Design of petroleum refining equipment

Under the supervision of Dr/ Mostafa Awad

By
Mohamed Samir Mostafa Kamel
Omar Mohamed Ali Elhalouty
Sherif Hussein Nasry Elbyoumy
Osama Khaled Saad
Ahmed Abd El Baset Ahmed

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Introduction:
In order to fully understand the bubble cap tray, we
must first investigate the column and tower which are
the heart of the petrochemical industry as bubble cap
tray is considered an internal of the column.
Columns are pillar-shaped vessels, which are mainly
used in the (petro) chemical industry for distillation or
the extraction of substances. They often form the key
elements in chemical or petrochemical plants. The
processes in columns often only operate at certain
temperatures.

Types of distillation column:

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1) Distillation Tower Components
In a distillation tower with bubble cap trays used in the refining industry, the
various components include:

1.1. Tower Shell: The tower shell is the main cylindrical structure of the distillation
tower, typically made of steel. It provides a containment vessel for the entire
distillation process.

1.2. Bubble Caps: Bubble caps are dome-shaped caps with slots or holes. They
are placed on each tray to facilitate vapor and liquid distribution. The bubble caps
promote efficient vapor-liquid contact and help separate components based on
their boiling points.

1.3. Tray Deck: The tray deck is a horizontal platform

on which the bubble caps are mounted. It provides
structural support for the bubble caps and serves as
a surface for vapor and liquid flow.

1.4. Downcomers: Downcomers are vertical pipes or

tubes that connect the tray above to the tray below.

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They allow the liquid to flow from one tray to
another, maintaining a consistent liquid flow
across the column.

1.5. Vapor Risers: Vapor risers are vertical

pipes or risers that connect the underside of the tray deck to the space above the
tray. They enable the upward movement of vapor through the bubble caps,
facilitating vapor-liquid contact.

1.6. Weirs: Weirs are metal barriers or dams located around the perimeter of the
tray deck. They help control the liquid flow by maintaining a specific liquid level on
the tray, preventing excessive liquid carryover, and promoting uniform liquid
distribution across the tray

1.7. Chimney Tray: The chimney tray is an additional tray located above the top
tray of the distillation column. It provides space for vapor-liquid disengagement,
allowing better separation of the vapor and liquid phases before they exit the
tower.

1.8. Overhead Vapor Outlet: The overhead vapor outlet is an opening located at
the top of the distillation tower. It allows the separated vapor to exit the tower and
proceed to further processing or condensation.

1.9. Liquid Downcomer Outlet: Each downcomer has a liquid outlet located at the
bottom of the tray. It allows the liquid to flow down to the tray below, maintaining
proper liquid flow through the tower.

1.10. Bottom Liquid Outlet: The bottom liquid outlet is located at the base of the
distillation tower. It serves as the collection point for the separated liquid, which is
then directed to further processing or storage.

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These components work together to create a series of stages or trays within the
distillation tower. The bubble caps, downcomers, vapor risers, and weirs enable
efficient vapor-liquid contact, separation, and liquid distribution. The chimney tray
aids in vapor-liquid disengagement, and the overhead vapor outlet and liquid
outlets allow for the removal and collection of separated vapor and liquid from the
tower.

2) Tower trays and internals:

Tower trays and internals are the heart of all distillation columns. Their design is
an essential part of a process engineer’s task and
determines the process reliability and economy.
2.1. Bubble Cap trays have been used for about 80 years
in technical applications and are a very well studied tray
type. Nowadays, they are mainly used for handling low
liquid loads, as for this field of application there are only
few alternatives. On a distillation tray vapor enters liquid
and forms a two phase regime (bubbling, froth, spray). The tray types differ mainly
in the way the vapor enters the liquid. For Bubble Cap Trays the gas flow path is
very different compared to other tray types.
Before entering the liquid, the gas ascends in the riser, is redirected in the top of
the cap and then flows downwards in the cylindrical annular gap. Finally, the vapor
enters the liquid layer through vertical slots, holes or the skirt of the cap.
As long as the riser is higher than the outlet weir and the panels and risers are
liquid-tight, the tray is able to handle very small amounts of liquid. This is the main
advantage of this tray type and a typical field of application.

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The main disadvantages are the relatively high costs for the equipment and a
higher pressure drop compared to other tray types.
There are many different types and sizes of
bubble caps. Historically, there are cast iron
types (still in use!), oval, rectangular and
round bubble caps.
Today, new bubble cap trays are usually
equipped with bubble caps with an outer cap
diameter of 2 inch, 3 inch, 4 inch or 6 inch. As
the caps are fabricated by deep drawing, the
material thickness is about 1mm. For special
materials types or thick materials, the caps
are rolled and welded.
The cap is normally bolted (double nut!) to the
riser, sometimes welded, sometimes wedged.
(It is not fun to move on the top of bubble
caps for maintenance or inspection duty.)
The caps are categorized by the top level of the gas opening and the area of the
openings (expressed by a function of the “opened” height of the slots / skirt).
The pitch of the bubble caps is important for the function of the tray: In standard
applications it is triangular and expected
to be 1.25 .. 1.5 times the cap diameter
The risers are welded or pressed in the
tray panel or gasketed by pulling the
riser flange to the tray panel.
The values of the riser area, the reversal
area, the annular gap as well as the escape area of the bubble cap have to be
balanced. As the fabrication possibilities are on the one hand confined by the riser
dimension, which is limited by the available pipe dimensions, and on the other
hand by the cap, which is restricted to the dimensions of the deep drawing tools,
you will have to find a compromise to have almost equal values for all areas.
The relative free area (riser area per active area) is typically about 5 to 10% and
the resulting total pressure drop per tray is about 8 to 12mbar. The tray spacing is
usually not less than 500mm (for large tower diameters it should be higher due to
inspection and maintenance reasons).

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2.2. The Operating Area of a bubble cap tray is defined by different limits.
Qualitative operation diagram is shown. the position and shape of all curves
depend on the physical data, the tray and cap geometry and the gas/liquid load.
Each curve can be limiting!
The Operation Point of the design case (as well as the minimum and maximum
load) has to stay inside all limiting curves. For stable operation and good efficiency
there is a useful operation area with narrower limits

A) System flood ffsf:

There is a system limit set by the superficial vapor velocity in the tower. When the
vapor velocity exceeds the settling velocity of liquid droplets ("Stokes Law
Criterion“), vapor lifts and takes much of the liquid with it. A well known model was
published by STUPIN AND KISTER 2003.
This flooding effect cannot be reduced by use of other tray types or by increasing
tray spacing.
The only way is to enlarge the vapor cross section area (e.g. enlarging tower
diameter or reduce downcomer area)

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B) Jet flood FFJF:
There are several definitions in literature for the so called Jet Flood. Similar
definitions are Entrainment Flood, Massive Entrainment, Two- Phase Flood or
Priming. For practical under- standing, Jet Flood describes any liquid carried to
the tray above by the gas stream. This leads to a shortcut
recycling of the liquid with loss of tray efficiency, additional pressure drop and
additional downcomer load. For good tray performance, the Jet Flood value
should be less than 75-80%.
You can reduce Jet Flood by
a. lowering the gas velocity (higher open area, i.e. more bubble caps, higher
escape area)
b. enlarging the tray spacing
c. lowering the froth height on the tray deck (by reducing weir height or weir crest
height)
d. enlarging the active area (i.e. the gas flow area) by sloping the downcomers

C) Pressure drop:
To reduce the pressure drop of a design, you can
a. lower the gas velocity by enlarging the number of bubble caps or change their
geometry
b. lower the froth height on the tray deck (by reducing weir height or weir crest
height)
c. enlarge the active area (with place for more bubble caps) by reducing the
downcomer area or sloping the downcomers

D) Aerated downcomer backup:

This limiting effect is also known as Downcomer Backup Flood. It describes the
(aerated) backup of the downcomer due to pressure drop effects. It is important to
not mix this up with the Choke-Flood-effect. The level of the liquid in the
downcomer is the result of (i) head loss at the clearance, (ii) the liquid height on
the outlet deck, (iii) an inlet weir (if present) and (iv) the pressure drop of the tray
itself. All these effects can be expressed by “hot liquid height”. This resulting level
in the downcomer has to compensate these effects! Taking into account the

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aeration of the liquid in the downcomer, the level has to be less than tray spacing
plus weir height.
To reduce a high Aerated Downcomer Backup value you have to
a. reduce the pressure drop of the tray (ref. to 3)
b. reduce the head loss of the clearance (use higher clearance height or radius
lips or recessed seal pans in case of insufficient sealing)
c. avoid inlet weirs

E) Pulsation:
The slots of bubble caps are opened by the gas flow. To have a stable operation,
the gas has to open all slots of all bubble caps. If there is not enough gas
(minimum slot velocity not reached), the bubble caps are pulsating. To reduce
Pulsating you have to a. change cap design (less slots, reduce width of slots) b.
reduce number of bubble caps

F) Minimum weir load:

The uniform thickness of the two-phase layer is essential for the successful
operation of a tray. To achieve this uniform flow, the tray panels have to be in level
and the outlet weir has to be installed accurately. To compensate small tolerances,
the weir crest should be higher than 3mm and the weir load more than 9 m³/m/h.
In case of low weir loads you will normally have to consider gasketing the tray to
avoid any leakage and loss of liquid. To ensure these minimum values, you can
use
a. notched weirs
b. blocked weirs

G) Minimum weir load:

The maximum liquid flow handled by a down- comer can also be limited by the
weir. If the weir crest exceeds 37mm or the weir load 120 m³/m/h, the liquid will
not enter the down- comer properly. To prevent overload of the weir, you have to
extend the weir length by
a. larger downcomers with longer weirs (or multichordal downcomers)
b. more flow passes
c. swept back weirs at the side downcomers
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H) Choke flood:
The maximum liquid throughput of a down- comer is limited by the liquid velocity
and the effect of overload (so called Choke Flood). The maximum allowable liquid
velocity in the down- comer depends on the density ratio of gas to liquid, the tray
spacing and the system factor. (The system factor describes the difficulty of phase
separation. For common applications it is 1.0.) The most popular downcomer
choke flooding calculation was published by GLITSCH 1993. Another effect of
Choke Flood at center and off- center downcomers is initiated by the mutual
interference of the two liquid flows into the downcomer. To prevent downcomer
Choke Flood you have to
a. enlarge the downcomer area
b. implement more flow passes (with in sum an overall higher downcomer area)
c. enlarge the tray spacing (if limiting)
d. install anti-jump baffles for center / off-center downcomers

I) Overload caps:
At high gas loads, the space between the caps is dried - the liquid can’t enter this
region and is blown to a froth layer above the caps. This is not a recommended
and stable regime! The effect is close to the Blowing effect of sieve trays (where
the liquid layer is “disconnected” from the tray panel and blown upwards).
Therefore, the bottom skirt of the bubble cap should not be used for the gas outlet.
(In a teacup design, the skirt should not be blown totally free.)
To prevent overload of caps, you can
a. adapt the design of the caps (more slots, enlarge width of slots, higher skirt)
b. enlarge the number of caps

3) Material Selection of the tower and its internals:

The material used in petrochemical industry and the oil and gas industry etc, are
very important because of the kind of chemicals and contaminants they face.
Carbon steel is a type of material used for constructing refinery equipment the
control of corrosion in petrochemical equipment is done by selecting high
corrosive resistant materials and it is the core method of control. Another method
is the protective coatings and this helps to cover the layers of the steel materials
used for crude distillation overhead system Sometimes, the steel layers are
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painted or coated in order to form a metallic lining or covering on the steel [21].
Bio-corrosion effect in petrochemical equipment are also prevented by protective
coatings [39]. Cathodic Protection as described by Papavinasam showed that
reduction of corrosion in petrochemical equipment occurs by minimizing the
potentials difference across its cathode and anode. In addition, Hasan et al.
showed that corrosion inhibitor is a chemical used in reducing the rate of corrosion
occurrence
on materials used for crude distillation overhead system.
So many materials can be introduced to the industry like :

3.1. WROUGHT MATERIALS: FERROUS METALS AND ALLOYS

Steel
Carbon steel is the most common, least expensive, and most versatile metal used
in industry. It has excellent ductility, permitting many cold-forming operations.
Steel is also very weldable. Carbon steel is easily the most commonly used
material in process plants despite its somewhat limited corrosion resistance. It is
routinely used for most organic chemicals and neutral or basic aqueous solutions
at moderate temperatures. It is also used routinely for the storage of concentrated
sulfuric acid and caustic soda [up to 50 percent and 55°C (130°F)]. Because of its
availability, low cost, and ease of fabrication, steel is frequently used in services
with corrosion rates of 0.13 to 0.5 mm/yr (5 to 20 mils/yr), with added thickness
(corrosion allowance) to ensure the achievement of desired service life. Product
quality requirements must be considered in such cases.
Corrosion under insulation is a major problem with carbon steels and must be
taken into consideration in the RBI analysis of any plant to avoid serious failures.
Several techniques are available to minimize this attack including painting,
spraying with aluminum, and/or wrapping with aluminum foil.

3.2. WROUGHT MATERIALS: NONFERROUS

METALS AND ALLOYS

A) Nickel and Nickel Alloys Nickel is available in practically any millform as well
as in castings. It can be machined easily and joined by welding.
Generally, oxidizing conditions favor corrosion, while reducing conditions retard
attack. Neutral alkaline solutions, seawater, and mild atmospheric conditions do
not affect nickel. The metal is widely used for handling alkalies, particularly in
concentrating, storing, and shipping high-purity caustic soda. Chlorinated solvents

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and phenol are often refined and stored in nickel to prevent product discoloration
and contamination.

B) Aluminum and Alloys Aluminum and its alloys are made in practically all
the forms in which metals are produced, including castings.
Thermal conductivity of aluminum is 60 percent of that of pure copper, and
unalloyed aluminum is used in many heat-transfer applications. Its high electrical
conductivity makes aluminum popular in electrical applications. Aluminum is one
of the most workable of metals, and it is usually joined by inert-gas-shielded arc-
welding techniques.

C) Copper and Alloys Copper and its alloys are widely used in
chemical processing, particularly when heat and electrical conductivity are
important factors. The thermal conductivity of copper is twice that of aluminum and
90 percent that of silver. A large number of copper alloys are available, including
brasses (Cu-Zn), bronzes (Cu-Sn),
cupronickels (Cu-Ni), and age-hardenable alloys such as copper beryllium (Cu-
Be) and copper nickel tin (Cu-Ni-Sn).

D) Lead and Alloys Chemical leads of 99.9 percent purity are

used primarily in the chemical industry in environments that form thin, insoluble,
and self-repairable protective films, e.g., salts such as sulfates, carbonates, or
phosphates. More soluble films such as nitrates, acetates, or chlorides offer little
protection.

3.3. INORGANIC NONMETALLICS

A) Glass and Glassed Steel Glass is an inorganic product of fusion which is

cooled to a rigid condition without crystallizing. With unique properties compared
with metals, these materials require special considerations in their design and
use. Glass has excellent resistance to all acids except hydrofluoric and hot,
concentrated H3PO4. It is also subject to attack by hot alkaline solutions.

Glass is particularly suitable for piping when transparency is desirable.

The chief drawback of glass is its brittleness, and it is also subject to damage by
thermal shock. However, glass armored with epoxy-polyester fiberglass can
readily be protected against breakage. On the other hand, glassed steel combines
the corrosion resistance of glass with the working strength of steel. Accordingly,
glass linings are resistant to all concentrations of hydrochloric acid to 120°C
(250°F), to dilute concentrations of sulfuric to the boiling point, to concentrated

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sulfuric to 230°C (450°F), and to all concentrations of nitric acid to the boiling
point.

B) Porcelain and Stoneware Porcelain and stoneware materials are about as

resistant to acids and chemicals as glass, but with greater strength. This is offset
by a greater potential for thermal shock.

3.4. ORGANIC NONMETALLICS

Plastic polymers are materials made from organic compounds that have been
joined to form long-chain, large-molecular-weight molecules that can be easily
processed. There are two basic families of plastic polymers. Thermoplastics are a
family of polymers that can be repeatedly heated, changed in shape, then cooled
and solidified. Typical polymers within this family are polyolefins, polyvinyls, and
the fluoropolymers.
The second family of polymers is the thermosets. Unlike
the thermoplastics, these materials crosslink during initial processing and cannot
be reheated and reshaped. Upon reheating thermosets will not melt before they
reach their decomposition temperature. Thermosets are typically more rigid than
the thermoplastic polymers.

4) Process Control in Distillation Columns

Process control plays a critical role in optimizing the performance of distillation
columns, ensuring efficient separation, maintaining product quality, achieving
energy efficiency, and ensuring safe operation.

4.1.Control Objectives in Distillation Columns

Process control in distillation columns aims to achieve several key objectives:
a. Separation Efficiency: The primary objective is to maximize separation
efficiency by maintaining appropriate temperature and pressure profiles along the
column. This ensures that desired product fractions are obtained with high purity.
b. Product Quality: Control systems aim to maintain the desired product
specifications, such as composition, purity, and impurity levels, consistently
throughout the operation.
c. Energy Efficiency: Process control strategies optimize energy consumption by
minimizing heat input, reflux ratios, and other parameters while still achieving the
required separation performance.
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d. Safety: Control systems ensure safe operation by preventing conditions such
as excessive pressures, overheating, overfilling, and other hazards that can pose
risks to equipment integrity and personnel safety.

4.2 Control Variables in Distillation Columns

Several control variables are crucial for effective process control in distillation
columns:
a. Temperature: Temperature control is vital for achieving the desired separation.
It involves controlling the temperature at different sections of the column, such as
the reboiler and condenser, to maintain optimal temperature profiles for
vaporization and condensation.
b. Pressure: Pressure control influences the boiling points of the components and
affects separation efficiency. Accurate pressure control prevents vaporization or
condensation issues and ensures stable operation
c. Flow Rates: Control of feed flow rates, reflux flow rates, and bottoms flow rates
is essential to manage the liquid and vapor phases within the column. Proper flow
rate control ensures efficient distribution and enhances separation performance.
d. Level: Maintaining appropriate liquid levels within the column is crucial to
prevent flooding or dry-out conditions, ensuring smooth operation and avoiding
potential damage to the equipment.

4.3. Control Strategies in Distillation Columns

Various control strategies are employed to achieve effective process control in
distillation columns:
a. Feedback Control: Feedback loops, using sensors to measure process
variables and controllers to adjust manipulated variables, are commonly used.
Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers are widely employed to regulate
temperature, pressure, and flow rates.
b. Inferential Control: Inferential control techniques estimate unmeasured
process variables, such as vapor flow rates or liquid compositions, based on
available measurements. These estimates can be used for control purposes,
providing additional information when direct measurements are limited.
c. Model-Based Control: Advanced control techniques, such as model predictive
control (MPC), utilize mathematical models of the distillation column to optimize
control actions based on predicted behavior and desired objectives. MPC
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considers constraints, non-linearities, and interactions to achieve superior control
performance.

4.4. Advanced Techniques in Process Control

Advancements in process control for distillation columns have been made through
research and technological developments. Some notable advanced techniques
include:
a. Real-Time Optimization: Real-time optimization techniques integrate online
measurements, models, and optimization algorithms to continuously adjust control
parameters and optimize the operation of distillation columns based on current
conditions.
b. Adaptive Control: Adaptive control strategies utilize online estimation and
learning algorithms to adapt control parameters based on changing process
dynamics and disturbances. This allows the control system to automatically adjust
to variations in operating conditions and maintain optimal performance.
c. Inferential Modeling: Inferential modeling techniques employ statistical
methods, multivariate analysis, and data-driven approaches to develop models
that can estimate key process variables and provide insights into the behavior of
the distillation column.

4.5. Challenges in Process Control:

Implementing effective process control in distillation columns presents several
challenges:
a. Nonlinear Behavior: Distillation columns exhibit non-linear dynamics due to
variations in heat transfer rates, phase changes, and composition changes along
the column. Control strategies must account for these non-linearities to ensure
accurate and stable control.
b. Model Uncertainties: The accuracy of mathematical models used for control
purposes may be limited due to uncertainties in physical properties, fouling,
changing operating conditions, and other factors. Robust control techniques are
employed to handle these uncertainties effectively.
c. Time Delays: Time delays associated with heat transfer, transportation of
fluids, and control valve response can impact control performance. Control
strategies should consider these delays and compensate for them to achieve
desired control performance.

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d. Multivariable Interactions: Distillation columns involve multiple interconnected
variables. Changes in one variable can affect others, leading to complex
interactions that need to be managed effectively through coordinated control
strategies.

4.6. Conclusion
Process control in distillation columns is essential for optimizing separation
efficiency, ensuring product quality, achieving energy efficiency, and maintaining
safe operation. Various control strategies, including feedback control, inferential
control, and model-based control, are employed to achieve these control
objectives. Advanced techniques, such as real-time optimization, adaptive control,
and inferential modeling, provide further opportunities for improved control
performance. However, challenges such as nonlinear behavior, model
uncertainties, time delays, and multivariable interactions must be addressed to
ensure effective control implementation.

5) Distillation tower troubleshooting:

The crude oil distillation column is a critical piece of processing equipment that
must be run under optimal and stable conditions in order to produce on-spec
products. Operating personnel must have sufficient knowledge and experience in
the crude oil distillation process to troubleshoot successfully. Process engineers
must be analytical in order to diagnose the problem and implement appropriate
actions to restore the crude distillation process to normal.

Many factors influence distillation, the most

common factors are

[1] Feed conditions, such as feed state and feed

composition.

[2] Reflux conditions.

[3] Internal liquid and fluid flow conditions

[4.] Condition of trays (pickings), etc. This part will

concentrate on three internal flow-related issues: [1] entrainment, [2] flooding, and
[3] weeping.

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Some of the key issues are as follows:

5.1.Flooding of the Crude Distillation Column

Flooding of crude oil distillation towers occurs when vapor loads exceed the
tower's maximum capacity and levels at tower trays are high. The interaction
between vapor and liquid is so strong as a result of flooding that stable counter-
current operation is no longer possible. Pressure drop and liquid holdup skyrocket,
while distillation column efficiency plummets. Flooding reduces the quality of
petroleum products.

Flooding symptoms include

1. A very high-pressure drop that prevents vapors from rising.

2. Unstable levels and indicators.

3. A decrease in temperature or a low-temperature gradient across the flooded

section of the tower.

4. A change in product specifications or poor product quality.

5. One section (for example, diesel) is flooded, while the downstream section is
dry.

Troubleshooting

As the above-mentioned conditions confirm the flooding, the column becomes

less capable of handling higher vapor rates and high feed rates. Control actions to
troubleshoot the flooding problem include lowering the liquid rates to the tower,
reflux rates, stripping steam to the tower, and lowering the crude heater outlet
temperature based on the unit feed rate. Furthermore, if flooding is observed in a
specific section, the product draw-out rate can be increased.

5.2.High level in a distillation column

The levels of the tower bottom and draw-off trays in the distillation column are kept
constant by adjusting the product rate. Distillation towers are outfitted with level
indicators that help control room operators adjust the conditions as needed. If the
level is too high, the liquid will rise to the trays section of the tower and behave
like flooding in the column, exhibiting symptoms of low-temperature gradient, high-
pressure drops, and poor fractionation efficiency.

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Because water quickly vaporizes, causing a pressure surge and level fluctuations,
the stripping steam should be dry before use. Reduce the feed rate while
increasing the product draw-out rate from the tower.

Troubleshooting

Verify the levels at the level glasses where the problem is observed
physically. Reduce the crude heater outlet temperature or increase the product
draw-out rate to control the high-level problem.

5.3.Dry trays
The dry trays scenario is the inverse of flooding in that the trays in flooding are
filled with liquid, whereas dry trays are empty of liquid. This situation can occur
when the product withdrawal rate is greater than the amount of internal reflux and
the feed rate in the column is lower. In this case, the trays below the draw-off point
run dry, and no fractionation occurs. At the same time, there is insufficient liquid to
keep the levels in the stripper draw-off trays and side-cut strippers constant. A low-
pressure drop and low-temperature gradient will exist in the tower or section of the
tower with dry trays.

Troubleshooting

To control the dry tray issue, either reduce the product withdrawal rate or increase
the internal reflux to the column. Furthermore, by increasing the crude heater
outlet temperature or feed rate to the tower, the internal reflux can be increased.
Furthermore, the rate of the next lightest product draw-off rate can be reduced to
increase the reflux rate. The dry trays caused by superheated vapors increase the
tower's reflux rate while also lowering the feed inlet temperature.

5.4. Trapped water

The trapped water reduces fractionation and limits oil and vapor contact, resulting
in poor product quality. The presence of water is indicated by a low temperature at
the top trays or tower top. Furthermore, water evaporation may result in pressure
increases in the tower. Trapped water can be gradually removed by raising the top
temperature or decreasing the naphtha reflux flow. Water in the tower may also be
caused by a poor crude oil desalting process, as explained further below.

Additionally, the stripping steam to the column is condensed at tower overhead

condensers and removed from the overhead receiver as sour water.

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If there is too much water in the reflux, it will upset the crude column. It will build
up on the upper trays, flooding the column.

Troubleshooting

The solution is to reduce the reflux rate, raise the tower's top temperature, and
allow the water to evaporate. Tower pressure rise can be controlled by increasing
condensation at the tower overhead system and increasing compressor capacity.
Crude tower, inlet temperature, and stripping steam can all be reduced to reduce
the vapor load on the tower, resulting in normalized pressure.

5.5. Water carryover from desalter: Source of corrosion

Water carryover from a poor desalting process will result in an immediate
temperature drop at the tower's inlet and bottom. The low temperature of the
crude feed could be the cause of water carryover from the desalter. Maintaining
the Desalter inlet temperature between 125 and 130 °C improves desalting
efficiency. Salts in water cause corrosion in the column overhead system. Ca and
Mg salts will migrate to the top of the tower and convert to HCl. The pressure rise
of the pre-flash vessel is the first sign of water carryover.

Troubleshooting

The efficient operation of crude Desalter is the solution to this problem. Restore
the Desalter's water level to normal. Increase the flow of corrosion inhibitor and
neutralizer at the tower's top. Water carryover also causes energy loss and poor
tower efficiency, which has a negative impact on product specifications.

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6) Resources:
1. Seader, J. D., Henley, E. J., & Roper, D. K. (2016). Separation Process
Principles. John Wiley & Sons.
2. Luyben, W. L. (2006). Distillation Design and Control Using Aspen
Simulation. John Wiley & Sons.
3. Skogestad, S., & Skogestad, M. (2004). Multivariable dynamic control of
distillation columns. Journal of Process Control, 14(8), 883-896.
4. Shinskey, F. G. (2006). Distillation Control for Productivity and Energy
Conservation. Instrument Society of America.
5. Luyben, W. L. (1990). Ten control problems in distillation columns. AIChE
Journal, 36(10), 1519-1526.
6. Riggs, J. B., Karassik, I. J., & Perry, R. H. (2001). Perry's Chemical Engineers'
Handbook (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Professional.

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