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US 2020/0048563 A1Published application
Refinery pre-heat train systems and methods
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsMahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Zeeshan Farooq
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AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsMahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin, Zeeshan Farooq
Estimating the term…
A crude oil refinery pre-heat train (PHT) includes a crude oil stream pipeline system that extends through the PHT and is configured to carry a stream of crude oil from an inlet of the PHT to a furnace of the PHT; heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system; and a control system. The heat exchangers include a first set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system between the inlet of the PHT and one or more de-salters of the PHT; a second set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system between the one or more de-salters of the PHT and one or more pre-flash drums of the PHT; and a third set of heat exchangers positioned between the one or more pre-flash drums of the PHT and the furnace of the PHT.
1-20. (canceled)
A refining system, comprising:
A hydrocarbon refining method, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for: by treating with water
Distillation of hydrocarbon oils
Distillation of hydrocarbon oils: controlling or regulating
Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for: by heating, cooling, or pressure treatment
Term end not estimated
This specification relates to crude oil refinery pre-heat train (PHT) systems and methods.
Oil refineries are vital to the world economy and at the same time major consumers of energy. Petroleum refineries are under increased pressure to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide to comply with the upcoming more strict environmental regulations. Energy efficiency optimization is a fast track solution to greenhouse gas emissions reduction due to its impact on energy consumption at the source.
Heat exchangers play a major role in crude oil refineries in energy saving, in general. Distillation is the main consumer of energy in an oil refinery. Crude distillation is a primary processing operation in refineries throughout the world and requires heat, steam and cooling to operate. The crude distillation unit (CDU), which consists of both an atmospheric distillation unit and a vacuum distillation unit, is not the most energy-intensive unit in the oil refinery; however, in terms of energy usage per unit volume (that is, energy per barrel processed), every barrel of crude oil processed in the oil refinery passes through the CDU.
FIGS. 1A-1C are schematic illustrations of a crude oil stream flowing through one or more heat exchangers before prior to de-salting in a refinery pre-heat train (PHT).
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a crude oil stream flowing through one or more heat exchangers between de-salting and flashing in a refinery PHT.
FIGS. 3A-3B are schematic illustrations of a crude oil stream flowing through one or more heat exchangers between flashing and a furnace in a refinery PHT.
Abbreviations for the drawings and present disclosure include those in Table 1:
TABLE 1 Abbreviation Description CFR Cold front reflux TCR Top circulating reflux MCR Middle circulating reflux LCR Lower circulating reflux HVGO Heavy vacuum gas oil LVGO Light vacuum gas oil CDU Crude distillation unit HVU High vacuum unit ATM° COL Atmospheric column V(AC)° COL Vacuum column PHT Pre-heat train Kero Kerosene C Celsius MW Megawatt Q Thermal duty
This present disclosure describes energy efficient healthy aging design of crude oil refineries distillation unit PHT. Implementations described in the present disclosure relate to energy efficient configuration of integrated crude oil atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit PHT. Implementations described in the present disclosure relate to pre-heat sustainable designs from energy consumption efficiency and fossil fuel-based greenhouse gas emissions along the crude oil refinery lifetime; through, for example, a pre-heat train heat exchanger surface area adjustment. The described pre-heat topology design may be fixed and correct from the beginning of the oil refinery commissioning up to the refinery end-of-service.