Unit No. 4 - Storage tanks Storage tanks Unit No.

4 -

UNITS IN THIS COURSE

UNIT 1 UNIT 2 UNIT 3 UNIT 4 SEPARATORS TOWERS AND COLUMNS FRACTIONATION AND DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT STORAGE TANKS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Para Page
3.0 3.1 3.2 COURSE OBJECTIVE INTRODUCTION HEATING EQUIPMENT 3.2.1 3.2.2 3.2.3 3.2.4 3.2.5 3.3 Thermal Syphon Reboiler Assisted Thermal Syphon Reboiler Fired Heater Reboiler Fractionator Bottom Temperature Control Fractionator Overhead Temperature Control System 3 4 5 12 13 13 16 17 18 18 18 19

OVERHEAD PRODUCT CONDENSING EQUIPMENT 3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.3 Fin Fan Cooler Water Cooled Condensers Reflux Drum

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3.0 COURSE OBJECTIVE On completion of this unit the trainee will be able: Describe the equipment that is used to operate a fractionation and distillation tower. Describe the types of reboiling equipment used in the operation of fractionation tower. Describe the types of condensing equipment used in the operation of a fractionation tower. Discuss the control methods used in the operation of a fractionation tower. Page 1/19

3 .1

INTRODUCTION The distillation process is one of the most important processes in oil refineries and gas plants. In the distillation process, mixtures of liquids are separated into their component parts. The liquid mixture is heated. Part of the liquid is boiled off into a vapour. This boiled off vapour is then condensed to a liquid. The condensed liquid (condensate) is purer than the original mixture. The distillation process is used to purify and separate liquids.

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Figure 3-1 Simple Distillation Apparatus Figure 3-1 shows a simple distillation apparatus. A flask, called an evaporator is filled with a liquid mixture (the feed liquid). The mixture is heated until it begins to boil. The vapour that is boiled off is then cooled in the condenser and collected in the receiver. This condensate is different than the original feed liquid.. It is pure. When the distillation is finished, the heat is removed. The remaining liquid in the flask is removed. The distillation apparatus is allowed to cool down. New feed liquid is added to the flask. The process can then be repeated. However, this process is not practical on a large scale. The oil industry uses fractionation which is a form of distillation. The unit used for this procedure is, called a distillation tower or a fractionation column. Some people use the term fractionation towers and some use fractionation columns. In this unit we will use both towers and columns so that you can learn them. In this process, a part of the product is returned from the condenser to .the distillation tower. This is called reflux. The product or reflux flows down the column from tray to tray.

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The vapour rising through the liquid on each tray is a distillation process. The liquid flowing down the column from one tray to the next tray bellow is reflux for the lower tray. At any point on the tower, a product can be drawn off from one of the trays. There are two main types of equipment needed to operate fractionating columns. Heating (vapourising) equipment. Page 2/19

Condensing (reflux) equipment. A fractionation column has the following pieces of equipment: 3.2 Heating equipment. (For heating the feed liquid). Bottoms reboiler or fired heater. Product pump. Reflux pump. Overhead condenser. Reflux accumulator. Temperature, pressure and flow recorders, and control instrumentation. Valving.

Unit No. 4 - Storage tanks

HEATING EQUIPMENT A feed heater is a device which gives heat to the incoming feed liquid so as to produce fractionation. The feed heater provides a large part of the heat needed for the distillation column. The heat exchanger is a device which takes heat energy from one process fluid and gives (or transfers) it to another process fluid of a lower temperature. However, the two fluids do not mix together. So, it operates as follows. One fluid flows through tubes inside the vessel (tube side). The other fluid flows around the outside of the tubes inside of the vessel (shell side). Heat energy from the fluid with the higher temperature is absorbed by the fluid with the lower temperature.

Heat Exchanger Parts (See Figure 3-2)

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Figures 3-2 Heat Exchanger Parts

Tubes: These are small diameter pipes through which one of the fluids flows. Tube Sheet: This is a flat circular plate to which the tubes are fitted and secured.

Module No. 4 : Process vessels

There are two main types of heat exchangers that are used in the fractionation process: a) Shell and Tube The shell and tube is the most common type of heat exchanger. The fluids Page 4/19

do not change state in the exchanger. B) Kettle Type The kettle type is also called a reboiler. The fluid on the shell side gets hotter and changes from liquid to vapour. The shell is made larger to handle the increase in volume when the liquid becomes a vapour.

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The heat exchanger is designed to have the following qualities: Maximum heat transfer between fluids. Minimum restriction of fluid flow. To be easy to clean and inspect. To have good thermal expansion capabilities. To be efficient and easy to operate.

The following factors make a heat exchanger transfer heat efficiently: Having a maximum heat transfer surface. Clean heat transfer surface. The speed of the fluid through the heat exchanger. If the fluid moves slowly it gives more time for the transfer of heat. Turbulent flow of the fluids. (Turbulence helps the heat to transfer) The properties of the fluids and the heat exchanger material also determines the amount of heat energy transfer. E.g., some metals transfer heat more easily than others.

Head End: This is a small shell attached to the tube sheet. It changes the direction of the fluid flow from one set of tubes to another. Tube Bundle: This is the term used for the complete unit of the tubes, tube sheet and baffles. Partitions: These are flat piece of plate (in the channel) that is used to direct the fluid flow through the tubes. Baffles: This is a flat plates used to direct the fluid flow around the shell side of the tubes. They are also used to support the tube bundle There are two types of baffles: Segmented (see figure 3-2) Disc and Doughnut. (see figure 3-3)

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Figure 3-3 Disc and Doughnut Baffle Types of heat exchanger Different processes require different types of heat exchangers. Some of the most common are:

Figure 3-4 Single Pass Exchanger

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Single Pass: The fluid on the tube side only goes through the heat exchanger once. Multi Pass: The fluid on the tube side parses through the heat exchanger two or more times. Fixed Tube Sheet: The tube sheet and bundle are bolted or secured at both ends of the heat exchanger. This type allows very little thermal expansion. This type is only good when there are small temperature differences between the fluids. Page 6/19

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Figure 3-5 "U" Tube Heat Exchanger

"U" Tube Heat Exchanger: The back end of the tube bundle is connected by "U" shaped tubes (not a head). This type allows for large thermal expansion. This type is good for high temperature differences between the fluids. However, the tubes in this type are difficult to clean. (See figure 3-5) Floating Head: The front tube sheet is secured / bolted to the heat exchanger shell. This type allows for large thermal expansion. These are good where there is a high temperature difference between the fluids. The tubes in this type are easily removed for cleaning. Heat Exchanger Operation The start-up and shutdown of a heat exchanger must be performed correctly. This will minimise thermal expansion. On start-up the colder fluid must always be fed to the heat exchanger first. On shutdown the hot fluid must be stopped first. Do not open the hot fluid flow to the heat exchanger when the cold fluid is isolated. This may cause hydraulic expansion of the trapped cold fluid. This can cause serious damage to the heat exchanger. The flow through the heat exchanger must always be controlled on the downstream side of the heat exchanger. So, the flow control valve must always be located downstream of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger always operates flooded. This will minimise corrosion and erosion. The temperature increase across the heat exchanger should always be monitored. When the temperature increase across the heat exchanger begins to go down, it will indicate that the heat exchanger is becoming dirty or plugged. Some heat exchangers can be back flushed / backwashed. This means that the flow through the heat exchanger can be reversed to wash out the dirty material. If this does not work the tube bundle must be removed and cleaned. A high pressure water wash or a chemical solution are used to do this. Checks should always be made on the low pressure fluid outlet to ensure that the tubes or gaskets are not leaking. If there are any leaks, one fluid will mix with the Page 7/19

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other fluid. Fluid will leak from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. Fin Fan Cooler

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Figure 3-6 Fin Fan Cooler The fin fan cooler is another type of heat exchanger. These are used a lot in the plants. The hot fluid flows into an inlet header. It then flows through finned tubes. Finned tubes have large flat surfaces which give better and quicker transfer of heat. The liquid flows out of the heat exchanger into the discharge header. Air is forced up and over the tubes by fans. The waste heat energy passes into the air. The amount of heat exchange is controlled by the following: Fan Speed. (Faster flow of air cools the fluid more quickly). Louvre Control. (The amount of air flowing can be changed). Fan Blade Pitch. (The fan can push a little or a lot of air) Fluid volume through the tubes. (Smaller volumes of fluid cool more quickly). Warm air recycle. (The warmed air may get sucked back into the air inlet. This should be avoided at the design stage)

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3.2.1

Thermal Syphon Reboiler

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Figure 3-7 Thermal Syphon Reboiler The thermal syphon reboiler only uses convection to produce circulation. The bottom product flows to the bottom of the reboiler by gravity. The addition of heat causes some of the liquid in the reboiler to vapourise and the remaining liquid expands. The mixture of vapour and expanded hot liquid in the reboiler has a much lower relative density than the bottom liquid in the fractionation tower. Therefore it is under lower pressure. Remember that fluid flows from high to low pressure. Therefore, a thermal syphon flow is produced. The flow through a thermal syphon reboiler is shown in Figure 3-7. 3.2.2 Assisted Thermal Syphon Reboiler

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Figure 3-8 Assisted Thermal Syphon Reboiler

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The assisted thermal syphon reboiler receives all the flow from the bottom tray. The flow through the reboiler is produced by the difference in the static head of the liquid to the reboiler and the head of the liquid vapour mixture in the tower. The vapour passes up the tower through the chimney in the bottom tray. 3.2.3 Fired Heater Reboiler Large fractionation towers use fired heaters for reboilers. Figures 3-9 and 3-10 show examples of horizontal and vertical fired heaters. (Horizontal and vertical refers to the tubes in the heater).

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Figure 3-9 Horizontal Fired Heater Page 10/19

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Figure 3-10 Vertical Fired Heater The flow through the fired heater must be positive to keep the tubes full of liquid. This prevents overheating of the tubes in the heater. The fractionator bottoms pump circulates all or nearly all of the bottom product through the reboiler. There must be a positive flow through all the tubes in the reboiler. The controls must be linked so that the flow of fuel gas to the burners will be stopped if the flow fails to the tubes. In some operations the fired heater will supply heat to more than one fractionator. Figure 3-11 shows the flow through a large fired heater type reboiler.

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Figure 3-10 Fired Heater Reboiler Flow 3.2.4 Fractionator Bottom Temperature Control

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Figure 3-11 Typical Bottom Temperature Control System The pressures and temperatures in the fractionation column must be closely controlled. If the temperatures and pressures are not closely controlled the product will not be pure. If the bottom temperature is too hot, some of the bottom product will be up the tower. If the bottom temperature is too cold some of the overhead Page 12/19

product from the top of the tower will condense out in the bottom product. Figure 3-11 shows a typical bottom temperature control system for a fractionator. The Temperature Recorder Controller (TRC) controls the amount of steam which flows through the reboiler. If a fired heater were used for a reboiler, the TRC would control the flow of fuel gas to the burners. There is another method of controlling the bottom temperature. The heat input to the reboiler is not changed. The temperature at the top of the tower is controlled by Changing the reflux flow. This method controls the top temperature and will also control the bottom temperature. This method of control is shown in Figure 3-12. 3.2.5 Fractionator Overhead Temperature Control System

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Figure 3-12 Typical Overhead Temperature Control System.

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3.3

OVERHEAD PRODUCT CONDENSING EQUIPMENT A lot of contact between the liquid and vapour in the top of the tower is needed to purify the overhead product, and to condense any bottom product that is flowing up the tower. Therefore, some or all of the overhead product is cooled and condensed in a heat exchanger.

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The overhead condenser may use any of the following as a cooling medium. 3.3.1 Fin Fan Cooler

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Figure 3-13 Fin Fan Coolers This type of heat exchanger was described earlier in this unit (section 4-2). Air is forced across the tubes by fans. That is why it is called a "Fin Fan Cooler". The speed and operation of the fans, is part of the control system to regulate the overhead product temperature. Louvres on the coolers are also used to control the overhead product temperature. Louvres do this by opening and closing like many doors. They allow more or less air to pass through the cooler. 3.3.2 Water Cooled Condensers The overhead product temperature may be controlled by regulating the flow of cooling water through the condenser. This method may be used to condense all or part of the overhead product.

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The overhead product may contain light gases with a high vapour pressure, such as methane and ethane. These gases will not condense. They are pressure controlled from the reflux accumulator. They are recovered as sales gas or fuel gas. This method is shown in Figure 3-14

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Figure 3-14 Partial Condenser 3.3.3 Reflux Drum The reflux drum (reflux accumulator) receives the condensed overhead product. From the reflux drum the product is pumped back to the tower as reflux or it goes to storage as finished product.

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