Online Summer Internship Classes for "Petroleum

Refinery Engineering" organised by IIChE, Kolkata

Crude Distillation &

Desalting

By- D.Chakraborty
Chief General Manager, IOCL, Gujarat Refinery
 Broadly divided into 2 sections
1. Atmospheric distillation unit

2. Vacuum Distillations unit

• In some old refineries - separate units have been provided.

• In modern refineries both the units are combined in a single
unit. More energy efficient.
 ATMOSPHERIC
ATMOSPHERIC DISTILLATION
DISTILLATION UNIT
UNIT
Purpose: Distillation of Crude Oil to produce :
Product Name Cut Range Usage
Fuel Gas C1 - C2 Internal Fuel
LPG C3 - C4 Domestic Fuel
Hydrogen Feed C5 - 90 Feed for HGU
CRU Feed 90 - 120 Feed for CRU
Heavy Naphtha 120 - 140 Diesel Component
Kerosene 140 - 270 Domestic Fuel
ATF 140 - 240 Aviation Fuel
Light Gas Oil 240/270 - 320 Diesel Component
Heavy Gas Oil 320 - 370 Diesel Component
Reduced Crude Oil 370 - 560+ VDU Feed / IFO
 VACUUM
VACUUM DISTILLATION
DISTILLATION UNIT
UNIT
Purpose: Distillation of Reduced Crude Oil to produce :

Product Name Cut Range Usage

Deg C
Vacuum Diesel 370 + Diesel Component
Light VGO 370 - 425 HCU/FCC Feed
Heavy VGO 425 - 550 HCU/FCC Feed
Vacuum Slop 550 - 560 IFO Component
Vacuum Residue 560+ Bitumen Feed/ HPS / IFO
 CRUDE
CRUDE SPECIFICATION
SPECIFICATION
Crude oil varies widely in composition, the approximate
specification is given below :

SPECIFIC GRAVITY : 0.79 - 0.95

VISCOSITY : 3 - 24 Cst @ 36 DEG. C
POUR POINT : -30 to +30 DEG. C
RVP : 0.34 - 0.67 kg/cm2
SALT CONTENT : 165 ppm (max)
BS&W : 2% Vol.
SULPHUR : 0.17 - 2.35 % wt
WAX : 2.8 - 12 % wt
 Block Flow Diagram- AVU
Gas+LPG+Naphtha
HN

Kero/ATF

CDU
PREFLASH
LGO
HGO

Preheat Preheat Vac.Diesel

2 STG DESALTER
VGO

VDU
Preheat V.slop

VR
Crude
 Theory of desalting
• Crude oil contains many undesirable impurities. These impurities can
present many varied problems during the refining process.
• The purpose of desalting is to remove these undesirable impurities from the
crude oil stream prior to distillation.

The most common inorganic salts present in the crude oil are :
• Sodium Chloride, (NaCl)
• Magnesium Chloride, (MgCl2)
• Calcium Chloride, (CaCl2)

Salt content in a crude depends mainly on source of the crude.

The most common concern is inorganic salt decomposition in the crude oil pre-
heat exchangers and heaters. As the salts decompose, hydrogen chloride gas is
formed, which condenses to form liquid hydrochloric acid at the initial
condensation point of water. This initial point of water condensation usually
occurs in the crude overhead system, though it can occur in the tower itself, if
operational conditions allow it.
 Theory of desalting- Contd..
The typical decomposition temperatures for common inorganic salts are
1 0 0
9 0
8 0 M a g n e s iu m
C h lo r id e
A m o u n t H y d r o ly s e d %

7 0
6 0
5 0
4 0
3 0
2 0 C a lc iu m
C h lo r id e
1 0
S o d iu m C h lo r id e
0
2 0 0 3 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 0 6 0 0 7 0 0 8 0 0
Te m p e r a t u r e ( d e g F )
 Theory of desalting- Contd..
Benefits Resulting From Desalting

Increased crude throughput by:

Longer runs
Running at maximum capacity
Less down time for maintenance
Uniform crude charge without slugs of water during tank switching
.
Less plugging, scaling, coking and slagging of:
Exchangers
Furnaces

Relief from catalyst poisoning by:

Arsenic in platformers
Sodium, iron and other metals in crackers, delayed coker
 Theory of desalting- Contd..
Less corrosion due to sulfur, salts and organic acidity in:
Exchangers
Fractionator
Receivers and lines

Savings in chemical cost for:

Ammonia
Inhibitors

Improved products because of:

•Better operational control
•Removal of catalyst poisons
•Less salt and solids in residual fuel
•Cleaner coke for specialties such as electrodes
 DESALTER
DESALTER OPERATION
OPERATION
OPERATING VARIABLES
TEMPERATURE : 130 DEG. C Outlet crude salt content : <0.5 ptb
PRESSURE : 8-11 kg/cm2 Brine oil content : 165 ppm (max)
WATER INJECTION RATE : 4 - 6 % Vol. Of Crude
INTERFACE LEVEL : 40 - 50%
DEMULSIFIER INJECTION : 6 - 8 ppm on crude

DESALTER - 1 DESALTER - 2

MIXING VALVE MIXING VALVE

CRUDE

DEMULSIFIER WATER DEMULSIFIER WATER

 DESALTER
DESALTER OPERATION
OPERATION -- CONTD...
CONTD...
Bi-electric desalters, three grid type electrodes, supported centrally

TRY LINES 3600 MM

Desalter load = 30 KW each CRUDE INLET

Operating handles to optimize desalter:

•Wash water injection rate- normally 5-6% of crude
•Mixing valve DP
•Demulsifier injection rate- normally 6-8 PPM. However, it depend on vendor
specification/ advise.
 PREFLASH
PREFLASH VESSEL
VESSEL
Preflash vessel or Pre-topping Column helps to remove around 3-4
% of lighter ends from the crude and send them to the main
fractionating column by-passing the furnace, thus reducing un-
necessary furnace load.
Pre-flashed vapours can either be introduced in the flash zone or in
the Heavy Naptha zone of the main fractionating column.

PRE-FLASHED VAPOURS

(3-4% OF CRUDE)
DESALTED

CRUDE PREFLASH VESSEL

LC

PRE-FLASHED
CRUDE
 CRUDE
CRUDE HEATER
HEATER
FLUE GAS

CRUDE FROM PRE-HEAT TRAIN

Convection Zone
240 - 280 DEG. C

CRUDE TO FRACTIONATOR

370 - 390 DEG. C

Radiation Zone

FUEL GAS FUEL OIL

PILOT GAS
ATOMISING STEAM
 CRUDE
CRUDE HEATER
HEATER ..CONTINUED..
..CONTINUED..
EXCESS AIR CONTROL : Optimally around 14-17%. Too much excess air
unnecessarily increases furnace load and too low excess air results in
incomplete combustion of fuel, resulting in CO carry over to the stack.

DRAFT : Furnace draft at any point of the furnace is the pressure difference
between that particular point in the furnace to its corresponding point outside
the furnace.

SOOT BLOWING STEAM : For removal of soot from the surface of

convection zone tubes (MP Steam)

BOX PURGING STEAM : For purging of furnace box (both radiation

& Convection Zones -LP Steam)

COIL STEAM : For flushing the coil internal (MP Steam )

DECOKING STEAM : For Decoking the coils ( MP Steam )

 AIR
AIR PRE-HEATER
PRE-HEATER
FLUE GAS MSD S
T

A
APH
DAMPERS C
K

FD-FANS

AIR
ID - FAN

Note :A) ID suction temp. should not go below 160 deg.C (To avoid Sulphur corrosion)
B) The upper part of the APH is made of cast iron and the lower part is of glass
(to avoid corrosion due to sulphur condensation)
 FRACTIONATION
FRACTIONATION
OVER-HEAD VAPOURS

TOP REFLUX
CR REFLUX DRUM

SOUR WATER

LIGHT NAPTHA
PRODUCT STRIPPER
CRUDE FROM HEATER
OVER STRIPPING STEAM
FLASH
STRIPPING STEAM
SIDE DRAW

RCO To Vacuum Heater

 FRACTIONATOR
FRACTIONATOR OPERATIONS
OPERATIONS

FLASH ZONE : Partially vaporised crude from heater at 360-370 deg.C enters
the flash zone of the fractionator column. Here the vapours travel upward and
the liquid travel downward. The section of the column below the flash zone is
the stripping section and the one above is the rectifying section.

STRIPPING SECTION : Here the liquid traveling downwards is stripped off its
lighter components by the stripping steam traveling upwards. There are
multiple valve trays in this section.

RECTIFYING SECTION : Here the hydrocarbon vapours traveling upwards

are rectified through mass transfer, whereby its heavier components are
condensed by the comparatively cold circulating reflux, which travel down and
in turn the lighter components of the down-coming liquid are taken up by the
hot vapours.
 FRACTIONATOR
FRACTIONATOR OPERATIONS
OPERATIONS contd
contd ....
REFLUXES : Refluxes serve two purposes - provide liquid in the
rectifying section to cause liquid and vapour contact for fractionation

-maintain temperature gradient in the column

OVERFLASH : The flashed vapours of the crude which condenses on the

first tray above the flash zone are dropped down to the stripping section.
This is known as overflash and it helps in
a)stabilising the bottom product and
b)proper fractionation of Gas Oil.
c)Overflash should be ideally 3-5% of crude vol.

STRIPPING STEAM : This helps in removing the lighter ends from the
bottom product by decreasing the partial pressure. Stripping steam should
be around 12-24 kg/cu.m. of crude and it is introduced below the valve
trays in the stripping.
OPERATING
OPERATING PROBLEMS
PROBLEMS // TROUBLE
TROUBLE SHOOTING
SHOOTING

The main problems encountered in fractionator operation are

related to product quality. Following are some guide-lines :

Light Naphtha end point is low :

Increase the column top temp. or decrease the top pressure.

Note : Increasing top temp. calls for reduction in top

reflux flow but care should be taken for keeping optimum reflux ratio.
(Reflux Ratio = Reflux Rate / Top Product Rate = 2 to 2.5)

Kero Flash point becomes low :

Stripping in kero reboiler to be increased.

Note : Too high a level in stripper adversely affects stripping. Heavy

Naphtha dropping to kero may decrease the flash point.
 STABILISER
STABILISER OPERATION
OPERATION
Light Naphtha from overhead reflux drum is preheated with stabiliser
bottom product and enters the stabiliser column.

Top Temp =60deg.C

Top Press. = 9.0kg/cm2 FG
Bottom Temp = 175 deg.C

Stabilised Nap. water

LPG
(for treatment)
Light Nap. Reboiler
Note : LPG weathering should be +2deg.C & Cu-corr = 1a/1b
 CHEMICAL
CHEMICAL DOSING
DOSING
Chemicals are used for combating corrosion, neutralizing salts, maintaining
pH etc.

Caustic Dosing upstream of desalter (3-5% strength) :

•To lower salt content by max.10ptb and maintain steady salt carry over to
desalter.
•To maintain pH of desalter for proper demulsification.
•To neutralise 75% of the organic acids

Caustic dosing downstream of desalter (3 - 5%) :

•To convert magnesium and calcium chlorides to NaCl

 CHEMICAL
CHEMICAL DOSING
DOSING ..CONTD..
..CONTD..

Ammonia dosing in the column overhead (1-2% strength):

•Maintains the pH between 6.2 - 6.7 to prevent acid corrosion

Corrosion Inhibitor dosing at col. Ovhd.

•To prevent corrosion in overhead lines by providing an anti-corrosive film

Note : A) Max. salt should be removed in desalter as caustic needed to

neutralise HCL forms NaCl which is harmful for catalysts in DCU, CRU,
Hydrocracker and FCC.
 VACUUM
VACUUM HEATER
HEATER
RCO from main fractionator bottom at ~ 350 - 370 deg.C enters
the Vacuum heater through pass control valves. The Coil Outlet
Temperature (COT) is around 400 - 410 deg.c.

Special requirement of a Vacuum Heater is that it should have

velocity (turbulising) steam injection facility in the radiation
zone of the heater. The steam (Medium Pressure) should be
charged to avoid coking of the tubes due to thermal cracking at
the high COT.

SECURITIES / INTERLOCKS : Furnace should trip when

- Pass flow becomes low.
- High Arch Pressure
- Both FD fans trip
- FO / FG pressure is low
 VACUUM
VACUUM COLUMN
COLUMN
TO EJECTOR

OPERATING CONDITIONS :
Top Pressure : 25 - 40 mm Hg SPRAY NOZZLES
Top Temp : 60 deg.C
COT : 400 - 410 deg.C
Bottom Temp : 350 deg.C

Note : Bottom temperature is controlled by CR

IR
VR Quench which is at a temp of 200 deg.C.
Higher bottom temp. may result in coking. CHIMNEY TRAY
PACKED
Normally Vacuum Column has baffle trays in BED
the stripping section and packed beds in the RCO from
rectifying section. All draws are from chimney Furnace
trays. IR and CR to the column are through
filters to avoid choking of the spray nozzles.
STRIPPING SECTION
Stripping Steam VR Quench
VR
 EJECTOR
EJECTOR SYSTEM
SYSTEM
Vacuum pulling is done with steam ejectors. The load on the ejectors
is determined by the overhead vapours, which comprise :
- Non condensibles like cracked gas from furnace and air leaks
- Condensible hydrocarbon vapours
- Entrainment
- Furnace velocity steam
- Tower stripping steam

DIFFUSER
MOTIVE DISCHARGE
STEAM NOZZLE

SUCTION

100 psig
1.16 psig
0.1 psig

PRESSURE PROFILE ( Not To Scale)

 THEORY
THEORY OF
OF EJECTORS
EJECTORS
Ejectors convert pressure energy of motive steam into supersonic velocity from
the motive nozzle, thereby creating a low pressure zone for pulling the suction
load into the ejector.

1st Stage 2nd Stage 3rd Stage

FROM
VAC. COL.

OFF GAS

OIL HOT WELL WATER

 THEORY
THEORY OF
OF EJECTORS
EJECTORS -- CONTD...
CONTD...
BAROMETRIC LEG : The drain line from condensers to hot well is the
barometric leg. Draining is by gravity, so barometric legs should be high enough
to avoid flooding of the condenser tubes. Hot well pressure is atmospheric.
Hence minimum barometric height should be 34ft in case of pure water and 45ft
in case of hydrocarbon. Various barometric arrangements are shown below :

45 deg.
(min.)

HOT WELL HOT WELL HOT WELL

PREFERRED ACCEPTABLE INCORRECT

 PRECAUTIONS
PRECAUTIONS && TROUBLE
TROUBLE
SHOOTING
SHOOTING IN
IN VAC.COLUMN
VAC.COLUMN

• Utmost care to be taken during leak testing of the whole

vacuum system before start up of the unit.

• Introduce stripping steam before pulling vacuum so that

sudden expansion is not there.

• While stripping steam is introduced, care should be taken so

that column bottom level is not too high.

• Vacuum pulling / vacuum breaking should be done gradually.

 Email: chakraborty2806@gmail.com , Mob-8980199479

Thank you