Hydrocarbon Stripping Using Hydrogen Unit Feedstock Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hydrocarbon separation processes require high energy and capital costs due to the use of stripping gases like steam and hydrogen, which are energy-intensive and decrease profitability.
Innovation Solution
Integrate a hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock to separate wide-boiling hydrocarbon mixtures into a bottoms stream and an overheads stream, utilizing natural gas as a stripping medium to reduce energy consumption and equipment needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional stripping gases (steam or hydrogen) are used to separate hydrocarbon fractions, then separation effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption and capital cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock serves dual purposes: it acts as both the stripping medium for separating hydrocarbon fractions and as feedstock for hydrogen production. This eliminates the need for separate stripping gas systems while reducing energy consumption and capital costs associated with traditional steam or hydrogen stripping processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own feedstock (hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock) as the stripping medium, creating a self-sufficient process where the feedstock serves multiple functions within the same system, thereby reducing external resource requirements and energy input.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional stripping gases are used for hydrocarbon separation, then lighter molecules can be effectively separated from heavier molecules, but capital cost and equipment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock performs multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as the stripping medium for fractionation and as feedstock for hydrogen production. This integration eliminates the need for separate stripping gas generation and handling equipment, reducing capital costs and simplifying the overall process configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the stripping function with the hydrogen production function by using the same feedstock for both purposes. This consolidation of functions reduces the number of separate units and equipment needed, thereby lowering capital investment requirements.
3Manufacturing precision
If steam stripping is used to reduce partial pressure of lighter molecules, then separation is achieved, but energy intensity increases and profitability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses its own feedstock as the stripping medium, creating a self-sufficient process that eliminates the need for external steam generation. This self-service approach reduces energy intensity by utilizing the thermal and chemical properties of the feedstock itself rather than requiring additional energy input for steam production.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the stripping medium from steam to hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock, altering the physical and chemical parameters of the stripping process. This parameter change enables lower energy intensity operation while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces energy intensity and capital costs while enhancing separation efficiencies, allowing for internal hydrogen generation and efficient conversion of hydrocarbons to olefins.
Implementation Method 1
A wide boiling range hydrocarbon mixture is stripped with the heated hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock to produce an overheads stream including a mixture of the hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock, volatilized hydrocarbons
Implementation Method 2
A wide boiling range hydrocarbon mixture is stripped with the heated hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock to produce an overheads stream including a mixture of the hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock, volatilized hydrocarbons
Implementation Method 3
The overheads stream is separated to recover a non-condensed stream including the hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock and a condensed stream including the volatilized hydrocarbons
Data Source
AI summary
A process including heating a hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock producing a heated hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock. The process includes stripping a wide boiling range hydrocarbon mixture with heated hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock producing an overheads stream, separating the overheads stream to recover a non-condensed stream, and feeding the non-condensed stream to a hydrogen manufacturing unit. A process including feeding a hydrocarbon manufacturing unit feedstock to a stripping unit, recovering an overhead stream, feeding the overhead stream to a separation unit separating the hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock from light boiling hydrocarbons, feeding a portion of the separated hydrogen manufacturing unit feedstock stream to a hydrogen manufacturing unit producing a hydrogen stream, feeding a first portion of the hydrogen stream and the bottoms stream to a first hydroprocessing unit, and feeding a second portion of the hydrogen stream, the first effluent, and the recovered medium boiling hydrocarbons to a second hydroprocessing unit.