AREA 3

DESIGN PROJECT 2023

Refining of cracked Bio-naphtha
AREA THREE BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION

Motivation
The key function of Area 3 is to take the light stream from the depropaniser in Area 2. This will contain
components of length C3 and below. The feed needs to be separated into streams of methane,
Ethane, ethylene and a further streams containing products of length C3 to be delivered to Area 4.

The issues which the Area 3 engineer will need to consider

1. How to go about the separation?

If using distillation what order will the separation be done in?

2. What conditions to run the separation?

Running distillation columns at pressures other than atmospheric is possible, but hazardous. Equally
low temperatures are possible but hazardous. What are the optimum conditions to run any distillation
columns at?

3. Heat integration

Heat integration is going to be crucial for the financial and sustainability viability of this plant. The
Area 2, 3 and 4 engineers will need to work closely. It is recommended that the heat integration
specialist task is taken by one of these engineers

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 AREA 3

Area 3 scope of work

Please refer to page 3 of the “Detailed organisation” document for a complete description of the tasks
that an Area engineer must complete as part of their “scope of work”. Those parts of the scope of
work that are specific to Area 3 are listed below.

Design problem definition

Area engineers should clearly answer the following questions:
• How many separation units are required
• How much heat can be exchanged with areas 2, 3 and 4

Detailed design modelling

The model should include the largest distillation column in the area design.

Sensitivity Analysis
The effect of the following parameters should be considered:
• Delivery rate from Area 2
• Exchangeable energy with other areas

The sensitivity study should be able to answer the following questions:

• What storage capacity should be used
• How are the stated choices of inlet conditions likely to affect other process Areas?

Data sheet requirement

The Area 3 engineer should provide data sheets for all other equipment within the Area.

Area 3 interaction with other Areas

The Area 3 engineer will need to work closely with the Area 2 and 4 engineers. Significant scope for
collaborative optimisation exists and design decisions taken will impact many Areas. The list below
outlines, non-exhaustively, some of the information that needs to be passed between areas.

Key information that the Area 3 engineer requires to exchange with Areas 2 and 4:

• Ability for Heat exchange

• Properties of inlet to Area 3 from Area 2
• Properties of ethylene stream to Area 4

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