Flow Rate (m3/h)

88
1.1
Maximum acceptable
87
86 0.9
85 0.7
84
83 0.5
82 0.3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

Tower Pressure Drop Reboiler Duty

Reboiler Duty (MMKcal/h)

400 6.8
Pressure Drop (mBar)

350 6.7

300 6.6

250 6.5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

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Test #1: 16Jan, 0 am 11 pm, 24 hours

Bottom Top Feed Top Pilot Tray #5

190 60
180

Temperature (°C)
170
Flow Rate (m3/h)

160
150 59
140
130
120 58
110
100
90
80 57
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Time (hours) Time (Hours)

Top Receiver Level Btm Tower Level Bottom Pilot Tray #29

60 123

Temperature (°C)
55
Percent (%)

122
50
121
45

40 120
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

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Test #1: 16Jan, 0 am 11 pm, 24 hours

xx P (Barg)
T-1506 T-1512 TC354 31.8 16.1 PI396
xx T (°C) EA1501
7.2 PI47 D1536
EA1526 TI353 42.4
xx F (m3/h) 48.6 FC175
TI400 D1508
FC-05 PI337 16.8 121.4
PI161 7.7 86 28.6 FC182

TI-25 TC352 67 P1543 34.9

TI63 58.4 P1517 TI363
FC-04 P1542 C5 %M To Amine
28 TI348 66.4
TC302 0.3 Absorber
180.9 85.7 E1521AB
E1508

PI302 18
94.3 9.5
TI13 TI131 PI348 TC-349
TC512 TI362
TC303 121.1 FC174
117 212 39.5 E1523 111
E1530 5.33
6.48 HCO HCN
EA1528 EA1502
FC152
RVP KPa
C5s %M
77 8 220 17.2
100.4 139.5 240 0.70 50.6 100.9 358 134.9
C4s %V. 0.52
3.9 FC-81 TI-19 PI162 TI513 FC23 FC205 TI350 PI336 FC181 TI364

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Test #1: 16Jan, 0 am 11 pm: measured plant data

Feed LCN C4s+ C3s-
m3/h 180.9 100.4 50.6 34.9
Out - In 185.9 - 180.9
Material Balance: = = 2.69 %
Out 185.9
Top Reflux: 86 m3/h
Reboiler Duty: 6.64 MMKcal/h

Simulation results of Test #1, Feed = 185.9 m3/h

Tray Efficiency (%): 93.3 100 93.9
Top Reflux (m3/h): 86.1 85.3 86
Reboiler Duty (MMKcal/h): 7.01 6.96 7.00

Sim. - Plant 7.00 – 6.64

Reb. Duty deviation: = = 5.14 %
Sim. 7.00

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Test #2: 17Jan, 2-9 pm, Maximum Useful Capacity at 7.15 pm

Top Reflux C5s Bottom T1512

MUC
106 1.5

C5s content (%Vol.)

105 1.3
Flow Rate (m3/h)

104
1.1 Maximum acceptable
103
0.9
102
0.7
101
100 0.5
99 0.3
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

Tower Pressure Drop Reboiler Duty

Reboiler Duty (MMKcal/h)

500 7.6
MUC
Pressure Drop (mBar)

450 7.5

400 7.4

350 7.3
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

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Test #2: 17Jan, 2-9 pm, Maximum Useful Capacity at 7.15 pm

Bottom Top Feed Top Pilot Tray #5

190 61 MUC
180

Temperature (°C)
170
Flow Rate (m3/h)

160
150 60
140
130
120 59
110
100
90
80 58
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Time (hours) Time (Hours)

Top Receiver Level Btm Tower Level Bottom Pilot Tray #29

60 129

Temperature (°C)
55
Percent (%)

128
50
127
45

40 126
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

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Test #2: 2-9 pm, 17Jan; Maximum Useful Capacity at 7.15 pm

xx P (Barg)
T-1506 T-1512 TC354 30.3 16 PI396
xx T (°C)
EA1501
6.95 PI47 D1536
xx F (m3/h) EA1526 TI353 42.3
48.8 FC175
TI400 D1508
FC-05 PI337 16.8 109.8
PI161 7.52 105.2 28.7 FC182

TI-25 TC352 66.8 P1543 34.7

TI63 59.9 P1517 TI363
FC-04 P1542 C5 %M To Amine
28.5 TI348 67.9
TC302 NA Absorber
180.7 85.6 E1521AB
E1508

PI302 NA
94.1 NA
TI13 TI131 PI348 TC-349
TC512 TI362
TC303 128.1 FC174
119.4 212 41 E1523 111.4
E1530 5.02
8.29 HCO HCN
EA1528 EA1502
FC152
RVP KPa
C5s %M
NA 17.1
95.4 144.1 7.98 240 220.4 NA 56.8 101.4 358 134.1
C4s %V. 1.47
NA FC-81 TI-19 PI162 TI513 FC23 FC205 TI350 PI336 FC181 TI364

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Test #2: 17Jan, 2-9 pm, MUC at 7.15 pm: measured plant data
Feed LCN C4s+ C3s-
m3/h 180.7 95.4 56.8 34.7
Out - In 186.9 - 180.7
Material Balance: = = 3.32 %
Out 186.9
Top Reflux: 105.2 m3/h
Reboiler Duty: 7.52 MMKcal/h

Simulation results of Test #2, Feed = 186.9 m3/h

Tray Efficiency (%): 66.7 73 69.4

Top Reflux (m3/h): 108.2 101.3 105.2
Reboiler Duty (MMKcal/h): 8.35 8.02 8.21

Sim. - Plant 8.21 – 7.52

Reb. Duty deviation: = = 8.40 %
Sim. 8.21

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Test #3: 10 pm 17Jan / 09 am 18Jan, 12 hours

Top Reflux C5s Bottom T1512

106 1.5

C5s content (%Vol.)

105 1.3
Flow Rate (m3/h)

104
1.1
Maximum acceptable
103
0.9
102
0.7
101
100 0.5
99 0.3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

Tower Pressure Drop Reboiler Duty

Reboiler Duty (MMKcal/h)

500 7.6
Pressure Drop (mBar)

450 7.5

400 7.4

350 7.3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

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Test #3: 10 pm 17Jan / 09 am 18Jan, 12 hours

Bottom Top Feed Top Pilot Tray #5

190 61
180
170

Temperature (°C)
Flow Rate (m3/h)

160
150 60
140
130
120 59
110
100
90
80 58
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Time (hours) Time (Hours)

Top Receiver Level Btm Tower Level Bottom Pilot Tray #29

60 129

Temperature (°C)
55
Percent (%)

128
50
127
45

40 126
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Time (Hours) Time (Hours)

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Test #3: 10 pm 17Jan / 09 am 18Jan, 12 hours

xx P (Barg)
T-1506 T-1512 TC354 30 16 PI396
xx T (°C) EA1501
7.1 PI47 D1536
EA1526 TI353 42.3
xx F (m3/h) 49.2 FC175
TI400 D1508
FC-05 PI337 16.7 108.6
PI161 7.6 100 28.8 FC182

TI-25 TC352 66.1 P1543 33.8

TI63 59.4 P1517 TI363
FC-04 P1542 C5 %M To Amine
27.9 TI348 66.9
TC302 0.1 Absorber
176.2 85.9 E1521AB
E1508

PI302 18
94.2 9.2
TI13 TI131 PI348 TC-349
TC512 TI362
TC303 128 FC174
120.1 212 40 E1523 111.4
E1530 4.92
8.05 HCO HCN
EA1528 EA1502
FC152
RVP KPa
66 220 C5s %M 17.1
95.4 144.4 8 239.4 52.2 101.1 358 133.5
0.4
C4s %V.
0.41
0.7 FC-81 TI-19 PI162 TI513 FC23 FC205 TI350 PI336 FC181 TI364

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Test #3: 10 pm 17Jan / 09 am 18Jan: measured plant data

Feed LCN C4s+ C3s-
m3/h 176.2 95.4 52.2 33.8
Out - In 181.4 - 176.2
Material Balance: = = 2.87 %
Out 181.4
Top Reflux: 100 m3/h
Reboiler Duty: 7.38 MMKcal/h

Simulation results of Test #3, Feed = 181.4 m3/h

Tray Efficiency (%): 80 86.7

Top Reflux (m3/h): 105.5 100
Reboiler Duty (MMKcal/h): 8.09 7.82

Sim. - Plant 7.82 – 7.38

Reb. Duty deviation: = = 5.96 %
Sim. 7.82

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Conclusions
1) The Unit was re-started 8 months ago.
2) The Column has a proven capacity higher than revamp
design for the normal case: 185 VS 175 m3/h, with lower
C5s content in the top and lower RVP in the LCN as well.
3) The overall tray efficiency (HiFi PlusTM & ConSepTM ) has
exceeded any optimistic expectation: > 86%.
4) The column can operate steadily even at an average tray
pressure drop of 14 mBar.
5) The Maximum Useful Capacity has been detected at an
average tray pressure drop of 15.6 mBar, at which the trays
can still provide an efficiency of 69%.

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De-C4 in the FCC Gas Plant

PreemRaff, Lysekil, Sweden

Thank You

De-C4 Revamp / Gas Plant FCC / PreemRaff / AIChE April 2007 35