A

TRAINING REPORT ON

INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LTD.

HALDIA REFINERY

DURATION - June 27, 2017 – July 26, 2017.

PREPARED AND SUBMITTED BY:-

AYUSH SHOME

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

HALDIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, HALDIA
PURBA MEDNIPUR , WEST BENGAL -721657

1
 Contents

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………..03
 PERSON TO WHOM REPORTED……………………….04
 PREFACE………………………………………………….05
 PLANT OVERVIEW………………………………………06
 HALDIA REFINERY PRODUCTS……………………….07
 FUEL OIL BLOCK………………………………………...08
 LUBE OIL BLOCK………………………………………...15
 DEHYDRO DESULPHURIZATION BLOCK…………….27
 BITUMEN…………………………………………………..39
 EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT……………………….41
 OIL MOVEMENT AND STORAGE………………………43
 ONCE THROUGH HYDRO CRACKING UNIT………….45
 CONCLUSION……………………………………………..53

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Training and Placement cell
of Haldia Institute of Technology, Haldia and Indian oil corporation Ltd, Haldia
management for providing me with the opportunity to undertake my Industrial
training in one of the most technically advanced and reputed refinery in India.

I would like to personally thank:

Mrs Madhumita Ghar,

Mr R. N. Jana,

Mr Sandeep Lahiri,

Mr Bhaskar Sen,

Mr Mahadeo Oraon

And all the members of I.O.C.L. of Haldia refinery for making our training
successfully.

I would also like to thank all my respected and dear friends without whose
guidance and help it would not have been possible for me to be successful in
our training. Last but not the least my roommate who helped me during the last
crucial moments of this report , Ravi thanks a lot.

At last I would like to express my most humble gratitude towards my parents

without whose constant support my higher studies would never have been
possible. Also , I would like to thank the divine power who is always looking
upon us and bestowing us with all his love, care and blessings.

Date: July 20, 2017.

Place: I.O.C.L. Haldia.

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 PERSONS TO WHOM REPORTED

  Referred to :
 Shri. Bhaskar Sen , DGM(PN)
Shri Sandeep Lahiri , DGM(PN)

NAME OF AREA IN DURATION IN SIGNATURE AND STAMP

CHARGE THE AREA OF
AREA IN CHARGE
Fuel Oil Block:
27/06/17-30/06/17
Mr. Rajbahadur

Lube Oil Block:

Mr. Chandan Sahoo 03/07/17-

06/07/17

Diesel Hydro De
Sulphurisation Unit:
07/07/17-
Mr. J. Dutta 12/07/17

Bitumen:

Mr. U. K. Jana 13/07/17-

14/07/17

Effluent Treatment Plant:

Mr. K. C. Nayek 17/07/17-

18/07/17

Oil Movement and Storage:

Mr. D. P. Chakrabarti 19/07/17-

21/07/17

Once Through Hydrocracker

Unit:
Mr. S. Mandal 24/07/17-
26/07/17

SIGNATURE:

Shri Bhaskar Sen Shri Sandeep Lahiri Shri Mahadeo Oraon

DGM(PN) DGM(PN) Dy.Manager (T&D)

IOCL ,Haldia Refinery IOCL ,Haldia Refinery IOCL ,Haldia Refinery
4
 PREFACE
This report is based on the project dissertation in I.O.C.L. Haldia. I.O.C.L is one
of the most advanced plant in India for oil refining. I.O.C.L has been using
American, Japanese & Russian technology. The raw material that is used in plant
is also imported from Arabian countries, transported by ship. Haldia refinery was
initially lube oil based refinery. Total production capacity of plant is 7.6
MMTPA.

This report is organised with various types of pressure, temperature, flow & Level
measuring instruments.

IOCL is a Indian company, which is in prestigious list of Fortune 500. IOCL

stared its journey way back in 1959 Indian oil company Ltd. It became Indian Oil
Corporation limited in 1964. There are 9 refiniries running under IOCL.

The nine refineries are as follows:

1. Digboi Refinery
2. Guwahati Refinery
3. Bongaigaon Refinery
4. Barauni Refinery
5. Haldia Refinery
6. Gujrat Refinery
7. Panipat Refinery is being expanded.
8. Mathura Refinery
9. Paradip Refinery : The 15 million tonnes per annum refinery in Paradip in
Coastal Odisha has been inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on 7
February 2016.

Uniqueness of Haldia Refinery:

1. One of the India’s three lube oil refineries producing high grade lube base
feed stocks.
2. Incorporating 70% indigenous equipments for the first time in India.
3. India’s only refinery producing Bright stock-a lube oil base stock for
making lube oil which is used in heavy duty equipment.
4. First Indian refinery to receive ISO-9002 certificate.

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 PLANT OVERVIEW
The refinery manufactures fuel products & HVI grade lube oil base stocks.
The refinery has the following units:

  FOB(Fuel oil block)

  LOB(Lube oil block)
  DHDS(Diesel hydro desulphurization unit)
  OHCU(Once through hydrocracker unit)
  OM & S(Oil movement and storage)
  TPS(Thermal power station)
  Workshop
  Quality control and Laboratory
  ETP(Effluent treatment plant)
  MIS(Management information system)
  Training centre
 IMA(Indian oil management academy at Township)

FOB compromises of following unit

1. Crude Distillation unit(CDU-1,CDU-2)
2. NHDT
3. Catalytic reforming unit(CRU)
4. Kerosene Hydro Desulphurization unit(KHDS)

LOB comprises of the following units:-

1. Vacuum Distillation Unit(VDU-1)
2. Propane De Asphalting Unit(PDU)
3. Furfural Extraction Unit(FEU)
4. Lube Hydro Finishing Unit(LHFU)
5. Bitumen Treating Unit(BTU)
6. Vis Breaker Unit((VBU)
7. Catalytic IsoDewaxing Unit

DHDS comprises of following main units:-

1. Hydro generation unit
2. DHDS
3. Sulphur Recovery unit(SRU)
4. Amine Regeneration Unit(ARU)

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 5. RFCCU(Regeneration fluidised Catalytic Cracking Unit)
6. MSQL(Motor Spirit Quality Up gradation)

OHCU comprises of following Unit:-

1. Hydro Cracker
2. Hydrogen Generation Unit
3. Nitrogen generation Unit

OM &S is subdivided into following sections for operating convenience:-

1. Crude tanker unloading

2. Crude tank farm
3. LPG storage
4. LPG bottling plant
5. Tank wagon loading
6. Tank truck loading
7. Bitumen filling station drum and pack
8. Solvent tank firm

HALDIA REFINERY PRODUCTS

1. Liquefied petroleum Gas(LPG)

2. Straight run naphtha(SRN)
3. Motor spirit(MS)
4. Bitumen
5. Superior Kerosene oil
6. Aviation Turbine Fuel(ATF)
7. Russian Turbine Fuel(RTF)
8. Mineral Turpentine oil(MTO)
9. High speed diesel(HSD)
10. Jute Batching Oil (JBO)
11. Light Neutral Lube oil base stock (LN-LOBS)
12. Bright Neutral Lube oil base stock (BN-LOBS)
13. Fuel gas
14. Slack wax inters neutral (IN-SW)
15. Slack wax Bright neutral (BN-SW)
16. Carbon block feed stock (CBFS)
17. IOC process oil

7
 FUEL OIL BLOCK
CRUDE DISTILLATION UNIT
The crude distillation unit at Haldia Refinery was designed for processing of 2.5
MMTPA of Agajhari crude with a processing rate of 7500 MT per day
considering 8000 on stream hrs. per Annum. The unit was debottlenecked in
Dec’84 to 2.75 MMTPA by minor modifications. After that trays and column
internals replacement was undertaken in May’88 with the help of M/S EIL to suit
the column to process 3.16 MMTPA.

Subsequently a prefractionator column was installed in May’96. With the addition

of the prefractionator the capacity of CDU has increased to 10500 MT/Day of
upper Zakum or Arab mix crude which is equivalent to 3.5 MMTPA considering
8000 stream hours per year.

Crude distillation (Unit No 11) includes

  Pre fractionator section

  Topping section
  Naphtha Stabilizer
 Naphtha Redistillation

Gas plant (Unit No 12) includes

 De-ethaniser

  Amine washing of LPG
 Depropaniser

Amine Absorption & Regeneration unit (unit no.15)

  Fuel Gas Amine Absorption system

 Amine(DEA) Regeneration

8
 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

Crude oil is heated to 1200 to1300C in the first set of pre heat exchanger
before feeding to the Desalter. Crude is desalted to the extent of 95% in the
Desalter. Crude is there after heated to approximately 180-200 C in the
second set of heat exchangers and pretopped in the Prefractionator column
to get overhead gasoline from the top(IBP-140) and pretopped crude from
the bottom of the column. Again crude is heated to 260-265 C in the third
set of exchangers and 350-360 in the furnace. The crude oil is then
fractionated in the atmospheric distillation column (11C01) to obtain the
following streams.

Refining of overhead (IBP-140C cut)

a) IBP-140 C cut is fractionated in stabilization column into two products.
 Very low boiling hydrocarbon portion upto BUTANE/BUTENE is
 obtained from overhead and routed to gas plant.
 C5-140 cut is obtained from bottom and routed to Naphtha
 Redistillation column.
b) Gas plant stabilizer overhead product is first distilled in De-ethaniser for
separation of ethane. 12C01 overhead stream, rich in ethane, is sent to
fuel gas system of refining. De-ethaniser bottom is Amine washed in
column 12C02 for removal of H2S and then routed to Merox(unit-13) for
mercaptan removal. Crudes presently being processed contain low H2S in
LPG range and Amine washing is not required. Hence the column 12C02
is by-passed.
c) Merox Treatment: LPG from Gas plant is caustic washed and then sent to
LPG extractor (13C01) where it comes in counter current contact with
Merox catalyst dispersed in caustic solution. Mercaptan free raffinate LPG,
after caustic separation is sent to LPG storage.
d) Propane production: A part of Merox treated LPG is fractionated in De-
propaniser column of gas plant to produce PROPANE of around 8-10
MT/Day depending on its requirement at Propane deasphalting unit in Lube
oil block.
e) Spiliting of C5-140 C cut:
In Naphtha Redistillation column C5-140 C portion is fractionated into
C5-90 and 90 to 140 C cut, i.e light naphtha and heavy naphtha.
f) Kerosene/ ATF/ MTO/ RTF
g) Gas oil

9
 CATALYTIC REFORMING UNIT
The unit was built by M/S Technip using a process licensed jointly by
Indian Institute of Petroleum, India and Institute Francias du petrole,
France for processing 196 TMT of Naphtha with a stream factor of 8200
hours.

The unit capacity after 2005 revamp was 216 MT/Yr, with an on stream
factor of 800 hours. In the revamp, the first old axial reactor has been
removed and a new radial reactor has been put on service as third reactor.
Also, the second old interheater has been removed and a new heater put on
service as a first interheater.
Preheat section:
Naphtha distillate from storage tank is fed by pump to magnetic filter,
where the metallic particles are removed. The foreign material present in
the feed are separated out and fouling in the preheat exchanger is reduced.
Then it is mixed with H2 , make up gas from reforming unit and recycle
gas discharge by compressor and is heated to about 360 0c in a preheat
exchanger(packinox Exchanger)
In the shell side where it is heated by hot reactor effluent.

Furnance and Reaction Sections

Completely vaporised naphtha and gases, after passing through the first
furnance is heated to the reaction temperature , enter at the top of the first
down flow peactor.
Operating pressure = 27.3 kg/cm2g
Operating temperature =5120 C
The reactor is filled with a bimettalic platinum –rhenium catalyst support
on very high purity alumina. When the feed come in contact with catalyst
reforming reaction take place .due to endothermicity of reaction, the
temperature of reactant decreases. The effluent from the first reactor is
therefore, reheated in a second furnance to make up the loss of heat in the
first reactor.
Operating condition for the second
reactor: Operating pressure =26.3kg/cm2
Operating temperature = 5120C
Reheated effluent is then passed through the second reactor containing

10
platinum – rhenium catalyst where further reforming reactions take
place.Effluent from the second reactor is again reheated in furnace and passed
through reactor containing the catalyst to complete the reforming reactions for
obtaining the product with desired octane number.

Reactor effluent cooling system

The effluent from reactor is cooled and partially condensed in a series of
exchangers as follows.
1. In the tube side of exchanger to preheat feed and to reboil stripper bottoms.
2. In the packinnox exchanger to preheat feed
3. The effluent thereafter is sent to the separator drum.

Separator Drum and recycled Gas section
The reactor effluent is split into gaseous and liquid phases in separator
drum.
  
The liquid phase is sent to stripper column
  
Apart of gaseous phase is recycled as recycle gas within CRU
  
Another part is sent to make up to Naptha Pretreatment section
 
Remaining to KHDS section
The hydrogen rich gas from the separator drum is recycled by means of the
centrifugal compressor. Part of the compressed gas is mixed with the
preheated naptha as described earlier.

Stabilizer section
The liquid from the separator drum is fed to the stabilizer . The liquid
is reheated in the shell side of the exchangers with the stabilizer bottom
product on the tube side and the enters the stablizer .

A part of the stabilizer bottom product is reboiled in thermosyphon type

exchanger.

The stabilizer overhead vapours are cooled and partially condensed by

condenser and are collected in the overhead horizontal reflux drum.

The stabilizer bottom part is passed through exchangers and cooler before
it is sent to storage and feed to reformer splitter.

11
 The top product from the stabilizer is sent to reflux drum where the gas
stream is separated from the top of the drum and sent to fuel gas or
M.S.Q.U unit . Apart of the liquid is pumped back into the stripper while
the other consist of LPG to rundown.

KERO HYDRO DE SULPHURISATION UNIT (KHDS)

This describes all the necessary procedures for the start-up, operation and
shut down of 577,500 TPA Kerosene Hydro Desulphurisation Unit.
Installation of mounted APH with FD fans and replacement of existing
natural draft burners with forced draft low NOx and low excess air burners
in KHDS furnace has not only increased the overall efficiency of the
furnace but also net savings in terms of capital cost by removing FO
consumption in the furnace. This unit was built by TECHNIP and it uses a
process licence jointly developed by Indian Institute of Petroleum and
Institute Francis Du Petrole, France.

UNIT CAPACITY:
The Kero Hydro De Sulphurisation unit is designed for 577,500 tons per
year capacity with 8200 on stream hours.

FEED AND GAS PRE HEATING SECTION

Raw Kerosene/MTO/ATF feed from the storage is taken to the unit through
23 FCV 01 by a pump 23 P OI A/B. The feed is subsequently mixed with
recycle gas available from discharge of the compressor 23 K 01 A/B/K-
101A which is taken as make up hydrogen to its suction ex CRU/DHDS.
Both, liquid feed and gas streams are heated in heat exchangers 23 E 02 D
C B A in the shell side while the hot reactor effluent passes through the
tube side.

Hot mixture of liquid and gas from 23 E 02 D C B A is taken to the furnace

23 F 01.

FURNACE AND REACTOR SECTION

Pre heated Kerosene/MTO/ATF/RTF and recycle gas mixture is brought to

the reaction temperature in the furnace 23 F 01. The furnace is installed with
a top mounted APH with FD fans 23FD01 A/B were replaced with natural
draft burners forced draft low NOx and low excess air burners. The
modification in furnace was done in the view of savings in FO

12
consumption. This Furnace is provided with two passes both in the radiation and
convection sections. Symmetrical arrangement of inlet, outlet and coils of the
furnace helps in equivalent distribution of the stream in both the passes.

Nevertheless, two hand valves on the pass entrance can be used to regulate
the flow distribution by matching the outlet process temperatures and skin
point temperatures.

EFFLUENT COOLING SECTION

The effluent from the reactor is cooled and partially condensed in a series of
heat exchangers as follows:

  is utilised to reboil the
In the tube side of 23 E 01, the recovered heat
stripper column 23-C-01 bottom material.

In the tube side of 23 E
02 A B C D the recovered heat is utilized to preheat
the feed and hydrogen.
 
In the shell side of cooler 23 E 03 A B, the water being the coolant.

Finally the effluent is sent to the separator drum 23 B 01.

SEPARATOR DRUM, MAKE UP AND RECYCLE GASES SECTION

The reactor effluent splits into 2 phases in the separator drum 23 B 01:

- The liquid phase is sent to the stripper column 23 C 01 through bottom

level control valve.
- Top vapour is partially recycled by compressor 23 K01 A/B, K101 and rest
is sent to lube oil Hydro finishing Unit/ Vaporizer through 23B01 pressure
control valve.

The liquid level in the separator drum is controlled by a regulator 23 LC

05. In addition, it is provided with a high level alarm and compressor cut
off device, 23 LAHCO 04, to prevent any liquid flow to recycle
compressor. At the top of the separator, a wire mesh sieve is provided to
stop liquid entrainment along with gases.

The pressure in the high pressure section is controlled by a controller

which allows the excess vapour phase to hydro finishing unit.

13
 The separator drum is connected to an ejector to create vacuum in the unit
during start-up& shut down. The recycle gas along with the makeup gas is
compressed by parallel reciprocating compressors.

The make-up hydrogen gas from CRU/DHDS comes to the suction of recycle
gas compressors through a knock out pot.

STRIPPING SECTION

The liquid from the separator drum is pre heated in the exchangers 23 E 04
A/B and fed into the stripper column 23 C 01. This stream passes through the
lube side and recovers heat from the treated product through the shell side.

The column consists of:

- 17 ballast trays, type “two pass” below the feed point and
- 8 ballast trays, type “single pass” above the feed point.

A part of the stripper bottom is reboiled in the heat exchangers 23 E 01 on

the shell side recovering heat from the reactor.

RECOMPRESSING SECTION

The gas from the reflux drum, 23 B 02 goes via 23 B 02A to first stage of the
three parallel reciprocating compressors. A high level alarm is provided in 23
B 02A.

In case 23 K 02 A/B in line:

The first stage discharge gas upon cooling in the water cooler is mixed with
the gaseous stream ex LOB/U-11 PF column/U-16 PF column before sending
to the knock out drum 23 B 04.

Off gas stream of U-37(LOB) can be diverted directly to 15CO2 bypassing

U-23 using the jump over at battery limit.

The condensed hydrocarbons from the drum are sent to stripper column
regulated by the high level controller 23 LC 14. This drum is provided with
the high level alarm 23 LAH 13. The vapour from the knock out drum are
compressed in the second stage of the compressors cooled in a water cooler
23 E 08 sent to the knock out drum 23 B 05. The vapours separated from the
liquid hydrocarbon are sent to the fuel gas or amine unit

14
 LUBE OIL BLOCK
Lube Oil Block comprises of the following units:

 Vacuum Distillation Unit-I (U-31)


 Propane De-Asphalting Unit (U-32)

 Furfural Extraction Unit (U-33)

 Solvent Dewaxing Unit (U-34) *obsolete
 
 Lube Hydrofinishing Unit (U-35)

 Bitumen Blowing Unit (U-36) [now scrapped, as it is made a part
of PDA, U-36 R/D manifold]

 Vis-breaking Unit (U-37)

 NMP Extraction Unit (U-38) *obsolete

 Wax Hydrofinishing Unit (U-39) *obsolete

 Catalytic IsoDewaxing Unit (U-84)

The typical lube oil base stock processing circuit is shown below
for Haldia Refinery.

Lube Processing circuit in Haldia Refinery

KV, Colour &

Gas Flash Point VI, CCR Pour Point Stability
D

w
S
o

e
n

in

g
o

n
g
lv

x
-

-
t

t
l

Naphtha VGO Vacuum Waxy De-waxed Lube Base Oils

S

E
o

e
n

o
n
v

c
r
t

t
l

i
m
cdi

lati
stil

V
ph

on

u
u

o
n
eri
os

s
At

t
i

i
l
l

H
m

n
g
y

s
r

Kero
i

Distillates Raffinates oils

Diesel
150N
Crude Oil
500N HN

150BS
VR DAO
RCO
Propane De-Asphalting

15
Important Properties of Lube Oil
The major properties for any LOBS are as follows:

1. Kinematic Viscosity (kV)

It dictates the reducing power of thefrictional resistance between two moving parts
due to the presence of the lube oil.

2. Viscosity Index (VI)

It defines the rate of change of kinematic viscosity with temperature, thus
governing hightemperature applications viz. inside engines or compressor
crankcases etc.

3. Flash Point
It indicates the highest application temperature at which the oil would work
without getting deteriorated. [also this is an indicator of vaporization loss]

4. Pour Point
It indicates the lowest temperature at which the oil would remain in liquid state,
 temperatures may be
thereby maintaining its fluidity intact, as because very low
encountered in land of caprice climate (e.g. at Leh etc.).

5. Colour
Lube Oil Base Stock should be water-like in appearance, the colour that is seen
in most of the marketed lube oils are due to the additives that are added in LOBS.
This colour is imparted mainly due to unsaturated/aromatics leftover in the
finished LOBS.

6. Oxidation Stability
Oxidation stability is required so as to reduce any chance of polymerization (due
to contact with oxygen  at some elevated temperature. This happens due to the
presence of unsaturated.

LOBS VI SULPHUR SATURATES

(as per API) % %

GROUP I 80-120 >0.03 <90

GROUP II 80-120 <0.03 >90

GROUP III >120 <0.03 >90

16
 Vacuum Distillation Unit
Purpose:-To distil the RCO under vacuum for producing vacuum
distillates for preparing feedstock for LOBS manufacturing. Diesel and
VR are by products and residue respectively.

Feed RCO (Reduced Crude Oil) Ex FOB - CDU Bottoms

Gas Oil/ Diesel
Products Spindle Oil
Light Oil
Inter Oil
Heavy Oil
Vacuum Residue (VR) or Short Residue (SR)
Unit
250m3/hr, with Arab Mix /Upper Zakum RCO
Capacity
Distillation
Parameters
Pressure 70 mmHg Absolute
Temperature 360-400 C
Licensor/
IPIP (Romania)
Technology

Process Description:-

RCO is preheated in a series of heat exchangers (pre-heat exchanger train)

by exchanging heat with the high temperature product streams and then
passed through two numbers of fired heaters (furnaces) to achieve
temperature of ~400 C. This heated stream is flashed in a vacuum
distillation column operating with top pressure of 70 mmHg (Abs). Gas oil
reflux is given at the top. Also an internal pump around below the Light
Oil draw tray helps to remove heat from the column. Products like SO, LO,
IO and HO are drawn from different draw nozzles from the column. Each
product is stripped with stripping steam in their respective stripper columns
to remove the lighter components and thereby increases the flash pints of
the products.

17
 All these products are cooled in the feed preheat exchangers followed by
water or tempered water coolers. VR is drawn from the bottom of the
column and is routed to tanks after exchanging heat with the feed stream
followed by steam boilers and tempered water coolers.

Advantages:-
As the boiling points reduce with decrease in pressure, RCO need not be
raised to very high temperature for further distillation. At high cracking
phenomena shall get promoted leading to coke formation in pipe lines,
columns, vessels etc. Coke deposition is strictly undesired as it leads to
blockage/ clogging of pipes and restricts flow leading to unwanted unit
interruptions. Vacuum distillation helps to avoid such occurrence.

• RCO feed temp : 90-115 deg C

• Preheat Temp : 285 deg C
• Coil Outlet Temp : 400 deg C
• Vac Tower Flash Zone Pr. 120-130 mm Hg at 400 deg C
• Vac Tower top Pressure 70 mm Hg (Abs)
• Vac Tower Top Temp : 80 deg C
• Stripping Steam : 6.5-10 Mt/hr
• Product Draw off temp : 232 , 245, 333 & 370 for
SO,LO, IO & HO
• Bottom Quench : 5 m3/hr

Propane de Asphalting unit

Purpose:-

To recover the valuable oil left in the Vacuum Residue from VDU bottoms.
Around 25-30 % oil is left in the VR/ SR which can’t be recovered in the
VDU. The recovered oil called DAO (De-asphalted Oil) is a very good feed
stock for high viscosity LOBS manufacturing.

18
 Feed VR (Vacuum Residue) from VDU bottoms
Products DAO (De-asphalted Oil)
Asphalt
Unit
800000 MT/Yr
Capacity
DAO is recovered by means of Extraction process with liquid
propane as a solvent. Propane dissolves the oil and rejects the
Methodology asphalts. Propane has a reverse solubility for asphalt and thus DAO
quality improves with increase in extraction temperature.
Pressure 38 Kg/ Cm2(g)
Temperature 60-80 C
Propane to 6 to 12
Feed Ratio
Licensor/
M.W. Kellog Technology Co. USA
Technology

Process description:-
VR feed is diluted with propane solvent and sent to extractor columns C 01A/B/C
and C 110. Solvent propane is also fed to the extractor where counter current mass
transfer takes place. Propane dissolves the oil part and comes out from the top as
DAO Mix (contains around 80% propane) while the asphalt being heavy is
withdrawn from the bottom as Asphalt Mix. Propane is recovered both from DAO
Mix and Asphalt Mix and re-circulated in the unit again. ROSE (Residual Oil
Super Critical Extraction) technology has been used to recover the propane from
the DAO Mix phase where DAO Mix Phase is taken to its critical temperature
and pressure conditions. The propane at this state is just below its boiling point
and gets separated from DAO in a pure form in liquid state.
Advantages:-
Recovery of high value DAO which can be upgraded to high viscosity LOBS- BN
(Bright Neutral) and BP (Bright Pale) grades. BN processing also gives wax in SDU
which is further upgraded to high valve Micro Crystalline Wax product in WHFU (U
39).
Operating variables:-
Temperature: Rise in extraction temperature rejects more asphalt and thus DAO
quality improves but yield decreases. Propane to Feed Ratio: Increase in ratio increase
DAO yield but degrades the quality.

19
 Furfural extraction unit
Purpose:-

To remove the aromatic hydrocarbons from the Vacuum Distillates

(SO, LO, IO, HO) and DAO for improving Viscosity Index (VI) of the
products.

Feed Vacuum Distillates (SO, LO, IO, HO) and DAO

Products Raffinates of SO, LO, IO, HO and DAO
Extracts of SO, LO, Io, HO and DAO
Unit Capacity 515000 MT/ Annum
Separation process is Extraction with a solvent named
Furfural. The solvent has high affinity for aromatics and
dissolves them thereby creating two phases- Raffinate Mix
Phase (Lean in aromatics) and Extract Mix Phase (rich in
Methodology aromatics). Solvent is recovered from both the streams and
re-circulated back to the unit after proper drying (removal of
water). Raffinate and Extract products are routed to
their
respective tanks after cooling in the preheat exchangers
followed by water coolers.
Pressure 1-2 Kg/ Cm2(g)
Temperature Top 95-130 C, Bottom 45-80 C
Solvent to Feed 1.2 to 2
Ratio
Licensor/
Technology IPIP (Romania)

20
Process description:-

De-aerated Feed and solvent are fed to an extractor column in a counter

current direction where mass transfer takes place. Solvent is in continuous
phase while the feed is in the distributed phase. The raffinate mix and
extract mix are heated in their respective furnaces and flashed in their
respective recovery circuit columns. The flashed vapours are condensed and
collected in a solvent dryer column to remove water. The dry solvent is re-
circulated back and Raffinate/ Extract products are routed to their respective
storage tanks.

Operating variables:-
Temperature: Rise in extraction temperature rejects more asphalt and thus
DAO quality improves but yield decreases. Propane to Feed Ratio:
Increase in ratio increase DAO yield but degrades the quality.

Hydro finishing unit

Purpose :-
To improve the colour and the colour stability of lube base stocks

21
 Feed De-Waxed Oils from SDU

Products Finished LOBS

Unit Capacity 200000 MT / Annum

Process:-
The process is a mild hydro treating one, using a catalyst in
presence

of Hydrogen at high temperature
 and pressure.
Removes contaminants
  
Sulfur
  
Nitrogen
 
Unsaturates
At high hydrogen partial pressure and in presence of the catalyst, Sulfur
& Nitrogen in the feed get converted to Hydrogen sulfide and
Ammonia respectively. Also unsaturates get saturated
resulting in stable products
Parameter’s name Operating range

Reactor’s outlet temperature 220-340 deg C

Furnace COT 210-330 deg C

Reactor dP 0.5-1.5 kg/cm2g (max. 3.5 kg/cm2g)

System pressure 55-60 kg/cm2g

Make up H2 flow/purity 400-450 kg/h

Licensor/ Technology IFP (France)

Process description:-

Feed mixed with hydrogen is passed through preheat exchangers followed

by a furnace to reach the desired temperature level. This stream is fed to a
reactor. Reactor outlet after cooling is separated from the vapors. The liquid
part is tripped off of lighter components in a vacuum column. Product from
the column bottom is sent to storage. The vapor part after purification is re-
circulated back using the recycle compressors.

Advantages :-
Production of API Group I LOBS of various grades

22
Operating variables: -
Reactor temperature
System pressure
Hydrogen circulation Rate

Vis-breaker unit

Purpose:-
To convert the high viscosity feed stock like VR/Asphalt to low viscosity products
like VB Tar/ Furnace Oil.

Feed Vacuum Residue/ Asphlat/ Heavy Extracts

Products VB Tar/ FO
VB Gas oil, VB Gasolene and Fuel Gas

Unit Capacity 491000 MT/ Annum

Process:-
A mild thermal cracking process, A common process wherein long chain
hydrocarbon molecules in heavy feed stocks are broken into small molecules

23
having low viscosity, thereby leading to a viscosity reduction of feed
stock.Feed stock is heated to relatively lower temperature (435-445 Deg C)
in a furnace and partly cracked VB charge is hold in a Soaker Drum for
longer residence times (25-30 min) to achieve the required conversion.

Process description:-
The feed after passing through a series of preheat exchanges is fed to a
furnace to raise the temperature to around 440 C. This stream is passed
through a soaker vessel where a residence time of around 30 minutes is
given. The soaker is operated at a pressure of around 10 Kg/ Cm2g. The
soaker outlet is fractionated in a column where different products are
separated to produce on spec Furnace Oil/ VB Tar.

Advantages:-
Up gradation f low value feed stocks to valuable distillates and VB Tar

Operating variables:-
Furnace coil outlet temperature
Soaker pressure
Residence time
Operating parameters:-
Furnace outlet temperature: 440 – 443oC
Back pressure: 10 – 12 kg/ cm2 g.
Residence Time: 1200-1800 Second

24
 Catalytic Iso De Waxing unit
Purpose:-

Catalytic De-Waxing unit has the objective of producing

superior grade Group II LOBS.

Feed Raffinates of (SO, LO, IO, HO) and DAO

Products De-waxed oils of SO, LO, IO, HO and DAO
Heavy Distillates, Light distillate and Unstabilized Naphtha
Unit Capacity 200000 MT/ Annum of De-waxed Oil
Conversion of Wax component in Raffinate feed to Non- waxy components
Process is isomerisation of the N-Paraffins to Iso-Paraffins
N Paraffins - Waxy Nature
Methodology Iso- Paraffins - Non Waxy Nature
Feed is purified in a Hydrotreament Reactor and then de-waxed in the De-waxing
reactor followed by a Hydro-finishing reactor.
Vacuum fractionation of the De-waxed, Hydro-finished product for on grade de-
waxed oil products.
Licensor/ Technology Exxon Mobile (USA)
System pressure
Reactors Temperature
Operating Variables
Space velocity in the Reactors
Hydrogen Circulation Rate
Parameter Operating Range
Make up H2 flow 3500-5500 Nm3/h
System pressure 112.5 kg/cm2g
R-01 WART 320-365 deg C
R-02 WART 320-365 deg C
R-03 WART 225-260 deg C
H2 to HC flow ratio 500-650 Nm3/m3 liquid feed

Process Description: -

Feed after preheating is elevated to high temperature in a furnace and fed

to the HDT reactor. The sweetened feed is stripped off H2S + NH3 in a
stripper with pure hydrogen gas and fed to the de-waxing reactor after
elevating to a designated temperature in a furnace after pre-heating. The
de-waxing reactor outlet is then fed to a hydro-finishing reactor. Vapours
after separation in a high pressure separator is recycled back to the system.
The liquid part from the stripper is fractionated in stages to remove the
lighter components for achieving desired specifications.
25
Vapours from Hydrogen stripper are sweetened in an amine wash followed
by a water wash column and the sweet gas is recycled in to the system.

Advantages :-
Production of Group II LOBS with increased yield.

26
 DHDS BLOCK
DHDS block comprises of following main units:-

1. DHDS
2. RFCCU
3. ARU
4. SRU
5. MSQU

DIESEL HYDRO DESULPHURISATION UNIT

Purpose:
To reduce the sulfur content of the sour diesel and to produce sweet diesel with
sulfur content of less than 0.25/0.05 % by wt.

Sulfur removal:
Feed stocks to the union fining .Unit contain simple mercaptanes, sulfides
anddisulfides are easily converted to H2S. Feed stocks containing hetero
atomic,aromatic molecules are preceded by initial ring opening and then sulfur
removalfollowed by saturation of the resulting olefins.

Nitrogen removal:
De-nitrogenation is generally more difficult than desulphurization. The de-
nitrogenation of pyridine proceeds by aromatic ring saturation hydrogynolysis
andfinally de-nitrogenation.

Oxygen removal:
Organically combined oxygen is removed by hydrogenation of the carbon
hydroxyl bond forming water and the corresponding hydrocarbon .Olefin
saturation: Olefin saturation reaction proceeds vary rapidly and have high heat of
reaction.

Aromatic saturation:
Aromatic saturation reaction is the most difficult and exothermic.

Metal Removal:
Metal contained in the crude oil are usually nickel and vanadium. Iron is found
concentrated at the top of the catalyst bed as iron sulfide, which is corrosive. Na,
Ca and Mg are present due to the contact of the bed with salted water or additives.

27
Improper use of additives, to protect the fractionator overhead systems from
corrosion or to control foaming, accounts for the presence of P and Si. Lead may
also deposit on the hydro treating catalyst bed from reprocessing leaded Gasoline
through the crude unit. The total metal retention capacity of the catalyst system
can be increased by using a guard reactor or guard bed of catalyst specially
designed for de-metallisation.

Halide removal:
Organic halides such as chlorides and bromides are decomposed in the reactor.
The inorganic ammonium halides sides, which are produced when the reactor
effluent is cooled, are dissolved by injecting water into the reactor effluent or
removed with a stripper off gas.

Process Description:
The DHDS unit is based on the diesel union fining process of UOP and is
comprised of four main section

1.
feed section

2.
Reactor circuit section

3.
Separator or compressor section
4.
Fraction section

Feed Section
The feed stocks consisting of mainly straight run gas oils and light cycle oil from
FCCU from Storage first passes through feed filters and feed exchangers heated
by stripper bottom’s material before entering a combined feed coalescer and
surge drum. The feed surge drum provides surge volume to even out the
fluctuations in the feed entering the unit.
This surge volume allows the feed to the unit to be kept as constant as possible
which maximize the catalyst life length. Feed from the feed surge drum enters the
feed pumps where its pressure is raised to allow the feed to enter the reactor
circuit. Feed from the feed pump is combined with the recycle gas flow
.Combined feed passes through cold and hot combined heat exchangers where it
is heated by reactor effluent material .Then the feed is sent to the charge heater
where it enters the reactor circuit sector section.

Reactor circuit section

Combined feed from the feed section is heated to reaction temperature in the
charge heater. Then the feed and recycle gas are proceeded in reactor 1and 2
which contain catalyst chosen for its ability to absorb metal in the field and to
provide the proper level of desulphurization required to meet a specified diesel
product property.
28
The reactor 1 has two beds with one intermediate quench point. Quench is
required due to the heat of the reaction and the need to limit the temperature rise
to maintain the proper catalyst cycle length for the chosen space velocity
The reactor 2 is a single bed reactor. To monitor the operation of the reactors bed,
thermocouples are providing at regular intervals. Reactor effluent material is
cooled in the hot combined feed exchanger .Water is injected into this stream
before it enter the separator condenser. After cooling to the appropriate
temperature, this is separated in the separator into vapor and liquid hydrocarbons
phases to decant the sour water phase. The vapor from the separator is cooled in
recycle gas cooler before entering the scrubber KO drum.
The purpose of the recycle gas exchanger is to decrease the due point of the
recycle gas so as to greatly lessen the possibility of condensing hydrocarbons
material in the recycle gas scrubber, such HCs condensation contributes to the
foaming of the amine.

REGENERATION FLUIDISED CATALYTIC

CRACKING UNIT
Cracking Processes:
Cracking is a phenomenon by which large oil molecules are decomposed into
lower boiling molecules. At the same time certain of these molecules, which are
reactive, combine with one another to give even larger molecules than those
present in the original stock.In modern refining industries there are three basic
processes for the conversion of heavy oil into useful products namely thermal
cracking, fluidised catalytic cracking and hydrocracking.

Process Description
Process Chemistry Theory:
Cracking process uses high temperature to convert heavy hydrocarbons into more
valuable lighter products. This can be done either by thermal cracking or catalytic
cracking. Catalytic cracking process has almost superimposed thermal cracking
because of inherent advantage of low temperature and pressure. Catalytic
cracking produces higher octane gasoline, a more valuable cracked gas and less
of undesirable heavy residual products. Theory of catalytic cracking is based on
carbonium ion formation and subsequent hydrogen transfer reaction.Brief
Process Description:
Fluidised cracking unit consists of the following sections:

29
 1. Feed preheat section
2. Reactor/Regenerator section
3. Flue gas section
4. Catalyst Handling section
5. Main fractionators section
6. Product recovery section
7. Amine treating section
Feed Preheat Section-
Cold feed from FCCU feed tank and hot feed from process units are
combined and received feed surge drum, cold feed enters feed surge
drum on level control and hot feed enters surge drum on flow
control.
A water boot on the drum allows for manual draining of any water,
which may accumulate during start up upset conditions.The feed
drum pressure floats on the main fractionator by means of a
balanceline which ties into the fractionators below the LCO draw
chimney tray.

AMINE REGENERATION UNIT

Brief Process Description:

For simplicity, only the chemistry involved in H2S removal is discussed.
Hydrogen Sulphide, H2S or HSH, is a weak acid and ionizes in water to form
Hydrogen ions and sulphide ions:
H2S + H2O→ H3O+ + HS-

Since it is a fairly weak acid, only a fraction of the H2S will ionize.
Similar ionization will occur for the other acidic compounds present.

Di-EthanolAmine (DEA) is a secondary amine. The overall reaction occurring in

the DEA process can be represented by the following equation:
(HOCH2CH2)2NH+H2S → (HOCH2CH2)2NH2++HS-.

Detailed Process Description-

 Rich Amine Section- the Rich Amine System receives the collected rich
amine from the amine absorbers, located in the Diesel Union fining Unit.
Sources include the Recycle Gas Scrubber, located in the reactor section
and the stripper Gas Amine Absorber and located in the fractionation
section of the Diesel Union fining Unit. 


 Rich amine from the Recycle Gas Scrubber and Stripper Gas Amine Absorber
is combined outside battery limit and sent directly to Rich Amine Flash Drum
26-V-01.

 Amine Regeneration Section- The Rich Amine flash drum 26-V-01
separates any entrained liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon from the rich amine.
Liquid hydrocarbon is separated into a reservoir in 26-V-01 and will be
 periodically pumped to a slop oil system by slop oil pump 26-P-
05 A/B. Hydrocarbon vapour separated in 26-V-01, which also contains
some H2S is scrubbed with a small lean amine slipstream in the stack
portion of the drum. The stacked portion consists of Carbon Raschig Ring
random packing to provide intimate contact between the flash gas and the
 lean amine. The sweetened flash gas flows through back pressure
control valve PV-6203 to the acid gas relief header. The drum operates at
 the pressure of 1.93 kg/cm2g.
Rich amine now flows from the bottom of 26-V-01 to Rich amine pump
26-P-01 A/B and then through the tube side of rich lean amine exchanger
28-E-02 A/B. In 26-E-02 A/B the rich amine is heated while the lean amine
from the bottom of amine stripper 26-C-01 is cooled. The heated rich amine
flows through the control valve LV-6202(used to control the level in 26-
V-01) and into 26-C-01. Stripper 26-C-01 strips nearly all of the H2S from
the rich amine, thus regenerated it to lean amine. The stripper contains 23
valve trays with which 20 trays in the stripping section and 3 trays in the
wash section. Stripping steam is generated in the Amine Stripper Reboilers
26-E-03 A/B by vaporising a portion of the water in the column bottoms
(lean amine). A small amount of live stripping stream is also injected into
one the re-boiler return lines (14-P-26-6511) in order to water balance the
entire amine system. The stripping stream flows up through the column,
helping to evolve H2S from the rich amine and heating the solvent to
boiling point. Reboilers 26-E-03 A/B use de superheated MP stream as the
heating medium. The re boiler heating rate is controlled by low selector
FY-6502B of steam flow controller FIC-6502 and pressure controller PIC-
6507. The absolute maximum temperature of the de superheated steam is
160OC in order to prevent amine degradation Condensate from the re-
boilers condensate return system is used as the water source to de-superheat
the reboilers heating steam. Condensate from 26-E-03 A/B flows to
condensate Drum 26-V-04.Whatever is not used for de superheating water
or as makeup water to the Diesel Union fining Unit is pumped to the
condensate header with condensate pump 26-P-04 A/B under level
control(LIC-6601).

31
 Acid gas from the top of 26-C-01, containsH2S, some light hydrocarbons and
water vapours is cooled to drop the temperature (Condensing most of the
water) to minimise the water loss in the overhead in this overhead steam. The
gas is first cooled in Amine Stripper Condenser 26-AC-06 and then further
cooled in Amine Stripper Trim Cooler 26-E-04. The two phase stream flows
to Amine stripper Receiver 26-V-02 where the water is separated from the
remaining acid gas steam. The water from 26-V-02 is pumped via Amine
stripper Reflux pump 26-P-03 A/B as reflux back to the top tray of 26-C-01.
The acid gas from the top of 26-V-02 is normally to the SRU. At shut down
of the SRU or if the SRU is not in operation acid gas is sent to the acid gas
relief header through pressure control valve PV-6505B. Theacid gas pressure
is controlled with pressure control valve PV-6505 via a split ring
configuration at a pressure of 1.77 kg/cm2g. The bottom of 26-C-01 is used
as a surge volume for lean amine to a temperature (43.3 OC), which can be
used by the amine scrubber and absorbs in the Diesel Union fining Unit. The
outlet temperature of 26-E-01 is kept from getting too low by temperature
controller TIC-6402. This acts on the lean amine by pass around the trim
cooler. The lean amine then flows to the filtration system, which filters
approx. 10% slipstream of lean amine through a sense of three filters.

SULPHUR REGENERATION UNIT

Introduction:
The sulphur recovery unit-28/83 of haldia refinery consists of a single train to
recover sulphur from acid gases from amine regeneration unit(UNIT-26) and sour
water stripper off gases ex refinery sour water stripper(UNIT-29).This unit based
on claus recovery concept. It is consisting of one thermal reactor and four
catalytic converters for recovery of sulphur from above streams. The equipments
in the unit shall be divided into three main sections, namely the thermal reactor
section ,claus section and tail gas incineration section. The sulphur recovery
section shall include knock out drums for various inlet streams,a main burner,a
main
combustion chamber,a waste heat boiler, sulphur condenser,catalytic converter-
1,catalytic converter-2,catalytic converter-3,and super claus catalytic converter,a
sulphur pit to storage liquid sulphur, sulphur pumps, pit ejector etc. The tail gas
incineration section includes thermal incinerator burner and vent stack for
disposing of the flue gas from incinerator containing sulphur dioxide. Flue gases
produced by incinerating the tail gases shall be vented through stack to disperse
the sulphur dioxide. Stack is designed for two trains each of 60TPD sulphur

32
capacity.A minimum stack height of 50m is provided.Sulphur recovered in the
process is stored in the pit and is pumped to a yard where sulphur lumps are
produced by quenching the ,molten sulphur using service water.

Sulphur Recovery Rate:

The unit is capable of a sulphur recovery rate of 99 wt% based on operation of
the unit at a capacity and acid gas composition corresponding to one of the cases
as defined.

Design Product Characteristics

The product sulphur will meet the following specification after degassing

  State : liquid sulphur

  Colour: bright yellow(as solid state)
 Purity: min 99.9wt% on dry basis
 Hydrogen sulphide content: 10ppm weight max.

Process Description:
H2S + 3/2 O2 -> SO2 +H2O +heat

The major part of residual H2S combines with SO2 to form sulphur, according
to the equilibrium reaction
2H2S +SO2 < -> 3/2 S2 +2H2O - heat

By this reaction , known as the claus reaction,sulphur is formed in vapour phase

in main burner and combustion chamber .The primary function of the waste heat
boiler is to remove the major portion of heat generated in the main burner.

The secondary function of the waste heat boiler is to utilize the above mentioned
heat to produce MHP steam.

The process gas from the waste heat boiler is passed into the 1 st sulphur
condenser,where the formed sulphur is removed from the gas.

The process gas leaving the sulphur condenser still contains a considerable
concentration H2S and SO2, there for the essential function of the following
equipment is to convert these components to sulphur.
In the 1st ,2nd and 3rd reactor stages the H2S and SO2 react again to form sulphur,
but this time at low temperatures. In the superclaus stage the remaining H2S is
selectively oxidized to sulphur.For this reason it is essential that the combustion

33
in main burner such that down stream the 3rd reactor stage the amount of H2S in
the range of 0.5-0.7 vol% and that the SO2 concentration is as low as possible.

Before entering the 1st reactor, the process gas flow is heated by indirect steam
reheat to obtain the optimum temperature for high conversion of H2S and SO2 to
elemental sulphur and simultaneously a high conversion of COS and CS2 to H2S
and CO2.
In the 1st reactor the H2S and SO2 react again until equilibrium is reached.

2H2S+ SO2 <->3/8 S8 +2H2O+heat

The effluent gas from the 1st reactor passes to the 2nd sulphur condenser.
The process gas flow is routed to the 2nd sulphur reheater , then passed to the 2nd
reactor where equilibrium is established. The sulphur is condensed in the 3 rd
sulphur condenser.
The process gas from the 3rd sulphur condenser is routed to the 3rd steam reheater,
then passed to the 3rd reactor where equilibrium is established.The sulphur is
condensed in 4th sulphur condenser.

MOTOR SPIRIT QUALITY UPGRADATION UNIT (MSQU)

INTRODUCTION:
Process Chemistry Overview:
 Thermodynamics and kinetics- For any chemical reaction, the
thermodynamics dictates the possibility of its occurrence and the amount
of products and unconverted reactants. In fact, some reactions are 100%
completed i.e. all the reactants are converted into products. Other are in
equilibrium i.e. part of the reactants are only converted. The amount of
products and reactants at equilibrium depends upon the operating
conditions and is dictated by the thermodynamics. Note that the
thermodynamics does not mention the time required to reach the
 equilibrium or the full completion of a reaction.
Kinetics dictates the rate of a chemical reaction (i.e. the amount of feed
that disappear in say, one second). Kinetics (rate of reaction) is dependent
upon operating conditions but can also be widely modified through the use
 of properly selected catalyst.
In other words thermodynamics dictates the ultimate equilibrium
composition assuming the time is infinite. Kinetics enables the prediction
of the composition after a finite time. Since time is always limited, when

34
reactions
 are concurrent, kinetics is generally predominant.
A catalyst generally consist of a support (earth oxide, alumina, silica, magnesia)
on which finely divided metal(s) is/are deposited. The metal is always responsible
for the catalytic action. Very often the support has also a catalyst action related
to its chemical nature.

  Catalyst activity, selectivity, stability-
The main characteristics of a catalyst other than its physical and mechanical
properties
 are:
The activity which is the catalyst ability to increase the rate of the reactions
involved. It is measured by the temperature at which the catalyst ability I
increased the rate of the reactions involved. It is measured by the temperature at
which the catalyst must be operated to produce a product on specification, for a
given feed, all other operating conditions being equal.
 
The selectivity expresses the catalyst ability to favour desirable reaction rather than
others.
The stability characteristics the change with time of the catalyst performance (i.e.
activity, selectivity) when operating conditions and feed are stable. It is chiefly
the polymers or coke deposit where affects stability, because it decreases  the

metal contact area. Traces of metal in the feed also adversely affect stability.

 Chemical Reaction- The purpose of the Naphtha Hydro treatment unit is
to protect the isomerisation catalyst by eliminating or reducing to an
acceptable level the impurities present in the naphtha stream. Impurities
such as sulphur, nitrogen, water, halogens, di-olefins, olefins, mercury,
arsenic and other metals are detrimental to catalytic activity. The treatment
process is achieved by passing the naphtha over a bimetallic catalytic bed
 in an adiabatic reactor in the presence of hydrogen.
There are principally two fundamental reactions
 occurring: -Hydro refining
-Hydrogenation


Hydro refining:
This refers to the replacement of the contaminant molecule with hydrogen. Major
hydro refining reactions include desulphurisation, denitrification and de-

oxygenation. These are explained in sections that follow.
a) Desulphurisation:
Sulphides, disulphides and mercaptans react readily to produce the
corresponding saturated or aromatic compound releasing H2S.
Sulphur combined in an aromatic structure like thiophene is more difficult to
react.

35
b)Denitrification:
This reaction occurs at a slower rate than desulphurisation. Here nitrogen is
released to form ammonia
c) De- Oxygenation
Similar to denitrification, de- oxygenation reactions are much more difficult than
desulphurisation. Oxygenated contaminants are not significant problem in virgin
naphtha but more prevalent in cracked and synthetic naphthas. In the de-
oxygenation reactions, the CO bond is broken and the corresponding saturated
aliphatic or aromatic is formed together with water.

+ H2 + H2O

Phenol OH Benzene

 Hydrogenation- Hydrogenation or olefin saturation is the addition of

hydrogen to an unsaturated hydrocarbon to produce a saturated product.
Olefinic hydrocarbons are not normally present in straight run naphthas but
can be found in high concentrations in cracked naphthas. The olefin
saturation reaction is highly exothermic and proceeds relatively easily and
quickly (in top section of the catalyst bed).


CH3-CH2-CH=CH-CH CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3


CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH=CH2 CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3
Olefins at temperature involved in reforming process (about 500oC) result in
coke deposits on the reforming catalyst and hence must be hydrogenated to
avoid coke deposition on catalyst. Olefins hydrogenation reactions are
exothermic. Heat of reaction is around 30 Kcal/mol. Minimal hydrogenation of
aromatics occurs, estimated at less than one per cent. This is a consequence of
high selectivity of the AXENS bimetallic catalyst.

Catalyst characteristics-
There are two catalysts used in the Hydro treatment unit: HR-945(1st bed of the
reactor) for Olefins hydrogenation and the HR-448 (2nd bed of the reactor) for
the
 desulphurisation and the denitrification.

36
The main features of all the hydro treating catalysts are:
1. High purity alumina support having a strong resistance to attrition.

2.High stability and selectivity towards the desirable hydro treating reactions.

3.Ease of regenerability.
The association of the above
  qualities gives the following advantages:
1.Efficient hydro treating.
2.Minimal yield loss.

3.Long catalyst life

Catalyst mechanism: Reaction mechanisms in catalyst naphtha hydro

treating are known only for a few reactants and results are not easily
generalised. As desulphurisation is the predominant reaction taking place,
using thiophene as a model reactant, studies have shown that the first
reaction of thiophene is the C-S bond cleavage to form 1,3 butadiene, rather
than hydrogenation of the C=C bond.

e.g.

+ 2H2 CH=CH-CH=CH2 + H2S

s
Thiophene Butadiene

The subsequent reaction is then:


CH=CH-CH=CH2+2H2 CH3-CH2-CH2-CH3
 Process flow description:
The following process description includes following sections:
-Naphtha splitter
-NHDT (Naphtha Hydro treatment)
-Reformer splitter

Naphtha Splitter
The straight run naphtha enters the unit at the battery limit conditions (4.0 kg/cm2
g and 40OC) and is directed to SR naphtha surge drum 85-B-01 is maintained
under a pressure of 1.5 kg/cm2g by blanketing with fuel gas using split range
pressure controller. The fuel gas blanketing is provided in the surge drum 85-B-01
to maintain constant pressure 1.5 kg/cm2g in the surge drum is order to avoid
37
ingress of air and formation of explosive mixture. The fuel is admitted to PIC-
0103 when pressures in the surge drum falls below the set point. When the
pressure in the surge drum exceeds the set point PIC-0130 releases the pressure to
flare header.
The naphtha is pumped under flow control FIC-0105 by naphtha splitter feed
pump 85-P-01 A/B. One pump is working and other is standby. The stand by
pump shall be started manually. The naphtha splitter feed pump 85-P-01 A/B is
provided with minimum flow by pass line through flow controller. When the
process flow becomes less than pump minimum flow requirement on minimum
flow by pass line will open to maintain pump minimum flow. The pump
minimum flow by pass line is connected to surge drum 85-B-01 SR naphtha
feed inlet line. The naphtha splitter feed is heated by hot naphtha splitter
bottoms from 85-P-04 A/B in naphtha splitter feed/effluent exchanger 85-E-01
A/B and enters the naphtha splitter column 85-C-01 on tray #26 at 94OC.
The liquid hydrocarbon is pumped by the naphtha splitter reflux pump and
split into 3 parts:
1. One part is sent to the column as reflux under flow control FIC-0101
cascaded with temperature control on tray #37 of splitter column.
2. A part is sent as light naphtha to NHDT unit under flow control FIC-
0203(slave) that is cascaded with the level controllerLIC-
0201(Master) in the SR Naphtha surge drum.
3. Rest is mixed under flow control that is cascaded with level controller
in the naphtha splitter reflux drum with heart cut and sent to the
storage as excess naphtha.

A side cut (heart cut) is withdrawn on tray #31 under level control. It is pumped
by 85-P-02 A/B (1 working+1 standby) under flow control, mixed with a part of
light naphtha and cooled and sent to storage as Excess naphtha. 85-P-03 A/B is
provided with minimum flow bypass line. The NHDT unit is designed to process
light naphtha combined with FCC gasoline heart cut. However, a slip stream of
naphtha heart cut may be injected in the light naphtha as NHDT feed. The quantity
of naphtha heart cut shall be limited to 30% of the total naphtha fed to the NHDT
unit.

Heavy naphtha from the naphtha splitter bottom is pumped by 85-P-04

A/B (1 working + 1 standby), cooled by 85-E-01 A/B and 85-E- 04. Then
it is sent under flow control with level reset to catalytic reforming unit
via storage.

38
 BITUMEN
Bitumen is a thermoplastic material and its stiffness is dependent on
temperature. The temperature-vs-stiffness relationship of bitumen is dependent
on the source of crude oil and the method of refining.

There are two types of Bitumen produced in the OM&S – II :

1. Bitumen Bulk
2. Bitumen Emulsion

Process Description:
The Vacuum Residue(VR) produced as bottom product from the Lube oil
Block ‘s VDU unit from the Reduced Crude Oil feed is taken in the Propane
Deasphalting Unit to produce asphalt as the bottom product.
The asphalt produced is also known as Bitumen and is stored in the Bitumen
tank situated in Tank Farm Area.

Various Grades of Bitumen:

1. VG-10 BITUMEN: VG-10 is widely used in spraying applications

such as surface-dressing and paving in very cold climate in lieu of old
80/100 Penetration grade. It is also used to manufacture Bitumen
Emulsion and Modified Bitumen products.
2. VG-20 BITUMEN: VG-20 is used for paving in cold climate & high
altitude regions
3. VG-30 BITUMEN: VG-30 is primarily used to construct extra heavy
duty Bitumen pavements that need to endure substantial traffic loads.
It can be used in lieu of 60/70 Penetration grade.
4. VG-40 BITUMEN: VG-40 is used in highly stressed areas such as
intersections, near toll booths and truck parking lots in lieu of old
30/40 Penetration grade. Due to its higher viscosity, stiffer Bitumen
mixes can be produced to improve resistance to shoving and other
problems associated with higher temperature and heavy traffic loads.

GRADES PENETRATION VISCOSITY

VG-10 80 to 100 800-1200 poise
VG-30 46 to 55 2400-3200 poise
VG-40 35 to 44 3500-4000 poise

39
Bitumen is transported by two modes:

1. Truck Tank Loading

2. Drum Filling

Bitumen transport has a major disadvantage of turning into solid at room

temperature. So, it is heated during filling to keep it in fluidized condition
and trucks are built in a way so as to provide thermal insulation.
Also while unloading of trucks woods are burnt to bring back the solid
bitumen to fluid state.

40
 EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT
Unit Capacity : 550 m3/h (existing), 790 m3/h (augemented)
Technology:

 Collection & Pre-Mechanical treatment

 Flotation

 Two stage biological treatment system by bio-tower and activated sludge

plant

 Sludge dewatering in drying beds

Inlet : 600 m3/hr oily water sewage + Spent caustic

Process Description:
The feed inlet is taken into sump from where it is further sent to Holding
tank – 1 (T-103) and Holding tank- 2 (T-109) to increase residence time so
that the oil water emulsion settles down under gravity into three phases:
1. Floating oil at the top
2. Suspended oil with water in the middle
3. Sludge at the bottom
Oil and water which is separated from the holding tank is then sent to TPI
(Tilted Plate Intersection) oil separator in which oil molecules comes up due
to agitation and is collected with the help of oil collector vent pipe. The
outlet is sent to Equilization pond at laminar flow where a belt skimmer is
used to remove oil from the top section.
After Physical Seperation , removal of ammonia , sulphide , phenol ,
cyanide and furfural takes place. These wastes are generated from different
units in the plant and its concentration has to be maintained under standard
environmental safety values before the water can be reused.
A flash mixing tank is taken where H2O2 dosing is done.
H2O2 + H2S = S + 2 H2O
Then the outlet is transferred to a flocculation tank where PAC (Poly
Aluminium Chloride) is used to de suspend the oil remaining in the water.
Then this is fed to DAF(Dissolved Air Flocculation) in which froth is
generated which is removed.
Biological Seperation includes pH maintaining , increasing dissolved oxygen
and removal of oil by bacterial growth. The outlet from the DAF unit is taken

41
into a sump where NaOH is dosed to maintain pH of water. Then this is sent
to a bio tower where water is sprayed over a bed of HDPE packing material
which helps in bacterial growth. This phenomemon is also known as
Trickling Bed Filter. Then this is sent to Aeration Tank where air is provided
to the bacterial sludge. The Holding Residence Time is kept near 10 hrs. Ten
it is send to Clarifier where Activated Sludge coalesces to form lump and
gets to the bottom of the clarifier and is removed.
Treated water is then taken to tertiary treatment plant where it is passed
through RO.

Uses:
The water free from oil is then sent to boiler as feed water and also to
cooling water make up unit, The sludge is then sent to specified area for
dumping.

42
 OIL MOVEMENT & STORAGE BLOCK

Imported crude, brought by tankers, stored in Refinery's storage tanks is

processed successively in different units and finished petroleum products are
obtained, which are despatched for marketing by tankers, barges, wagons, trucks,
pipeline, drums, cylinders etc.

The process is a continuous one and the Oil Movement and Storage Division
(OM&S) of the production department plays an important role in maintaining
smooth, continuous operation of the Refinery.

The broad functions of OM&S are listed as follows :-

o Receipt and storage (a) Crude oil from tankers (b) Intermediate and
Finished products from process units.
o Preparation and supply of feed to various units.
o Blending of products. & certification of products.
o Despatch of certified products.
o Supply of Internal fuel oil to all Furnaces.
o Unloading, storing and supplying various solvents and chemicals to
units.
o Recovery of steam condensate.
o Accounting of petroleum products and observing necessary
customs and excise formalities.

OM&S IS SUBDIVIDED INTO FOLLOWING AREAS FOR

OPERATIONAL CONVENIENCE

 Crude tanker unloading.

 Crude tank farm including MCO Tank Farm.

 LPG storage area.

 LPG Bottling plant & Bulk Truck Loading.

 El, E2, E3 tank farms .

 E4,E6 Tank farms.



  Fl, F2, F7 Tank Farms

 F3 tank farm.

 Tank wagon loading.

 Tank Truck loading.

 700 tank farm

 750 tank farm and condensate recovery station.

 800 tank farm.

 850 tank f arm.

 900 tank farm.

 950 tank farm.

 Bitumen cooling unit.

 Bitumen drums filling station and Bulk despatch .

 Bitumen Emulsion

 Micro-crystalline Wax Palletizing unit .

 Solvent tank farm.


44
 ONCE THROUGH HYDROCRACKER UNIT
OHCU comprises of three units

1. Hydro cracker
2. Hydrogen Generation unit
3. Nitrogen generation unit

Hydrocracker

Feed: Straight run gas oil, Vacuum gas oils, Cycle oils, Coker Gas oils, thermally
cracked stocks, Solvent de asphalted residual oils, straight run naphtha, cracked
naphtha.
Product: Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Motor gasoline, Reformer feeds,
Aviation turbine fuel, Diesel fuels, heating oils, Solvent and thinners, Lube oil,
FCC feed

Hydro cracking processes involved two types of catalyst:

1.Hydro pre treatment catalyst

2.Hydro cracking catalysts

1. Hydro treating (Pre treat) Catalyst

The main objective of pretreat catalyst is to remove organic nitrogen from the
hydro cracker feed allowing

(i) Better performance of second stage hydro cracking catalyst, and

(ii) The initiation of the sequence of hydro cracking reactions by

saturation of aromatic compounds

Pre treat catalyst must have adequate activity to achieve above objectives within
the operating limits of the hydrogen partial pressure, temperature and LHSV.

2.Hydro cracking Catalyst:

Hydro cracking catalyst is a bi-functional catalyst and has a cracking function and
hydrogenation dehydrogenation function. The former is provided by an acidic
support whereas the latter is imparted by metals. Acid sites (Crystalline zeolite,
amorphous silica alumina, mixture of crystalline zeolite and amorphous oxides)
provide cracking activity. Metals [Noble metal (Pd, Pt) or non- noble metal

45
sulphides (Mo, Wo or Co, Ni)] provide hydrogenation dehydrogenation activity.
These metals catalyze the hydrogenation of feed stocks making them more
reactive for cracking and hetero-atom removal as well reducing the coke rate.

Zeolite based hydro cracking catalysts have following advantages of greater

acidity resulting in greater cracking activity; better thermal/hydrothermal
stability; better naphtha selectivity; better resistance to nitrogen and sulphur
compounds; low coke forming tendency, and easy regenerability.

The unit consists of the following sections:

1. Furnace
2. First stage Reactor section
3. Second stage Reactor section
4. High pressure separator
5. Fractionation Section
6. Light Ends Recovery section

Effect of Operating Parameters

Various operating parameters affecting hydro cracking are Reaction
temperature, Hydrogen partial pressure, Hourly feed velocity of the feed,
Hydrogen recycle ratio.
Temperature increase accelerates cracking reaction on acid sites and displaces the
equilibrium of hydrogenation reactions towards dehydrogenation. Too high
temperature limits the hydro cracking of aromatic structure .The pressure
influences significantly the equilibrium of dehydrogenation-hydrogenation
reactions that takes place on the metallic sites. The increase in pressure for a given
molar ratio H2/feed corresponds to increase in the partial pressure of hydrogen,
will produce an increase the conversion of the aromatic structures to saturated
products which will improve the quality of jet fuel, diesel fuel and oil with very
high viscosity index.

Effect of Feedstock:
A higher content of aromatic hydrocarbons requires higher pressure and higher
hydrogen/feed ratio, the lowest possible temperature and a higher hydrogen
consumption of hydrogen.

Effects of Feed Impurities:

Hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen compounds and aromatic molecules present in the
feed affect the hydro cracking reactions. Increase in nitrogen result in lower
conversion. Ammonia inhibits the hydro cracking catalyst activity, requiring
higher operating temperatures.

46
Polymeric compounds have substantial inhibiting and poisoning effects. Poly
nuclear aromatics present in small amount in the residue deactivate the catalyst.

47
 Hydrogen generation Unit
Purpose-
To cater the refinery hydrogen demand in order to produce low sulphur& high
quality products from hydro treater and hydro cracking.

Introduction: - Hydrogen generation unit was commissioned with a capacity

10,000 metric tonnes per annum of 99.99% pure hydrogen that subsequently
increased to 150000 MTPY with a revamp in may 2003.

Feed is mixture of naphtha & FCC gasoline in ratio of 80:20 by wt. Feed
impurities are unsaturated hydrocarbon sulphur & chlorine.

Chemical reaction

RSH + H2 RH + H2S

RCl + H2 RH+ HCl

R=R + H 2 R-R
Process description:-

1. Pre-desulphurization :- Unsaturated component as well as high

amount of organic sulphur is removed from feed by catalytic
conversion which is separated from naphtha by distillation
R1SS2 + 3H2 R1H + R2H + 2H2S
COS + H2 CO + H2S
2. Final desulphurization: - In this further catalytic hydrogenation of
the residual organic sulphur followed by adsorption of the hydrogen
sulphide on selective adsorbent bed. ZnO bed and
CoMox catalyst are used for the removal of the sulphur and
chlorine compound
RCl + H2 RH + HCl
3. Pre- reforming:- In this the feed is reacted in presence of steam to
give a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen over a
nickel bed catalyst

CnHm + n H2O CO + (m+n) H2

CO2 + 4H2 CH4 + 2H2O
CO + H2O CO2 + H2

48
4. Reformer :- In order to achieve high yield of hydrogen from the feed
stock after pre reforming methane is converted in reformer which
operate at high temperature
5. Shift conversion: - the process gas leaving the reforming section
contains carbon monoxide which is converted into CO2 and hydrogen.
The reactor is operated at lowest possible temperature in order to
recover the heat and the hydrogen generation from the feed stock.
there are two temperature at which reactor are operating high
temperature shift and low temperature shift
CO + H2O CO2 + H2

6. Pressure swing adsorption :- PSA technology is used to remove

impurities form reformer gas this is achieved by molecular sieve which
adsorb the contaminant and allow the hydrogen to pass

PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM:

49
 Nitrogen Generation Unit

Properties of Nitrogen:

Nitrogen is a diatomic gas which constitutes 78% of the earth atmosphere. Its
atomic weight is 14.

Physical Properties: Colourless, Odourless, and Tasteless

Chemical Properties:

1.Density (at 0 °C and 1 atm): 1.251 g/L.

2.Dew Point :: -172 °C

3.Melting Point: -210 0C

4.Boiling Point : -195.8 0C

Properties of Oxygen:

Oxygen is a diatomic gas which constitutes about 21% of the earth’s atmosphere.
It is most commonly found in its diatomic form which is molecular oxygen (O 2)
and the triplet state known as Ozone (O3) which is a highly active compound. Its
atomic wt is 16.

Physical Properties: Colourless , Odourless, Tasteless

Chemical Properties:

1. Density (at 0 °C and 1 atm) :: 1.432 g/l

2. Dew Point :: -165 °C

3. Melting Point :: -218.4 0C

4. Boiling Point :: -183.0 0C

Raw materials

1- Air

Process description:
It consists of following section-Air Compression Section, Refrigeration
Section, Pre-Purification Section, Cold Box, and Storage Tanks.

50
Air compression section:-The Air compressors receive air through Air Suction
Filter and then pressurized dust and oil free air is discharged to the Refrigeration
Section. This Section consists of a 3-stage Compressors

Refrigeration Section:-Air enters the Refrigeration section DX Chiller where it is

cooled down to a temperature of about 8 to 12 deg C.Refrigerant Used-1,1,1,2
tetra fluoro ethane(R134A).Vaporized R134A returns to the refrigeration
compressors and is discharged to the condensors where it is cooled down by
cooling water. The liquid R134A is then routed to vapouriser96-E-14 after
exchanging heat with gaseous R134A and partial vaporisation through where it
again cools the air by gaining latent heat of vaporisation from the air.

Pre-Purification Section:-AIR has been cooled to 8-12 oC at 8.7 kg/cm2, thus a

part of Saturated Water is condensed. To separate this moisture air is sent to the
Moisture Separator. Then the air is sent to one of the two adsorber. Here moisture
traces and CO2 are removed through Activated alumina and Molecular sieve beds
respectively. These Adsorbers adsorb impurities at a temperature of about 10 oC
and are regenerated at a temperature of around 130 to 180 oC. Thus they are
Temperature Swing Adsorbers .The heating for the regeneration is done using an
electric regeneration heater .After having passed through the adsorbers the air is
the directed to the COLD BOX through filters.

Cold box section:-The Cold Box process can be divided into 3 parts:

Cooling down and liquefaction of air-: Air enters exchanger and is cooled in
counter current flow to outgoing pure N2, waste air coming from column. The air
flows out at partly liquid state and enters the lower part of column.

Fractionating the air by distillation-: The air coming from exchanger enters the
bottom of column below the bed of trays at -165.8 deg C. The vaporizer ensures
the cooling down by its Rich Liquid bath and performs condensation of the rising
vapour. N2 which is in gaseous state is received from the column top and O2 rich
liquid is received from the column bottom. This liquid is further used for the
exchange of Cold energy with incoming dry air.

Productions of the Column and Vaporizer:-From the top of the Column the pure
gaseous Nitrogen is available at about 10oC after having exchanged heat in
counter flow to treated air in exchanger. At the top of the vaporizer 96-E-03 the
Waste Air flows out at about 5.58 kg/sq. cm, - 171.23 deg C. This Waste Air is
utilized expansion turbine, which provides the necessary refrigeration for the
plant by expanding the waste air. At the outlet of the exchanger, a part of this
Waste Air at about 13oC and 1.2 kg/sq cm is utilized to regenerate the adsorbent

51
beds of Absorbers. From the liquid receiver at the upper part of the Column a part
of the pure Liquid Nitrogen can be drawn off as product. If purity of Nitrogen is
more than 3 ppm (vol.) oxygen, the gaseous Nitrogen product is vented off.

Nitrogen Storage: A small portion of the reflux to Column C-01 is sent to Tank
T-01 A/B as liquid N2 storage. In case of Plant Shutdown, and header pressure
down, LN (Liquid N2) is passed to vaporizers (96-E-04A/B) which vaporizes LN
to Gaseous state and supply to header. These tanks are vacuum insulated so as to
prevent the LN from vaporizing inside the tanks.

Process Flow Diagram:

52
 CONCLUSION

From CDU and VDU, We get to know how from physical separation
different products are obtained and various process equipments and unit
operations.
From DHDS, KHDS & SRU, we get wide knowledge of sulphur recovery
which is much important for environmental aspects.
Today LPG & Gasoline are important for automobile and domestic
purpose, but from CDU, we get less amount of LPG and Gasoline than our
requirement. So, the RFCCU supplies the additional LPG and Gasoline
requirement.
Haldia refinery is only refinery which also takes an important role for lube
oil production and separation of aromatics wax and asphalt from lube oil is
very much important.
Although we could not get enough time to go through all the processes
under operation plant, the training helped us to deepen our knowledge
regarding the application of mass transfer, heat transfer, fluid mechanics
and thermodynamics which are the basics of chemical engineering.

53
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