Revamp of heat-integrated crude oil distillation systems for energy reduction and new product demands

An optimization-based design methodology for the retrofit design and analysis of heat-integrated crude oil distillation systems was proposed. The approach considers the distillation column and preheat train in a single framework and aims to improve the overall performance of the system. In the approach, distillation units were simulated using simplified models that allow the specification of the products, and the heat exchanger network was studied in terms of its detailed structure. The hydraulic constraints of the existing distillation column design were accounted for, and the existing numbers of stages in each section were considered. Simulated annealing was employed as the optimization algorithm because of its ability to optimize both structural and operational process variables. Case studies addressing the reduction of energy consumption in an existing heat-integrated atmospheric distillation column, and for improving profit by adjusting product yields according to market value were presented. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AIChE Spring National Meeting (New Orleans, LA 4/6-10/2008).