(34e) Using Dividing Wall Columns for Gasoline RVP Control

By David Kockler, GTC Technology

Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) standards that were imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency during the 1990s restrict the RVP of gasoline in order to reduce VOC emissions. Petroleum refiners struggle to meet RVP limits required by current RFG standards, especially during the summer season when RVP limits are the most stringent. One major cause for this problem is that distillation columns that were designed prior to the implementation of RFG standards generally do not provide sharp separations between C4 intermediate products and C5+ gasoline blend stock. A revamp of existing distillation columns to Dividing Wall Columns (DWCs) can be a very useful tool to help refiners control gasoline RVP.

GTC has several DWC projects that will be cited as examples during the presentation.

dkockler@gtctech.com

GTC Technology
900 Threadneedle St., Suite 800

Houston, TX 77079

281-597-4800