(194a) Distillation Column Fundamentals in Olefins Plants

Ethylene and Propylene are generally produced by cracking various hydrocarbons. The cracked gas is processed in the hot and cold sections of an olefins plant where it goes through a series of process equipment before getting converted into polymer grade ethylene/propylene. The distillation and absorption columns play a very important role to recover and purify the key components from the cracked gas. Each column in this process has a specific purpose and some of them must tackle severe fouling/foaming conditions. The columns operate from atmospheric to high pressure depending on the process requirements. The design of the column internals is an interesting challenge. The main purpose of this presentation is to discuss the design requirements for the key columns in an olefins plant. In addition, there will also be discussions about the various types of column internals and the methodology used to select the most optimum one. The discussion will include the revamp potential when the plant needs to increase capacity.