Single Vacuum Fractionation Column for Hydroprocessed Stream Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydroprocessing, particularly hydrocracking, is energy-intensive due to high temperature and pressure conditions, leading to inefficiencies in recovering fuel products from hydroprocessed effluents, necessitating improved methods for energy efficiency in refiners.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves omitting the atmospheric fractionation column and using a single vacuum product fractionation column to process hot stripped hydroprocessed streams, with a multi-stripper configuration to separate and fractionate hydroprocessing effluents efficiently, reducing energy consumption and capital costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional hydroprocessing unit with atmospheric fractionation column is used, then product separation is achieved, but energy consumption and capital costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the atmospheric fractionation column and vacuum product fractionation column into a single integrated fractionation column. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate atmospheric fractionation equipment, thereby reducing capital costs and energy consumption while maintaining effective product separation through optimized internal structures and operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The single fractionation column is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the atmospheric fractionation column and the vacuum product fractionation column. This multi-functional design allows the column to handle different separation tasks under varying operating conditions, reducing the overall number of equipment items and associated energy requirements.
2Productivity
If multiple stripper columns are used to separate hydroprocessing effluents, then separation efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hydroprocessing effluent into different temperature streams (cold, warm, hot) and directs them to appropriate stripper columns for selective stripping. This segmentation allows each stripper column to operate under optimized conditions for its specific temperature range, improving overall separation efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity through functional specialization.
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 significantly reduces heater duty and capital costs by optimizing energy use and separation efficiency in hydroprocessing units, enhancing the recovery of fuel products while minimizing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
stripping a hydroprocessing effluent stream in a stripper column
Implementation Method 2
fractionating the hot stripped stream in vacuum product fractionation column
Implementation Method 3
heated in a fired heater to fractionation temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A hot stripped hydroprocessed stream from a stripper column may be sent directly to a vacuum fractionation column instead of being first processed in an atmospheric fractionation column. If a separate warm stripper column is used, both the warm stripped stream and a hot stripped stream may be fractionated in the same fractionation column, particularly a vacuum fractionation column.