(141e) Atmospheric Distillation Process Design - Energy Recovery

Crude oil distillation is a major energy consumer in the refinery. Heat integration within the unit reduces net energy consumption. The major choices for heat integration include condenser heat integration with feed, pumparound heat integration, and pumpdown heat integration. Other, less common choices, include decoupled heat integration loops. This paper examines the benefits and disadvantages of pumparound heat integration versus pumpdown heat integration versus decoupled heat integration loops. This comparison has been chosen because these choices can be readily substituted for each other. The analysis includes heat recovery level versus total duty recovery; control difficulty; and tower versus heat exchanger investment. Overall, the analysis shows net advantages for pumparound heat integration and some situations where decoupled heat loops are attractive. Pumpdown heat loops, even though they have been used in some units, are shown to have few redeeming features and should be avoided.