Energy Recovery that Makes Sense

Heavy oil units – crude/vacuum, FCCU, coker, etc. – are some of the largest energy users in any refinery. As such, projects to improve energy recovery (energy efficiency) in these units can yield significant benefits. Practical energy efficiency improvements start at the unit level and can often be broken into staged investments. Opportunities are found by quantifying heat losses to air and water, then a staged strategy is developed to capture that energy.

Our revamps and new designs always have an energy efficiency component. For example, in a crude unit revamp, a new crude furnace can often be avoided by capturing waste energy as crude preheat. Avoiding the addition of a larger or parallel crude furnace produces the lowest capital, most constructible revamp, and this option relies on our ability to identify and capture significant amounts of waste energy.

Process Consulting Services has been identifying energy opportunities and developing projects to capture them for over 25 years. Call us today to discuss options for your crude/vacuum, FCC, or delayed coking unit.

EXAMPLES OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Crude column pumparound heat to air or water coolers

  • Hot products leaving crude preheat exchangers

  • FCC main column pumparound heat to air or water coolers

  • Excess steam generation causing significant letdowns and venting

  • High fired heater stack temperature

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