Full Conversion Refinery Operations Handbook (ROHB) for Operators -- Chapter 3 Saturated Hydrocarbon Refining (excerpt) G01 Crude

de Distillation Unit Part 1 Atmospheric Side

ROHB-14 Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) – Part 1 Atmospheric Side

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 Full Conversion Refinery Operations Handbook (ROHB) for Operators -- Chapter 3 Saturated Hydrocarbon Refining (excerpt) G01 Crude Distillation Unit Part 1 Atmospheric Side

Purpose Rag Layer (Emulsion). Oil from tankage contains small amounts of water and impurities. As the oil-
water mixture flows through pumps and exchangers, emulsion masses are created and form into a rag
To remove impurities that include water, salt, and soluble contaminants from the crude oil layer between the crude oil and brine in the Desalter. The thickness of the rag layer is managed with
feed and then fractionate the crude oil in Atmospheric Crude Tower. Vacuum Tower upstream demulsifier chemicals injection adjustments.
Operation is addressed in a separate post.
Mud Wash. Solids (like dirt) separate from the crude and accumulate in the bottom of the desalter drum.
Feed Preparation – Functional Process Flow An automated mud wash system periodically starts a flow through the mud wash line into the bottom of
the Desalter. This stirs up the mud so that it can be drawn out along with the normal brine (salt-bearing
Tank Farm. As illustrated in figure G01-1, the crude flows into crude feed tanks from water) flowing out the bottom of the Desalter.
pipeline or crude oil tankers at the docks. Tank farm personnel line up crude oil from
multiple tanks into the mixing manifold based on instructions from refinery coordination
group. The P-81 crude charge pump takes suction from the manifold and discharges it into
raw crude preheat exchanger train.

Raw Crude Preheat Exchangers. These recover heat from the pumparounds and product
streams of the Atmospheric Crude Tower and Vacuum Tower. The temperature at the
outlet of the last exchanger in the train is approximately 300 F; this is adequate to
facilitate the desalting process.

Demulsifier. Demulsifier chemicals are injected into the crude oil upstream of P-81. This
mixes thoroughly into the crude oil in the turbulent flow through the pump and preheat
exchangers.

Wash Water Injection. This is injected into the heated raw crude to dissolve salt crystals
and absorb water-soluble metal-bearing compounds. The wash water also absorbs
miniscule drops of water coming in with the crude that would otherwise not separate from
the crude. Removal of water and impurities minimizes corrosion; plugging and fouling of
crude unit equipment; and poisoning of catalysts in downstream units.

D-21 Desalter. The water and crude thoroughly mix as they pass through the differential
pressure (∆P) mixing valve. The mixture flows up into a distributor located below the oil-
water interface. The water and crude gravity separate with crude accumulating in the upper
region and water settling into the lower region of the drum. The operating pressure of the
Desalter is maintained at a sufficiently high level to prevent vaporization of light
hydrocarbons within the Desalter. Vaporization would result in a malfunction of the
electric grid.

Figure G01-1. Feed Preparation Functional Process Flow

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 Full Conversion Refinery Operations Handbook (ROHB) for Operators -- Chapter 3 Saturated Hydrocarbon Refining (excerpt) G01 Crude Distillation Unit Part 1 Atmospheric Side

Desalter – Principles of Operation T-1 Preflash Tower. The purpose of this tower is to reduce heating costs by diverting light hydrocarbon
content (C3-C12) in the desalted crude oil to the upper region of the atmospheric crude tower; this
Desalter Electrical Grid. As illustrated in figure G01-2, the electrical grids in the upper decreases the volume of oil flowing through the flashed crude preheat exchangers and crude heater.
region of the desalter improve the coalescence of small water droplets within the crude
beyond what is possible by gravity separation alone. The grids consist of wire meshes and T-1 is an absorber; it operates similar to a basic distillation tower in that it depends on the same vapor-
operate in pairs. An alternating electric voltage source is connected to each pair. This liquid interaction on multiple trays to separate light and heavy hydrocarbons.
establishes an alternating electric field between the meshes. Due to the salt content in the As illustrated in figure G01-3, Desalted crude oil flows from the top of the desalter through the pressure
water droplets a polarity develops that aligns them with the electric field. As the crude oil letdown valve and then into the bottom of T-1. A baffle directs the incoming crude oil downward. At the
rises through the grid, the electric field elongates the water droplets and orients them much lower pressure, components with boiling points temperatures below 300F (light ends and naphtha;
vertically, as the droplets come close to one another, the positive end of the droplets (C3-C12) vaporize. Almost all hydrocarbons with boiling points greater than 300F (C13+) remain in a
orients towards the negative end of other droplets. This establishes a strong attractive force liquid state and flow out the bottom. Small amounts of C13+ hydrocarbons are entrained within the rising
between the droplets that brings them together. The resulting larger droplets have vapor.
sufficient mass to gravity separate from the oil and join the water in the bottom of the
desalter. The tower employs distillate (C13-C20) as an absorbent; it enters the top of the tower and flows
downward over the trays; as the vapor rises through the perforations in the trays, vapor-liquid interaction
drives absorption of the entrained C13+ vapor content.

Figure G01-3. Desalter Electrical Grid Operation

Flashed Crude Preheat Exchangers. Flashed crude is pressured from the bottom of T-1 through these
exchangers. They transfer heat from the hottest of the distillation tower products and tower pumparound
streams to the flashed crude. The objective is to recover as much heat as possible to minimize fuel costs
in F-41 Crude Heater.

Figure G01-2. Desalter Electrical Grid Operation

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 Full Conversion Refinery Operations Handbook (ROHB) for Operators -- Chapter 3 Saturated Hydrocarbon Refining (excerpt) G01 Crude Distillation Unit Part 1 Atmospheric Side

Heater Functional Process Flow

This increases the temperature to facilitate adequate vaporization of desalted crude oil
while minimizing fuel costs and maintaining exhaust gas to the atmosphere within the
environmental specifications of the operating permit.

Heater Configuration. Figure G01-4 provides two illustrations of F-41 (Heavy Oil
Heater). The diagram on the left depicts functional flow. The diagram on the right is a
detailed illustration of the heater internal operation.

The heat is created by mixing the right amount of air with fuel gas to produce a mixture
that efficiently combusts to generate heat in the burners. The heater is segregated into two
sections; the dominant heat transfer mechanism is different in each section.

Convection Section. Heavy oil enters tubes at the top of the heater convection section;
these direct crude oil flow back and forth as it works its way down through the structure.
Heat transfer is by convection; heat transfer takes place as the hot flue gas passes over the
outside of the tubes.
Figure G01-4. F-41 Heavy Oil Heater Function Process Flow Diagram
Radiant Section. The crude oil flows out of the convection section through the crossover
piping and enters the radiant section in the bottom region of the furnace. Heat transfer is
by radiation; heat radiates from the flames to the tubes directly and from the hot heater Safety Factor--Heater Draft. Draft is the pressure at the top of the firebox; the draft measurement
wall refractory. instrument is located between the radiant and convection section of the heater. The objective is to maintain a
draft pressure slightly below atmospheric pressure; this is necessary to ensure a slight vacuum in the firebox
Air Preheat. The E-22 (Air Preheat Exchanger) transfers heat from the hot flue gas flowing for the following purposes:
out of the heater stack to the combustion air flowing into the burners. This decreases fuel • Prevents the outward flow of heat or flame from the firebox through any cracks or holes in the heater walls.
consumption in the burners. By preheating the combustion air from ambient temperature to
• Minimizes backpressure on the burners and thus prevents a fuel rich condition
over 600F, reduces the amount of fuel that would otherwise be needed to heat the
non-combustible components of the air (mostly nitrogen) up to the burner temperature.

Balanced Draft Operation. F-41 is a balanced draft heater. As illustrated in G01-4, F-41
incorporates K-42 (Forced Draft Fan), K-43 (Induced Draft Fan), and E-22 heat exchanger.
K-42 takes suction from the atmosphere and discharges the air through the tube side of
E-22 and into the burners. Air flow is controlled by adjusting louvers at the inlet of K-42
to provide target amount of excess O2 in the flue gas flow out of the stack. K‐43 takes
suction from the stack below the stack damper, discharges it through the shell side of E-22,
and back into the stack above the stack damper. Flue gas flow is controlled by adjusting
the louvers at the inlet of K-43 to maintain draft pressure less than atmospheric pressure.

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 Full Conversion Refinery Operations Handbook (ROHB) for Operators -- Chapter 3 Saturated Hydrocarbon Refining (excerpt) G01 Crude Distillation Unit Part 1 Atmospheric Side

Heater Principles of Operation Atmospheric Crude Tower – Principles

of Operation
Combustion. Feed to the burners consists primarily of methane and
ethane; this is true whether the source is fuel gas produced in the This tower separates the feed components into
refinery or natural gas from outside the refinery. Complete multiple intermediate products illustrated in the
combustion of methane is represented by the following equation: product fractionation curves of figure G01-6.

CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O Refer to ROHB-13 Atmospheric Fractionation

as it applies to T-2 Atmospheric Crude Tower
methane oxygen carbon water
for descriptions of:
dioxide
• Flash zone vaporization
• Tower tray operation above the flash zone
Excess oxygen is maintained to prevent incomplete combustion. As
illustrated by the equation below, a bi-product of incomplete • Pumparound operation
combustion is carbon monoxide (CO); this is an environmental • Reflux circulation
pollutant.
• Heat and material balance
2CH4 + 3O2  2CO + 4H2O • Product fractionation curves

methane oxygen carbon water

monoxide

Figure G01-5. Atmospheric Crude Tower

Figure G01-6. Atmospheric Crude Tower Product Fractionation Curves

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 Full Conversion Refinery Operations Handbook (ROHB) for Operators -- Chapter 3 Saturated Hydrocarbon Refining (excerpt) G01 Crude Distillation Unit Part 1 Atmospheric Side

Steam Stripping (excerpt from Chapter 2 CP6)

Purpose
To remove trace amounts of light materials from heavier hydrocarbons with steam as the stripping
medium. This process is employed when there are light hydrocarbons in the feed flowing into a
tower. In most cases, the stripped content in the overhead gas product is primarily noncondensable
hydrocarbons (C1 and C2) that were entrained in the feed. Even trace amounts of these light
noncondensable components in the bottom and sidedraw products can result in pressure upset
conditions in downstream processes and storage facilities.

Functional Process Flow

Sidestream Stripper Operation. Figure CP6-1 includes a stripper for the distillate sidestream
product. Stripping steam enters the bottom of the stripper to establish low partial pressure of the
light hydrocarbons in the vapor phase. This results in vaporization of the light hydrocarbon; and
then, the steam sweeps them up through the stripper and into the fractionator.

Steam stripping also improves recovery of lighter components on the lower side of cutpoints.

Bottom Stripping Operation. The same stripping process takes place in the bottom of the
Figure CP6-1. Simple Fractionator with a Single Sidestream Stripper
fractionator to eliminate noncondensables and recover distillate from the bottom residue.

Principles of Operation
Hydrocarbon Partial Pressure. Stripping steam vaporizes light hydrocarbons by lowering partial
pressure of those hydrocarbons in the vapor phase. The light hydrocarbons are those with boiling
point temperatures below the temperature of the hydrocarbon liquid flowing into the stripper or
bottom of a fractionator.

Definition. In a mixture of gases, each gas component has a partial pressure, this is the hypothetical
pressure that the gas would exert if it alone were in the same volume and same temperature. The Figure CP6-2. Steam Stripping in Sidestream Stripper and Fractionator Bottom
following simulation statement applies when steam is flowing into the bottom of a fractionator and
side stream stripper.
Refinery Applications
In G01 CDU T-2 Atmospheric Crude Tower; In G02 DCKU T-1 Coker Main Column
 stripping steam  percentage of light hydrocarbons in the vapor flowing through the tower 
 partial pressure of light hydrocarbons in the vapor   vaporization of light hydrocarbons  In G03 HCU T-10 Fractionator; In G04 FCCU T-1 FCCU Main Column
 stripping efficiency 

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