refinery consulting, engineering consulting firms, process control engineering Articles
56 Articles FoundCrude Unit Start-ups: The Results of a High Liquid Level
Pressure-measurement techniques can avoid the dangers of rapidly changing flow rates and levels during start-up. Also, column internals directly above and below flash zones need to be designed for higher uplift forces.
Process Equipment Specification and Selection
Process design as well as equipment specifications and selection can cause unintended problems following unit revamps. Identification of the true constraints may result in significant capital savings.
Centrifugal Compressor Operations
The wet gas compressor is used as an example in this article reviewing compressor performance, operating conditions and basic control philosophy - an aid to understanding the interactions influencing compressor performance and control.
Vacuum Ejector Performance Break
Understanding vacuum ejector performance is the key to maintaining reliability and distillate yields. A low VGO yield may result from a breaking ejector system, but bypassing a fouled inter-condenser can restore lost yield.
Maximise VGO Yield
Fundamental operating principles of vacuum ejectors are discussed, including incidents leading to sudden increases in ejector suction pressure, known as breakthrough. Proper ejector component selection and design can significantly prevent breakthrough and increase VGO yield, while reducing resid production.
Crude Unit Preflash Drums and Columns
Preflash drums and preflash columns have significant effect on crude charge hydraulics. The reason for using preflash equipment are discussed, including general design considerations and problems that are created if they are designed incorrectly.
Crude Column Revamp Using Radial Temperature Profiles
Designers need to be aware of all the factors influencing packed bed performance such as feed zone mixing problems. Accurate assessment of temperature variations above and below fractionation zones can pinpoint efficiency problems.
Managing Vanadium from High Metals Crude Oils
Process and equipment design improvements, particularly with regard to crude unit and delayed coker distillation column performance, can reduce metals content. Optimization of components, including vacuum column stripping section and coker main fractionator wash zones, should be considered.
Designing a Crude Unit Heat Exchanger Network
Preheat train design for heavy Canadian crudes can be very challenging, requiring an approach not normally required with other crudes.
Vacuum Unit Performance
Inaccurate feed characterisation and process modelling errors are major contributors to poor performance in a vacuum unit as refiners switch to heavier crude types.