ROSE De-asphalting for Delayed Coker Feed Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to maintain the quality of Heavy Coker Gas Oil (HCGO) and Coker Fuel Oil (CFO) products without compromising their quality when there is a change in crude slate, as existing processes either require expensive revamps of the Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) or result in increased coke yield and deteriorated product quality.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of the Residuum Oil Supercritical Extraction (ROSE) process, which routes vacuum residue to a de-asphalting unit, allowing the existing DCU to operate within its design limits by separating asphaltene-rich phases and using lighter solvents to produce high-quality de-asphalted oil, thereby avoiding the need for revamps and improving product quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vacuum residue is directly fed to the Delayed Coker Unit, then the processing capacity is maintained, but the product quality deteriorates and coke yield increases when crude slate changes to heavier crudes
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum residue feed stream is divided into two separate streams: one going to the de-asphalting unit and another directly to the coker drum. This segmentation allows selective processing of different portions of the feed to optimize both product quality and processing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
A de-asphalting unit is introduced as an intermediary process between the vacuum residue and the coker drum. This intermediary unit removes asphaltenes and heavy contaminants before the feed enters the coker, thereby improving product quality while maintaining processing capacity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the Delayed Coker Unit is revamped to process heavier feedstock, then the ability to handle changed crude slate is improved, but the investment cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The de-asphalting unit serves multiple functions: it prepares feed for the coker drum, produces de-asphalted oil for other uses, and handles varying crude slates. This multi-functionality provides adaptability to changed crude slate without requiring repeated revamps of the coker unit itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The de-asphalting process is performed preliminarily before the coking operation. By removing asphaltenes and heavy contaminants in advance, the coker unit is protected from processing excessively heavy feedstock, eliminating the need for costly revamps when crude slate changes.
3Quantity of substance
If heavier solvents are used in de-asphalting to increase DAO yield, then the feedstock for secondary processes is improved, but the product quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The solvent selection and operating conditions in the de-asphalting unit are dynamically adjusted based on the desired balance between DAO yield and product quality. Different solvent ratios and conditions can be applied to optimize for either maximum yield or maximum quality depending on market requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The de-asphalting process parameters (solvent type, solvent-to-feed ratio, temperature, pressure) are changed to optimize the balance between DAO yield and quality. By adjusting these parameters, the process can produce high-quality de-asphalted oil when needed while maintaining acceptable yield levels.
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 maintains the feed within the existing DCU's design limits, reducing investment costs and avoiding revamps, while producing high-quality products that can substitute petcoke in boilers and the cement industry, thus enhancing economic benefits and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Solvent de-asphalting (SDA) is a process that separates heavy hydrocarbon oil into two phases, an asphalt phase, which contains substances of relatively low hydrogen to carbon ratio often called asphaltene type materials and a de-asphalted oil phase, which contains paraffinic type material substances of relatively high hydrogen to carbon ratio often called De-asphalted Oil (DAO)
Implementation Method 2
Delayed coking is a process used in petroleum refineries to crack petroleum residue, thus converting it into gaseous and liquid product streams and leaving behind solid, carbonaceous petroleum coke
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to debottleneck solution for delayed Coker unit. More particularly, this invention relates to bottoms of vacuum residuum routed to Coker unit through de-asphalting unit to avoid revamp of existing Coker for the processing of heavier feed stock when there is a change in crude slate. Another object of the invention, in particular, relates to improved delayed coking products, a process used in petroleum refineries to crack petroleum residue, thus converting it into gaseous and liquid product streams and leaving behind solid, carbonaceous petroleum coke.