ERTC 2023
nologies in renewable hydrotreating appli- cations. This is achieved through higher yield, lower utility consumption, and utili- sation of gas and naphtha product streams for hydrogen generation. Your partner in sustainability At Sulzer, our objectives are to enable a low-carbon society and build a more sus- tainable future. With decarbonisation at our core, we provide technologies that optimise production capacity and reduce operating cost while minimising environ- mental impact. Our unique offerings are ideal for helping refiners reduce their car- bon footprint and achieve their decarboni- sation goals.
A portion of the reactor effluent is recycled to be premixed with the feed (see Figure 4 ), which provides both a diluent for carry- ing more hydrogen and a heat sink for con- trolling the reaction exotherm. The reactor design maximises volumetric flux, and the proprietary reactor internals ensure that the feed and hydrogen are completely mixed and evenly distributed for complete catalyst wetting. Additional advantages of BioFlux also include: ● Higher liquid yield by eliminating over- cracking to undesirable products ● Efficient hydrogen and thermal management ● Lower capital and operating expense by using liquid only instead of a gas recycle. BioFlux technology also has the lowest carbon intensity compared to other tech-
H
Pretreated feed
O - gas
H O
Contact : matthew.clingerman@sulzer.com
Figure 4 BioFlux renewable diesel process diagram
Predictive model for maximum feedstock flexibility
Marc verschoren Veolia
challenge of crude oil variability Current market conditions are driving refineries towards a permanent diversi- fication in crudes. Crude oil is a complex mixture containing many compounds with a variety of structures. Asphaltenes, high molecular weight cyclical polar compounds, are usu- ally not soluble in crude at a molecular level. They exist as micelles in solution. Resins, having a highly polar end with an alkane tail, are adsorbed onto the asphal- tene micelles, creating a stable colloidal solution. Changes in pressure, temperature, and composition may affect the asphal- tene-to-resin ratio of a crude blend, depleting the compounds that help keep asphaltenes dispersed. Precipitation of asphaltenes and high molecular weight aliphatics from these phenomena is com- monly referred to as ‘incompatibility’. It can increase the stability of emulsions at the desalter, as well as contribute to downstream fouling. What is CrudePLUS? The CrudePLUS Service is a refinery sus- tainable service to grow profitability, increase reliability, improve safety, and enhance environmental compliance. From the time crudes are purchased through their processing in a refinery, CrudePLUS provides actionable insights to improve successful crude processing. The CrudePLUS Service provides pro- cessing insights that traditional crude assays or typical traditional titrating sta- bility tests can not. It utilises the power of advanced in-the-field rapid-response ana- lytical testing via an Oil Fingerprinting & Solids Testing System coupled with propri- etary predictive modelling software (see Figure 1 ).
With CrudePLUS, Measure–Simulate–Predict–Manage
did you know? From the time crudes are purchased through their processing in a refinery, CrudePLUS provides actionable insights to improve successful crude processing
Measure
Chemical injection dosage range (stabiliser and antifoulant) Antifoulant chemistry type Root cause analysis Manage Blends using previous tests, blends or assays Constrained optimisation of simulated blends Simulate
Blends being processed Blends in tanks Individual components (crudes, slops, etc....)
Predict
Sensitivity to quality variations from ngerprint database statistics Forecast for one or several proposed blends (e.g. crude schedule) Improve performance models by including blend quality as inputs
Figure 1 Benefits of CrudePlus Service
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1 purchasing decision enhancement tool Rate and discriminate crudes based on complete Strategic CrudePLUS is used as a crude CrudePLUS assessment Power to drive discounts
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Proactive Use CrudePLUS as simulation tool Blending plan is simulated and optimised before scheduling Drive antifoulant and crude stabiliser injections
1 Reactive Use CrudePLUS as monitoring tool
quantifies fluid fouling potential and clas- sifies it Into one of five severity regions.
Value Generation While the paths, phases, and strategies to ultimately mitigate and capture maximum value from all identified opportunities will vary from refinery to refinery, there are three possible, not mutually exclusive sce- narios under which a refiner may decide to use CrudePLUS to maximise value genera- tion (see Figure 2 ). Working towards and attaining the point of maximum value requires the engage- ment and support from other refinery groups beyond operations and process engineering, such as economics planning and scheduling and crude purchasing.
Figure 2 Possible scenarios for using CrudePLUS to maximise value generation
key parameter that quantifies the potential capacity of a fluid to self-destabilise or to destabilise other fluids in a blend (incom- patibility) relative to a stable and propri- etary benchmark. It classifies the tested fluid into severity regions ● Crude Precipitant Index (CPI) : CPI pro- vides a measure of the relative potential precipitant amount upon destabilisation of asphaltenes and other related colloids in the fluid. CPI is a function of RIX and the level of available precipitants (asphaltenes and other colloids) ● Blending order : The order in which two or more fluids are blended has a direct impact on the actual degree of incompat- ibility and precipitant amount. ● Fouling Potential Index (FPX) : FPX
Within minutes, important information on crude and crude blends can be attained, providing operations with the feed-for- ward information necessary to reduce the risk of downstream upsets, to con- trol desalter interface build-up, mitigate the risk of desalter effluent contaminants impacting the wastewater plant, and mini- mise energy demand by reducing fouling of heat exchange equipment. The system accurately and reliably pre- dicts the instability/incompatibility and fouling potential of crude oils, slop oils, other refinery fluids and their blends. CrudePLUS Core Characteristics The major elements of CrudePLUS are: ● Relative Instability Index (RIX) : RIX is a
CrudePLUS is a trademark of Veolia and may be registered in one or more countries.
Contact: marc.verschoren@veolia.com
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