Improving energy saving of crude oil distillation units with optimal operations

Yang, Kunru; Liu, Shirun; He, Chang; Zhang, Bingjian; Chen, Qinglin; Pan, Ming

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121340

Cited by 18 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The most commonly used diluents are hydrocarbon solvents such as naphtha, kerosene, light natural gas condensates, and light crude oils. ,− To achieve typical pipeline specifications of a density not to surpass 940 kg/m 3 and a viscosity not to surpass 350 cSt, ca. 25–50% (v/v) of light hydrocarbons are required. ,,− Distillation processes used to separate diluents at refineries based on differences in molecular weight and boiling point are exceedingly energy intensive. − Distillation, in general, consumes 1100 TWh per year, representing ca. 1% of global energy consumption .…”

Section: Membrane-assisted Removal Of Diluent During Oil Refinement I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1% of global energy consumption . Several novel technologies have been proposed to optimize the functioning of distillation units to reduce energy consumption without alterations in infrastructure leveraging advances in energy analysis, nonlinear programming, simulation tools, and mixed-integer nonlinear programming. ,,, These modeling techniques have enabled the parametric optimization for distillation units to achieve enhancements in energy efficiency and heat recovery.…”

Section: Membrane-assisted Removal Of Diluent During Oil Refinement I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…148 Several novel technologies have been proposed to optimize the functioning of distillation units to reduce energy consumption without alterations in infrastructure leveraging advances in energy analysis, nonlinear programming, simulation tools, and mixed-integer nonlinear programming. 155,156,158,159 These modeling techniques have enabled the parametric optimization for distillation units to achieve enhancements in energy efficiency and heat recovery. The availability of energy-efficient nonthermal methods such as membrane-based technologies to separate diluents from heavier bitumen fractions would transformatively alter the economics of solvent recovery with substantial implications for the viability of the SAGD oil recovery process.…”

Section: Membrane-assisted Removal Of Diluent During Oil Refinement I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Materials Science Perspective of Midstream Challenges in the Utilization of Heavy Crude Oil

et al. 2022

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An increasing global population and a sharply upward trajectory of per capita energy consumption continue to drive the demand for fossil fuels, which remain integral to energy grids and the global transportation infrastructure. The oil and gas industry is increasingly reliant on unconventional deposits such as heavy crude oil and bitumen for reasons of accessibility, scale, and geopolitics. Unconventional deposits such as the Canadian Oil Sands in Northern Alberta contain more than one-third of the world’s viscous oil reserves and are vital linchpins to meet the energy needs of rapidly industrializing populations. Heavy oil is typically recovered from subsurface deposits using thermal recovery approaches such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). In this perspective article, we discuss several aspects of materials science challenges in the utilization of heavy crude oil with an emphasis on the needs of the Canadian Oil Sands. In particular, we discuss surface modification and materials’ design approaches essential to operations under extreme environments of high temperatures and pressures and the presence of corrosive species. The demanding conditions for materials and surfaces are directly traceable to the high viscosity, low surface tension, and substantial sulfur content of heavy crude oil, which necessitates extensive energy-intensive thermal processes, warrants dilution/emulsification to ease the flow of rheologically challenging fluids, and engenders the need to protect corrodible components. Geopolitical reasons have further led to a considerable geographic separation between extraction sites and advanced refineries capable of processing heavy oils to a diverse slate of products, thus necessitating a massive midstream infrastructure for transportation of these rheologically challenging fluids. Innovations in fluid handling, bitumen processing, and midstream transportation are critical to the economic viability of heavy oil. Here, we discuss foundational principles, recent technological advancements, and unmet needs emphasizing candidate solutions for thermal insulation, membrane-assisted separations, corrosion protection, and midstream bitumen transportation. This perspective seeks to highlight illustrative materials’ technology developments spanning the range from nanocomposite coatings and cement sheaths for thermal insulation to the utilization of orthogonal wettability to engender separation of water–oil emulsions stabilized by endogenous surfactants extracted during SAGD, size-exclusion membranes for fractionation of bitumen, omniphobic coatings for drag reduction in pipelines and to ease oil handling in containers, solid prills obtained from partial bitumen solidification to enable solid-state transport with reduced risk of damage from spills, and nanocomposite coatings incorporating multiple modes of corrosion inhibition. Future outlooks for onsite partial upgradation are also described, which could potentially bypass the use of refineries for some fractions, enable access to a broader cross-se...

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Section: Membrane-assisted Removal Of Diluent During Oil Refinement I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Membrane-assisted Removal Of Diluent During Oil Refinement I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Membrane-assisted Removal Of Diluent During Oil Refinement I...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Materials Science Perspective of Midstream Challenges in the Utilization of Heavy Crude Oil

et al. 2022

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“…Yang et. al [15] have addressed a few references in literature discussing different methods of crude unit optimizations. Some of these references focus on heat exchanger network optimization using pinch technology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a New Method to Optimize Operations of an Existing Crude Unit

Gürün,

Bozdağ

2024

Kocaeli Journal of Science and Engineering

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A nonlinear optimization method working with the Simplex Method was developed to find optimum operating conditions of a crude oil distillation unit subject to defined process constraints, product specifications and prevailing market conditions. Then the method was applied to a commercial crude unit. This crude unit was modeled using Aspen Hysys V12.1 process simulation software. Two sets of market scenarios designated as maximum gasoline scenario and minimum gasoline scenario were applied to the simulation model. It was found that the model minimized naphtha production and maximized kerosene production for minimum gasoline scenario where the price of kerosene and diesel products were higher than naphtha product. Similarly, the model maximized the naphtha product yield for the maximum gasoline scenario where the naphtha price exceeds the mid distillate product price. The iterative procedure developed for the study monotonically converged to optimum operating conditions for both market scenarios within a reasonable number of iterations steps. It was observed that the optimization scheme developed in this study could generate significant profit increase in a conventional crude unit.

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“…A retrofit technique may include adjusting routing protocols and improving heat exchangers. Mathematical programming, even hybrid methods integrating two or more of the foregoing methodologies, are utilized for heat exchanger retrofitting [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation Multi‐Objective Particle Swarm Optimization of a Crude Oil Distillation Unit

2022

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The crude distillation unit (CDU) plays a significant role in the petroleum refinery. Decision variables of this unit have an effect on the final product quality, quantity, and energy consumption. The aim of this work is to increase the profit of the refinery proportionally with reducing emissions by getting high distillate products through selection of the optimal conditions. Two goal functions in three cases, namely, profit, CO2 emission, energy cost, and total distillate are considered. Therefore, the multi‐objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm is implemented by using MATLAB to optimize the CDU unit and then linked to an ASPEN HYSYS simulator. The effect of the temperature of preheated crude is demonstrated in the Pareto front. Also, the influence of the other variables, i.e., reflux ratio, atmospheric stripper steam, and amount of fuel burnt, is investigated.

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Improving energy saving of crude oil distillation units with optimal operations

Cited by 18 publications

References 23 publications

A Materials Science Perspective of Midstream Challenges in the Utilization of Heavy Crude Oil

A Materials Science Perspective of Midstream Challenges in the Utilization of Heavy Crude Oil

Development of a New Method to Optimize Operations of an Existing Crude Unit

Simulation Multi‐Objective Particle Swarm Optimization of a Crude Oil Distillation Unit

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