Atmospheric distillation

Atmospheric distillation is the heart of the refinery, accounting for up to 30% of

its energy use. Recovering the maximum amount of energy is critical to
profitability. Compared to traditional shell-and-tubes, reliable Alfa Laval
Compabloc heat exchangers recover more energy, deliver more uptime and
occupy less space, making it a perfect solution for plant revamps with space
constraints.

Optimizing refinery atmospheric distillation processes

Atmospheric distillation preheat trains are intended to minimize total energy
consumption of the plant by maximizing heat recovery from hot fractions. Alfa
Laval has the expertise, technologies and services to contribute to reliability,
energy savings, less maintenance, reduced costs and increased production.

Increasing energy efficiency in atmospheric distillation

A typical preheat train using traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers, is
based on a pinch/overall temperature approach of approximately 30°C. This
takes into account practical limitations, such as heat transfer area required,
space limitations, installed costs, hydraulic limitations and operating
performance.
Plate heat exchangers, on the other hand, have an optimal pinch between 5°
and 10°C, which means that up to 25% more energy can be recovered from the
hot fractions and used to preheat the crude. This also results in a 25% energy
savings in the fired heater.
Using compact heat exchangers, such as the Alfa Laval Compabloc, also
makes it possible to recover energy from very low grade sources, such as the
overhead vapour in an atmospheric distillation column. Because the Compabloc
can be economically produced in high-grade materials, corrosion problems can
be eliminated. In addition, Compabloc requires minimal plot space and has a
low hold-up volume, making it very cost efficient to install on construction.

Fouling mitigation in atmospheric distillation

Traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers normally experience fouling
problems. Fouling usually occurs in the hot end of the preheat train where
residue is used as the heating media, and temperatures are high and velocities
low. Fouling is very costly and, over time, increases the use of energy in the
fired heater as well as the use of power for the feed pump. It also can limit
production if the maximum capacity of the fired heater or the feed pump has
been reached. This means that the heat exchangers need frequent cleaning,
which affects the overall performance of the plant.
To minimize chemical deposition fouling, Alfa Laval Compabloc heat
exchangers are designed with high turbulence and shear stress in the heat
transfer channels. This results in a much longer run length – typically up to
three times longer – than shell-and-tube heat exchangers.
Because Alfa Laval Compabloc heat exchangers provide high heat transfer
efficiency, fewer exchangers are needed for each service. What’s more, our
heat exchangers are designed for easy access and fast, effective mechanical
cleaning of the heat transfer area, which minimimzes maintenance costs.

CAPEX savings for atmospheric distillation

The number and size of traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers required for
atmospheric distillation increase as the amount of energy recovered from the
hot fractions into the crude increases.
With high-efficiency Alfa Laval Compabloc heat exchangers, no more than two
units are generally required for each service, no matter the degree of heat
recovery. These units require three to five times less heat transfer area than
comparable shell-and-tubes due to the high heat transfer efficiency and the use
of thin heat transfer platesthat further reduce the amount of material used.
By minimizing the number of exchangers and the heat transfer material
required, the costs of the exchanger itself as well as its installation are
drastically reduced. This is especially true when higher grade material is
needed for high corrosion resistance. It is possible to achieve cost reductions of
up to 80%.
For revamp projects, payback generally takes anywhere from a few months or,
at most, two years, depending on the project’s complexity. For grassroot
refineries, savings of up to 30 MEUR can be realized on preheat train heat
exchangers and installation cost.
In addition, by maximizing the heat recovery in the preheat train, the investment
costs in fired heater capacity can also be minimized. Likewise, by minimizing
the overall pressure drop in the preheat train, the feed pump capacity and head
can be reduced, which can also reduce the design pressure limits of all
equipment in the preheat train.

Proven technology for refinery atmospheric distillation

Alfa Laval has more than 650 Compabloc heat exchangers operating in
atmospheric distillation processes around the world. Most of the exchangers are
installed as overhead condensers, around the pinch, or at the end of the
preheat train, just before the furnace. However, there are several preheat trains
where every single heat recovery position uses an Alfa Laval Compabloc
exchanger.
 Vacuum distillation
Recovering additional distillates from atmospheric residue maximizes refinery
profitability. Which is why highly reliable, energy-efficient vacuum distillation
processes are critical. Whether using a stand-alone vacuum distillation unit or
one integrated with an atmospheric distillation unit, count on reliable Alfa Laval
compact heat exchangers to optimize energy efficiency and uptime.

Optimizing refinery vacuum distillation processes

Using a stand-alone vacuum distillation unit or one integrated with an
atmospheric distillation unit will be beneficial to the refinery in terms of
producing more valuable products from the atmospheric residue. Alfa Laval has
the expertise, technologies and services to contribute to reliability, energy
savings, less maintenance, reduced costs and increased production.

Increasing energy efficiency in vacuum distillation processes

A typical preheat train using traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers, is
based on a pinch/overall temperature approach of approximately 40°C. This
takes into account practical limitations, such as heat transfer area required,
space limitations, installed costs, hydraulic limitations and operating
performance.
Plate heat exchangers, on the other hand, have an optimal pinch of 10°C, which
means that up to 25% more energy can be recovered from the hot fractions and
used to preheat the feed. This also results in a 25 % energy savings in the fired
heater.
Using compact heat exchangers, such as the Alfa Laval Compabloc, also
makes it possible to recover energy more efficiently from the hot fractions for
steam generation. Because Compabloc heat exchangers can generate steam
with a much closer temperature approach than shell-and-tubes, it is possible to
optimize the steam generation:

 To generate steam at a higher pressure, or

 To generate more steam at a fixed pressure, or

 To generate same amount and quality of steam but from an energy

source of lower grade

Fouling mitigation in vacuum distillation

Traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers normally experience fouling
problems. Fouling usually occurs in the hot end of the preheat train where
residue is used as the heating media, and temperatures are high and velocities
low. Fouling is very costly and increases energy consumption in the fired heater
and feed pump power consumption over time. It also can limit production if the
maximum capacity of the fired heater of the feed pump capacity has been
reached. This means that the heat exchangers need frequent cleaning, which
affects the overall performance of the plant.
To minimize chemical deposition fouling, Alfa Laval Compabloc heat
exchangers are designed with high turbulence and shear stress in the heat
transfer channels. This results in a much longer run length – typically up to
three times longer – than shell-and-tube heat exchangers.
Because Alfa Laval Compabloc heat exchangers provide high heat transfer
efficiency, fewer exchangers are needed for each service. What’s more, our
heat exchangers are designed for easy access and fast, effective mechanical
cleaning of the heat transfer area, which minimimzes maintenance costs.

CAPEX savings for vacuum distillation

The number and size of traditional shell-and-tube heat exchangers required for
vacuum distillation increase as the amount of energy recovered from the hot
fractions into the feed increases.
In addition, when handling highly viscous media such as when heating cold
atmospheric residue or final cooling of the vacuum residue, shell-and-tube
exchangers prove to be very inefficient. It then becomes necessary to install
several large exchangers that have high fouling tendencies and high
maintenance requirements in series.
With high-efficiency Alfa Laval Compabloc heat exchangers, no more than two
units are generally required for each service, no matter the degree of heat
recovery or fluid viscosity. These units require three to five times less heat
transfer area than comparable shell-and-tubes due to the high heat transfer
efficiency and the use of thin heat transfer plates that further reduce the amount
of material used.
By minimizing the number of exchangers and the heat transfer material
required, the costs of the exchanger itself as well as its installation are
drastically reduced. This is especially true when higher grade material is
needed for high corrosion resistance. It is possible to achieve cost reductions of
up to 80%.
For revamp projects, payback generally takes anywhere from a few months or,
at most, two years, depending on the project’s complexity.
In addition, by maximizing the heat recovery in the preheat train, the investment
costs in fired heater capacity can also be minimized. Likewise, by minimizing
the overall pressure drop in the preheat train, the feed pump capacity and head
can be reduced, which can also reduce the design pressure limits of all
equipment in the preheat train.
Finally, because our Compabloc exchangers can be designed with a very close
temperature approach, it is possible to optimize the temperature of the water in
the tempered water cooling loop. This minimizes the cost of other equipment,
such as tempered water air coolers.

Proven technology for refinery vacuum distillation

Alfa Laval has more than 200 compact heat exchangers operating in vacuum
distillation processes around the world. Most of our exchangers are installed
around the pinch or at the end of the preheat train, just before the furnace.
However, Alfa Laval compact heat exchangers can also be used as overhead
vacuum condensers, steam generators and residue final coolers. There are also
preheat trains where every single heat recovery position uses an Alfa Laval
Compabloc exchanger.
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Oil refineries in Sharjah