Optimization of Refinery Distillation Column by Entering Light Product of Flash Drum to up Tray of Distillation Column

Document Type : Review

Author

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran

Abstract

One of the basic strategies in every industrial unit is to reduce energy consumption and enhance efficiency. In oil refineries, as energy producers, this is very important. One of the main  strategies to  reduce energy  consumption and increase distillation  column  efficiency, is to separate light substances from  crude oil and entering it  to  atmospheric  distillation tower  in  the area where the combination  of light  substances is similar to flow  combination  inside the column. This causes reducing  energy consumption in  furnaces  and pumps and also decreasing  the number of  trays and the size of  tower , which will  finally  lead to column  efficiency  enhancement . In this research, the possibility of light compounds separation and transferring them to upper part of atmospheric distillation column, via flash evaporation column is studied. This research has been performed with Hysys software and it has specified that with a few changes in operation conditions and distillation column, refineries’ energy could be saved. By this method refineries can lower their constant and current costs and increase the purity of distillation column products.

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