New Technology

[owg]

What new technology has been developed and applied over the last 20 years or so in the petroleum refining business? HAZOP at

http://www.curryhydrocarbons.ca

 

[kbander]

I'll toss one in...

How about catalytic distillation (for MTBE production, selective hydrogenation, etc)?

I'm sure there's many more.


Regards,

Bob

 

[owg]

Here are a few ideas on the subject. Additions and deletions welcome.

1. Safety Integrated Systems (SIS, SIL), instrumentation with known reliability
2. Mag Gauges instead of Gauge Glasses
3. Mag drive seal-less pump/motors
4. Very low sulfur processes for diesel
5. Very low sulfur processes for gasoline (Catalytic Distillation per CD-Tech)
6. Partial combustion of heavy oil, coke, coal, for hydrogen and power
7. Reliable trip systems to limit relief quantities to flare
8. Flue gas scrubbing for dust and sulfur dioxide
9. Low NOX burners
10. Gas Seals for centrifugal compressors
11. Settling-out Pressure for increased throughput on hydrotreating units. (API RP 521, Appendix B)
12. Various on-line analyzers
13. Improved continuous product blending including most products
14. Improved sulfur plant tail gas treating un
HAZOP at

http://www.curryhydrocarbons.ca

 

[25362]

Here are some more on the VGO section:

Wax isomerization to high VI lubes
Synthetic PAO lubes
Membranes in solvent dewaxing to separate solvent from filtrates.
Millisecond reaction in FCC


I'm sure there are many more...

 

[owg]

Thanks, I'll add them to my list. HAZOP at

http://www.curryhydrocarbons.ca

 

[kbander]

I believe that LCFining fits in your 20 year window...

Other processes are:

Unicracker, Oleflex, Isosieve, Molex, Penex, TIP/Safecat (Total Isomerization Process - C5 Isom), BenSat, Solid bed alkylation, Ethermax.....


Regards,

Bob

 

[owg]

Thanks kbander, with the first LCFiner installed around 1985, it fits my criteria. I am also looking for new technology that fits in an existing unit. How would a 2003 Crude/Vac Unit differ from a 1978 unit, the little things as well as the big things, specially things that could be retrofitted. HAZOP at

http://www.curryhydrocarbons.ca

 

[kbander]

No problem,

By the way...say hello to Frank C. for me.


Regards,

Bob Anderson

 

[25362]

owg: I believe the extensive use of structured packing is one of the outstanding retrofitting changes in vacuum towers on crude units in the last 25 years.

 

[owg]

Thanks, that is a good example. I have passed it on to a student who is designing and costing a vac tower to re-refine auto lube oil. HAZOP at

http://www.curryhydrocarbons.ca

 

[25362]

owg structured as well as any other packing are not meant to be used for dirty or fouling services. For the purpose of re-refining used crankcase lubricants, wiped-film vacuum evaporators may be better suited.

 

[owg]

If you are hydrocracking to make lubes, then you could use cracker feed value as feed cost. There is a value called "cracking spread" you can track on Google. That shows how much can be made cracking cat feed. That might provide a comparative basis for how much can be made making lubes. HAZOP at

http://www.curryhydrocarbons.ca

 

[jmw]

You open the door for me to profer our own work on real time online process viscosity measurement for everything from ethylene crackers quench oil control, to asphalt blending... fuel and crude oil blending, PIB , interface detection, snot addittion, meter correction and so on. A change from lab measurement or the process capillary!