Refinery Unit Reconfiguration for Renewable Feedstock Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing petroleum refinery units face technical challenges when processing renewable feedstocks due to high acidity, contamination levels, reactivity, and thermal instability, which require reconfiguration to efficiently convert biological oils and fats into hydrocarbon fuels.
Innovation Solution
The process involves reconfiguring existing refinery units with a two-stage system: a first reaction zone for deoxygenation and a second reaction zone for isomerization, including a guard bed to remove contaminants, a stripping zone to remove gases, and a scrubbing zone to manage carbon dioxide, with specific pressure ranges and metallurgy upgrades to handle the unique properties of renewable feedstocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If existing petroleum refinery units are used to process renewable feedstocks, then capital costs are minimized, but the units cannot handle the high acidity, contamination, reactivity, and thermal instability of renewable feedstocks
Solution Approach 1:
The processing system is divided into two distinct reaction zones: a first reaction zone for deoxygenation and a second reaction zone for isomerization. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for specific feedstock properties and processing requirements, enabling the use of existing equipment while protecting it from the full harshness of renewable feedstock processing.
Solution Approach 2:
A guard bed is introduced as an intermediary component between the renewable feedstock and the existing refinery equipment. The guard bed removes contaminants and protects downstream equipment from degradation, allowing existing units to process renewable feedstocks without suffering from their high acidity, contamination, and reactivity.
2Productivity
If renewable feedstocks are processed directly in existing units, then processing capability is maintained, but the high acidity and contamination levels damage equipment and reduce productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The guard bed performs preliminary cleaning of the renewable feedstock by removing contaminants, metals, and excess acidity before the feedstock enters the main reaction zones. This preliminary action protects the existing refinery equipment from damage while maintaining full processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard bed acts as a sacrificial, replaceable component that absorbs the harmful effects of renewable feedstock contaminants and acidity. By using a relatively simple, replaceable guard bed, the more expensive and complex existing refinery equipment is protected from degradation.
3Manufacturing precision
If a two-stage processing system is implemented for deoxygenation and isomerization, then fuel quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The existing refinery units are repurposed to perform multiple functions: the first reaction zone handles deoxygenation and the second reaction zone handles isomerization. This multi-functionality approach allows a two-stage processing system to be implemented using existing equipment, reducing the need for entirely new specialized equipment while still achieving high fuel quality.
4Ease of manufacture
If existing units are reconfigured to handle renewable feedstocks, then capital costs are reduced, but the thermal instability and high reactivity of feedstocks require additional protective measures
Solution Approach 1:
The guard bed serves as a protective intermediary that handles the thermal instability and high reactivity of renewable feedstocks. By placing this relatively simple protective measure in series with the existing equipment, the complex interactions between renewable feedstocks and refinery equipment are managed without requiring complete system redesign.
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 configuration allows for the efficient conversion of renewable feedstocks into hydrocarbon fuels, overcoming the challenges of acidity, contamination, and thermal instability, enabling the production of high-quality diesel and jet fuels while minimizing capital costs and maintaining equipment integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a first reaction zone for deoxygenation
Implementation Method 2
a stripping zone configured to remove one or more of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3), water (H2O), carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2), from the treated effluent
Implementation Method 3
a scrubbing zone configured to remove carbon dioxide from the gaseous stream
Implementation Method 4
a second reaction zone for converting the treated effluent from first reaction zone
Data Source
AI summary
Processes for converting existing refinery units and equipment to enable processing of renewable triglyceride feedstock to provide hydrocarbon fuels. Originally, the existing refinery units may have bene configured as hydrotreating, hydrocracking, fixed bed reforming, or isomerization units for a petroleum based feedstock. Hydrogen from a second reaction zone may be provide to the first reaction zone, without or without the use of a compressor.