Crude Tower Simulation-HYSYS v8.6 PDF
Crude Tower Simulation-HYSYS v8.6 PDF
Crude Tower Simulation-HYSYS v8.6 PDF
Steps to set up a simulation in HYSYS v8.6 to model a crude tower system consisting of:
Crude Oil Preheat Train
Atmospheric Crude Tower
Vacuum Crude Tower
Debutanizer to stabilize the overhead naphtha stream from the Atmospheric Crude
Tower
The feedstock to the crude system will be an equal mix of Light, Medium, & Heavy Crude
oils.
When the simulation is set up the overall PFD should look like the following figure.
Start the program from Start, All Programs, Aspen Tech, Process Modeling V8.6, Aspen
HYSYS, Aspen HYSYS V8.6. When the program opens choose the New button.
The first step is to add a set of pure chemical species to represent the light components of
the crude oils. With Component Lists highlighted click on the Add button. From the list of
pure components pick water, methane, ethane, propane, i-butane, n-butane, i-pentane, & n-
pentane.
The next step is to pick a fluid property package. From the Fluid Packages screen click the
Add button. Choose the Peng-Robinson option and make sure it is associated with
Component List 1.
1Note that HYSYS uses a water density to convert to specific gravity of 62.3024 lb/ft =8.32862 lb/gal =
997.989 kg/m.
Click on the Input Assay button & then the Add button. In the Assay Definition
section we want to use Bulk Properties, specify a TBP Assay Data Type, input
compositions for the Light Ends, and input an independent Density Curve. Ensure the
Assay Basis is Mass. When all of these are specified the Input Data should look like
below.
2Though the Assay Manager is more powerful it requires a special license which may not be available to you
at your location.
Now well add in the composition of the light ends. Make the Light Ends option
active & the form will change to allow you to enter the compositions (based on the
component list previously specified). Make sure you change the Light Ends Basis to
Mass%.
Even though we can now characterize the pseudo components for the flash
calculations we still need to add the sulfur distribution so that this can be tracked.
First well have to define a User Property that represents the sulfur content. Click on
User Properties either from the tree structure in the left-hand column or the
appropriate button under the Home tab. When the User Properties form comes up
press the Add button.
Lets make the label for this property more meaningful. Return to the User
Properties tab and single click the UserProp-1 label. Now type in Sulfur.
Do characterization calculations, specify crude oil blend, & install into flowsheet
After entering the assay we have to tell HYSYS to perform the characterization calculations.
Select each crude oil in the tree structure of the left-hand column & click on the Calculate
button if there is a warning that the assay has not been calculated. When properly
calculated there should be a message in green.
If all of the crude oils have been characterized previous to this then you should receive a
Blend Was Calculated message in green.
One more cleanup step, changing the name of the blend. Select Output Blend in the tree
structure of the left-hand column. In the tabbed form select Blend-1 and change to Mixed
Oil.
As a final step lets make sure everything is calculated & the pseudo components are
installed into the component list. Select Oil Manager in the tree structure in the left-hand
column. At the bottom of the form click Calculate All. Now when you look at the Component
List you should see a series of pseudo components after the pure components chosen
earlier.
When you activate the Simulation youll see a single steam called Crude Oil. We want to
attach this stream to two heat exchangers (to model the preheat before & after the
Desalter) and a Mixer to set an expected amount of water in the Crude Oil coming from the
Desalter.
Double-click on the Crude Oil stream to open up the entry forms for this stream. Note that
the flow rate comes from Oil Manager, but were going to overwrite this. Note that once you
enter the pressure & temperature the calculations for Crude Oil are complete & it takes on a
new color in the flowsheet.
This is what the form looks like before making outlet specifications:
The entrained water is set by opening up the input form for Desalter Water. On the
Worksheet tab select Composition. Click on the Edit button, enter 1 for the fraction of H2O,
click the Normalize button, and then OK. Next we will set the pressure of the entrained
water (same as the outlet from the Desalter) & the flowrate. Note that we will not set the
temperature at this time.
Specifying outlet conditions on the second preheater completes the flowsheet calculations
for this part of the simulation.
The next step is to set up the Atmospheric Distillation Column. Table 4 contains the
conditions & configuration for this column.
Diesel Pumparound
Draw from Tray #20, returned to Tray #17
15,000 bpd flow, 250F return temperature
AGO Pumparound
Draw from Tray #30, returned to Tray #27
10,000 bpd flow, 350F return temperature
The first step in the wizard is to set up the basic information for the main feeds & products
(but not the side products which will be processed through side strippers). Fill in the
information as shown below. Make sure you check the box for Water Draw. When done
press Next>.
The next step is to set up the basic pressure profile in the column. Fill in values & press
Next>.
On the third screen we will set an estimate for the condenser temperature. Press Next>.
Though the other temperatures are not required it usually good practice to enter values.
On the fourth screen well set an estimate for the distillate rate. Press the Side Ops> button
to start setting up the side strippers & pumparounds.
Well skip this first side operation screen since none of the side strippers are reboiled.
Press Next>.
Now we can start adding the basic information for the three side strippers. To start
entering the configuration information for each side stripper press the Add Side Stripper
Now we can start adding the basic information for the three pumparounds. To start
entering the configuration information for each pumparound press the Add Pump-Around
button; when done press the Install button. When done with the three pumparounds press
the Next> button.
Now we can enter the side product flows through the side strippers. Enter the estimates for
the flowrates out the bottom of the strippers & then press Next>.
Now we can set the pressures in the side strippers. Use the default values with no changes.
Press Next>.
Now we can set the pressure drops across the pumparounds. Use the default values of zero.
Press Done.
Distillation columns are different from the rest of the HYSYS operations in that they do not
automatically run the first time they are created; rather, you must press the Run button
when everything has been set up properly. However, we still have a couple more changes
to make so lets not do this yet.
First, lets specify the stage efficiencies to model the stages as real trays. Under the
Parameters tab select Efficiencies. Make sure that Overall & User Specified items are
The next requirement is to specify the steam streams. This can be done using the
Worksheet tab. Select Conditions and specify the temperature, pressure, & mass flowrate
values. Select Compositions; now the compositions can be set as 100% H2O (entering a
value of 1 will bring up the Input Composition form; press the Normalize button & then OK).
How can the distillation column equations be solved without putting the composition
specs? This is because the estimated flowrates entered during the setup are used as the
actual specifications. We can see this by checking the Spec Summary setting under the
Design tab. Notice that all of these flowrate specs have checks in the Active column; this
means that these values are the specifications to which the solution is driven.
We can create similar design specs for the Kerosene, Diesel, & AGO D86 T95 values. Each
time we make the T95 spec active we will make the corresponding produce rate inactive.
Next, lets do the simpler of the two remaining columns, the Debutanizer Column (i.e., the
Naphtha Stabilizer). We will want to operate the Debutanizer at a higher pressure than the
Atmospheric Distillation Column, so we will need a pump for the Unstabilized Naptha. We
will also preheat the feed entering the column. Table 5 shows the operating conditions for
the column & the feeds pump & preheater.
The next step is to pick a type of reboiler. The first entitled Once-through depicts a kettle
reboiler & is the one we want (liquid from the bottom tray is the feed to the reboiler,
produced vapors are returned to the bottom tray and the liquid exits as the bottoms
product). The other two configurations are for thermosiphon reboilers; though used
commercially they will not be chosen for this example. Click Next> when done.
The next form is for entering the basic pressure profile. Enter the values from Table 5. Click
Next> when done.
On the next form enter the reflux ratio & distillate rate. Click Done when finished.
The final step before trying to run is to specify the stage efficiencies to model the stages as
real trays. Under the Parameters tab select Efficiencies. Make sure that Overall & User
Specified items are highlighted. Apply the same efficiency to all stages representing trays,
leaving the efficiencies for the Condenser & Reboiler at 1.0.
The final step is to define the feed heater & Vacuum Distillation Column. Additional steam
is injected into the Vacuum Feed Heater to increase velocity & minimize coke formation
within the heater. Even though the Vacuum Column is packed it will be modeled as trays,
i.e., sections of non-equilibrium stages.
The first step is to mix the Atm Resid from the Atmospheric Distillation Column with the
steam upstream of the Vacuum Heater. Place a Mixer on the flowsheet & define the
following configuration. You will have to define the steam stream; this can be done via the
Worksheet tab.
The fired Vacuum Heater is separate from the column environment & will be created next.
Create a new Heater on the flowsheet & call it Vac Heater. Change the icon to look like a
heater instead of a shell & tube heat exchanger. Enter the following connections & set the
Configuring the Vacuum Column for the first time is a multi-step process. First, create an
Absorber Column on the flowsheet then double-click start to fill in the information. Fill in
the basic information for the configuration on the first form. Couple things that are
different from the previous two columns:
Specify that the top stage reflux comes from a Pump-around (note that HYSYS will
define this first pumparound & give it a default name; this can be changed later).
Specify the LVGO, HVGO, & Slop Wax streams on this form as Optional Side Draws
(since they are not processed further in side strippers). Note in the image below that
only 2 Optional Side Draws are shown; you will have to scroll down to see the
connection for the Slop Wax.
3Be very careful which units you choose for the pressure. If you choose mmHg(0C)_g by mistake youve
specified a gauge pressure & will be much too high since it would be above 1 atm instead of at vacuum
conditions.
The next form will allow us to add temperature estimates & flow information for the top
pumparound. Enter the data for the LVGO Pumparound. We will skip adding temperature
estimates on this form & show how they can be added later. Click Side Ops>.
The next form allows us to add the HVGO Pumparound specs. Note that the specs for the
LVGO Pumparound were previously entered & are shown here. Click Next> when done.
Before we try running the column we need to enter the efficiencies for the stages. Select
Efficiencies under the Parameters tab & enter the values from Table 6.
Before we can run the column we have to specify something about the side draws (LVGO,
HVGO, & Slop Wax). Lets specify the estimated flowrates and use these as specifications.
For example, for the Slop Wax rate, select the Specs item in the left-hand column under the
Design tab & press Add Call the spec Slop Wax Rate, associate with the Draw named Slop
Wax @COL3, set the flow basis as Std Ideal Vol, and set the rate as 1 kbpd.
Now we can press Run. The Vacuum Column should converge fairly quickly.
It is also useful to add specs for the liquids flowing from the LVGO to the HVGO section
(from tray #4) and the HVGO to feed tray (from tray #11). These can be added as a Column
Liquid Flow spec. Make sure you specify the values as Std Ideal Vol for the Flow Basis &
ensure that the Active box is unchecked on the Summary tabs form.
Lets look at the HVGO D1160 T95 value. We want 1050F & we actually have 1044F. This
is very close; well increase the HVGO draw rate to increase this value to the spec. Go to the
Spec Summary, uncheck the Active box for HVGO Rate, & check the Active box for HVGO
D1160 T95. The simulation should quickly converge. Go back to the Specs form to check the
actual HVGO D1160 T95 value; it should be 1050F. (If not, press, Reset & Run.) Note that the
HVGO rate is large as expected, 21.47 kbpd vs. 21.00 kbpd. Also note that the Net from #11
flowrate has decreased slightly to 3,961 bpd.
Now lets look at the LVGO results. For 5,000 bpd LVGO rate the D1160 T95 value is too
low. Since the T95 value is too low, we will have to increase the LVGO draw rate to try to
meet this spec. Lets apply this D1160 spec instead of the flowrate spec. The column will
converge. The LVGO flow rate has increased to 7,534 bpd, the HVGO flow rate has actually
decreased to 18,700 bpd, and the Tray #11 liquid runback has increased to 4,462 bpd.
Lets go back to the runback rate. This rate is too large & how could we decrease? We
actually have to back up to the Feed Heater & decrease the temperature so that we dont
boil up as much gas oils. We can manually adjust to 749.6F to get 3,011 bpd runback from
Tray #11.
Now that the simulation has been run & converged we want to be able to analyze the
results. First well look at ways of further examining unit & stream results.
First, lets look at the temperature & liquid/vapor traffic in the Atmospheric Column. Lets
double click on Atm Col & click on the Parameters tab. Select the Profiles option & you can
see the temperatures, pressures, & liquid & vapor flows for all of the trays (including the
side stripper trays at the bottom of the list). Notice there are several options for showing
the liquid & vapor flows: molar, mass, & 3 types of volume. The molar & mass quantities
should be self-evident, but the volume factors are somewhat confusing:
Act. Volume this is the volumetric flow based on the density at the temperature &
pressure conditions (as calculated by the corresponding density method, usually
COSTALD). This is the most appropriate value to use when determining the
hydrodynamics on the tray & within the column.
Volume this is the standard liquid volume as calculated from each components
specific gravity value & blended by the mass amount of each component in the
mixture assuming ideal mixing (i.e., no shrinkage effects). This is the most normal
definition for standard liquid volume.
Std Ideal Vol this is the volumetric flow calculated, not at the actual pressure &
temperature for the fluid, but rather at the standard temperature & bubble point
pressure (again by the COSTALD method). This will be very similar to the Volume
value but will include shrinkage effects. This is a value calculated by HYSYS but very
few other simulation programs.
What are some of the properties of interest for streams? In general we will want to know:
How much?
What quality?
At what conditions?
Lets first look at the Kerosene stream. We can double click on the Kerosene stream in the
Flowsheet & look at the Conditions item under the Worksheet tab. This shows us answers to
how much & at what conditions. We can see the pressure & temperature, flowrate in
various sets of units (mass, molar, standard liquid volume, & actual volumetric flow at
operating conditions).
If we want to see other physical properties for this stream we would select the Properties
item. Now we can see an extensive set of physical & transport properties for this stream.
This answers a great deal of the what quality questions.
Please note that there is a second similar option, Petroleum Assay, but do not choose
this. The two options give slightly different results. The Boiling Point Curves option
is consistent with the correlations used for the tower specs. The Boiling Point Curves
option is also consistent with what can be calculated using the amounts & boiling
points for the pseudo components.
There are many times that youd like to create a general table of stream and/or unit results
to a spreadsheet so that you pick & choose various values for ad hoc reports. There are a
couple options for doing this.
You should see a series of tabs that summarize the input & calculated results for the main
flowsheet: conditions for the material streams, mole fractions for the pure & pseudo
components for the material streams, values for the energy streams, & a summary listing
for the unit operations.
Lets look at some report options that come with HYSYS. Click on the Reports button in the
Home tab of the ribbon. At the bottom of the form well want to choose one of the existing
templates for the Excel Reports. Click on the Browse Template button. On the next window
choose petroleum-refining.wrk (make sure youre in the appropriate folder to choose this).
Now when you click on the Create button a set of macros will run that will open a new Excel
spreadsheet & values will be copied from the HYSYS simulation to the spreadsheet. This
will also take a while. (It might be a good time to refill that cup of coffee.)
Lets go back to HYSYS & look at the workbook for Case (Main). Notice that the Materials
Streams tab has now been modified with the extra petroleum-related information that we
see in the Excel spreadsheet. This shows that customizing the workbook & subsequently
exporting to Excel is possible.
Lets create a new tab in the workbook for the liquid volume flows for each component.
Select Setup under the Workbook tab in the ribbon. Lets Add a new Workbook Tab. Select
the Material Stream type. Now there is a new tab called Material Streams 1 with the basic
stream conditions.
Lets address the issue with the distillation curves that are part of the create a new tab in
the workbook for the liquid volume flows for each component. Select Setup under
petroleum-refining.wrk additions. Lets create a workbook table that reports the Boiling
Point Curves for the stream analyses set up in the simulation. Go to the Workbook tab &
press Setup. Similar to what was done before, choose Add. But this time expand the Utility
Objects item & select Boiling Point Curves & press OK. Rename the tab Boiling Point Curves;
there should be no the default items in the list.
Repeat the steps & choose True BP. This will the TBP values at the bottom the table.