Integrated LPG Recovery via Shared Debutanizer Column
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processes for recovering liquid petroleum gas (LPG) from refinery gas streams are inefficient, leading to significant losses due to complex and costly separation and purification steps, which increase capital and operational expenditures, and do not effectively recover LPG boiling range hydrocarbons from stripper off gases.
Innovation Solution
An integrated process that combines hydrocracking, isomerization, and transalkylation zones with the reforming zone through a debutanizer column, using a single compressor system to maximize LPG recovery by passing streams from these zones to the reforming zone, eliminating the need for separate debutanizer columns and reducing equipment requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate debutanizer columns and compressors are installed for each process zone (hydrocracking, isomerization, transalkylation) to recover LPG, then LPG recovery efficiency is improved, but capital expenditure and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the debutanizer columns and compressor systems from multiple independent process zones (hydrocracking, isomerization, transalkylation) into a single shared debutanizer column and compressor system. This consolidation allows LPG recovery functionality to be shared across all zones, reducing the total number of equipment units while maintaining recovery efficiency through centralized processing of C6- hydrocarbon streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared debutanizer column and compressor system performs multiple functions across different process zones simultaneously. The debutanizer column handles separation tasks for hydrocarbons from hydrocracking, isomerization, and transalkylation zones, while the compressor system provides compression services to multiple zones, making the equipment universal and multi-functional rather than dedicated to a single process.
2Productivity
If rigorous separation and purification steps are implemented to recover LPG from refinery gas streams, then LPG recovery is improved, but operational expenditure and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by integrating the debutanizer column and compressor system into the process flow before streams are routed to fuel gas systems or further processing. By performing LPG recovery operations upstream in the process flow, the system captures LPG boiling range hydrocarbons before they are lost or require additional purification steps, reducing both processing time and operational expenditures.
3Quantity of substance
If streams from hydrocracking, isomerization, and transalkylation zones are processed through separate recovery systems, then LPG recovery completeness is improved, but capital expenditure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the recovery systems for hydrocracking, isomerization, and transalkylation zones into a single integrated debutanizer column and compressor system. This merging allows all C6- hydrocarbon streams from the three zones to be processed through shared equipment, maintaining complete LPG recovery from each zone while eliminating the need for multiple separate recovery systems.
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 LPG recovery by integrating streams across zones, reducing capital and operational expenditures, and efficiently recovering LPG from hydrocracked, isomerized, and transalkylated C6− hydrocarbons, thereby maximizing overall LPG recovery while minimizing equipment needs.
Implementation Method 1
passing at least a portion of the reformate effluent stream and at least one stream comprising C6− hydrocarbons from one or more of a hydrocracking zone, an isomerization zone, and a transalkylation zone to a debutanizer column of the reforming zone to provide a fraction comprising liquid petroleum gas (LPG)
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated process for maximizing recovery of LPG is provided. The process comprises providing a hydrocarbonaceous feed comprising naphtha, and a hydrogen stream to a reforming zone. The hydrocarbonaceous feed is reformed in the reforming zone in the presence of the hydrogen stream and a reforming catalyst to provide a reformate effluent stream. At least a portion of the reformate effluent stream and at least one stream comprising C6− hydrocarbons from one or more of a hydrocracking zone, an isomerization zone, and a transalkylation zone is passed to a debutanizer column of the reforming zone to provide a fraction comprising liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and a debutanizer column bottoms stream.