Distillation

Driving innovation in the downstream: IRPC returns to New Delhi

Adrienne Blume, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Gulf Publishing Company and Hydrocarbon Processing are pleased to announce that IRPC 2017 will be held April 18–20 in New Delhi.

Editorial Comment: Corrosion prevention starts at fabrication

Andrew, Bob, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Preventing corrosion begins with the choice of materials and methods used to fabricate the equipment, piping, valves and instruments that will be exposed to varying process conditions and weather. At present, designers and fabricators can select from a multitude of modern materials and methods. Once in service, effective asset integrity programs will use smart condition monitoring and, where needed, a treatment regime to sustain the useful working life of all components. In the Special Focus section of this issue, we provide several articles that illustrate good practices in vessel fabrication, corrosivity analysis and corrosion prevention treatment.

New method to measure TAN of crude oil and refinery distillation fractions

Many refiners look at discounted opportunity crudes as a way to improve their margin spread. The growing varieties of discounted opportunity crudes on the market contain certain risks for the purchaser, such as high naphthenic acid or sulfur content.

Performance testing: The key to successful revamps

Lieberman, N., Process Improvement Engineering

Process unit revamps often do not result in a refiner achieving its desired objectives. This is typically not the result of mechanical defects with process equipment.

Neste Jacobs’ NAPCON selected for Borealis PE2 plant's distillation section

Technology, engineering and project management company Neste Jacobs was selected to optimize the recovery area of Borealis Borstar PE2 plant in Porvoo, Finland with Neste Jacobs' NAPCON Controller solution. The aim of optimization is to reduce energy consumption and production loss and enhance the plant operability.

Neste implements NAPCON controller to Forchem Oy distillation plant

Neste Jacobs has implemented NAPCON Controller to Forchem Oy's tall oil distillation plant. Forchem Oy owns and operates a world scale tall oil distillation plant in the city of Rauma on the West Coast of Finland.

The effect of various parameters on tray point efficiency

Kasiri, N., Jouybanpour, P., Iran University of Science and Technology; Reza Ehsani, M., Isfahan University of Technology

Distillation as a volatilities-based process is used to separate components of a mixture to a liquid phase richer in less volatile components, and a vapor phase richer in more volatile components.

Qatar's Ras Laffan 2 condensate splitter to launch in October

Qatargas will start operations at its new Ras Laffan 2 condensate splitter by the end of October, doubling the Gulf state's capacity to process condensate.

Optimize a CDU using process simulation and statistical modeling methods

Bird, J., Seillier, D., Piazza, E., Valero Energy Corp.

A methodology was implemented to optimize the operation of a refinery crude distillation unit (CDU) using a combination of process simulation and statistical modeling methods.

Business Trends: Global refining overview—Part 2

Nichols, Lee, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Hydrocarbon Processing continues its series on the global refining industry.