Engineering & Design
Review steam system designs to accelerate chemical industry decarbonization
Industrial steam systems range from simple systems comprising a low-pressure single steam user to a complex system with multiple pressure levels, multiple generators and multiple users integrated with an onsite cogeneration facility. This article will present the typical CO2 emissions estimates for chemical and petrochemical facilities and describe options available to reduce these emissions through additional heat integration, fuel switching, and the use of heat pumps and electric boilers.
The purification of benzoic acid using dividing wall columns
In one recent project for a customer based in Asia, the authors’ company suggested the combination of distillation and crystallization techniques to obtain high-quality purified benzoic acid. Encouraged by the successful startup of this processing train, the customer began to schedule a second project. The authors’ company was asked to optimize the purification process to improve cost and operational efficiencies. The two existing columns, which remove lights and heavies, respectively, from the crude benzoic acid feedstock were investigated to identify key opportunities. The feasibility study based on the feed composition confirmed that the existing columns could be converted into a single dividing wall column (DWC).
The attractive market opportunity for synthetic graphite: Graphite as an energy transition material (4)
Given the attractive demand projection, investors must understand the benefits and return on investment for natural and synthetic graphite routes. This article establishes the pros and cons for each, and specifically highlights the emerging opportunity for upgrading and repurposing smaller petcoke units to needle coke units, therefore contributing to fulfilling the rising demand for synthetic graphite.
Utilize a hydrogen reactions lab to optimize renewable fuels processing
Leading technology developers in the refining space are utilizing various catalysts to enhance the adjusted reaction chemistry, but this does not directly address how to optimize hydrogen utilization for the hydrodeoxygenation and isomerization/cracking processing steps. To ensure the right equipment outlay and calibration for these hydrogenation applications, replicating the process in a lab setting can help identify efficiencies and yield improvements for a fraction of the cost that a refiner would incur attempting to achieve that optimization through modifications at commercial scale.
Meet gasoline quality and process safety requirements through new alkylation technologies
The catalytic alkylation process is very attractive to countries with high gasoline consumption and a sizable availability of LPG. This process can produce high-octane gasoline with low levels of contaminants, although there are high capital investment and operational costs associated with this technology.
Case study: Developing mildew-resistant coatings on ethanol tanks
Scientists from the authors’ company determined how best to combat persistent black mildew on aboveground storage tanks by first using a novel strategy to identify it. This discovery led to the identification of coating formulations with superior capacity to prevent mildew growth. The scientists proved the performance of the coatings by conducting field tests involving painting sample patches onto an ethanol storage tank.
Refinery/petrochemical makeup water treatment: A general guide for technical personnel—Part 1
New personnel are often confronted with challenges that require knowledgeable and quick action, which they may have difficulty providing without thorough training. A very important—and sometimes overlooked—unit operation within these facilities is makeup water treatment for steam generators and other processes. Many cases have been documented in which makeup system upsets have led to boiler tube failures that partially or completely shut down unit processes. Parts 1 and 2 (September 2024) of this article serve as a guide for those employees who may be on a steep learning curve when it comes to makeup system understanding.
Zero liquid discharge: A stepping stone to water sustainability—Part 1
Among the available technologies of wastewater treatment to recover reusable water, zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) has become the most frequently used term in oil and gas refineries and petrochemical plants. It has been effectively used in the treatment of brine to maximize the recovery of freshwater or recycled water and to recover salt and other chemicals that are used in other industries.
Digital Feature: Truly effective reliability requires predictive maintenance
To navigate this new world, organizations must find ways to bring in new technologies to support the limited personnel they have, but without increasing the complexity of those people’s jobs or overwhelming them with raw data they are not trained to use. The solution is to implement a predictive maintenance technology plan founded on a boundless automation vision of seamlessly moving contextualized data wherever it is needed.
New research reveals increasing strategic importance of maintenance in oil and gas industry operations
Jotun has published a new report, derived from a survey of over 1,000 senior professionals, showing that 88% of respondents anticipate an increase in maintenance budgets over the next five years and 75% say that the requirement to report on environmental performance has led to increased investment in maintenance.
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- AFPM/API: President Trump officially overturns California (U.S.) gas car ban 6/12
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