Hydrocracked Effluent Recovery Without Stripper Column
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrocracking processes for distillate streams require external utilities for reboiling fractionator bottoms, which reduces energy efficiency and increases costs, especially when producing lighter fuel products like naphtha and LPG.
Innovation Solution
A process that eliminates the need for a stripper column and reduces reliance on external utilities by using only two heaters for reboiling fractionator bottoms, achieving efficient separation and fractionation of hydrocracked distillate streams into LPG, naphtha, and kerosene or diesel products without a stripper column.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a stripper column is used to remove hydrogen sulfide and light gases, then purification is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the stripper column from the hydrocracking process flow, extracting this separation function from the main process. Instead of using a dedicated stripper column to remove hydrogen sulfide and light gases, the invention integrates this function into the existing fractionation columns, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining purification effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the stripping function with the fractionation function by using the same fractionation columns to perform both separation by volatility and removal of acidic gases. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate stripper column equipment and reduces overall system complexity.
2Power
If external utilities are used for reboiling fractionator bottoms, then heating capability is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service heating where the fractionation columns use their own internal heat transfer mechanisms and the process stream itself to provide the necessary heating for reboiling, rather than relying on external utility heaters. This reduces energy loss to external utilities and improves overall energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heating approach by modifying operational parameters such as temperature profiles and heat integration points within the fractionation system, allowing the process to self-regulate heating requirements through internal heat exchange rather than external utility input.
3Power
If multiple heaters are used for reboiling, then heating capability is improved, but device complexity and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for multiple external heaters by integrating heating functions into the fractionation column design itself, reducing the number of separate heating devices from multiple heaters to a more integrated system with fewer components.
Solution Approach 2:
The fractionation columns are designed to perform multiple functions including separation, condensation, and self-heating, making them universal components that replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized devices, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
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 enhances energy efficiency and reduces operational costs by minimizing the use of external utilities, while maintaining effective separation and production of valuable fuel products from hydrocracked distillate streams.
Implementation Method 1
fractionating a liquid hydrocracked stream in a first fractionation column to provide a first overhead stream comprising LPG and a first bottoms stream; and fractionating the first bottoms stream in a second fractionation column
Implementation Method 2
heat exchanging a boilup stream with the liquid hydrocracked stream
Implementation Method 3
hydrocarbons crack in the presence of hydrogen and hydrocracking catalyst to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons
Data Source
AI summary
We have discovered a process for hydrocracking a distillate stream and separating it into several product cuts including LPG, light naphtha, heavy naphtha and distillate without a stripper column. Additionally, no more than two heaters relying on external utilities are required for reboiling fractionator bottoms.