Improve your Refinery Reactor Operations Using

Rigorous Engineering Models in Aspen HYSYS

Steve Dziuk

Sandeep Mohan
Today’s Presenters

Steve Dziuk
Global Business Consultant, AspenTech

Sandeep Mohan
Product Marketing, AspenTech

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

Agenda

▪ Refinery Business Challenges

▪ Solution Overview

▪ Reactor Modeling in Aspen HYSYS

▪ What are Rigorous Refining Reactor Models

▪ How are Reactor Models Used

▪ Reactor Model Workflows & Features

▪ Planning Model Support

▪ Demos

▪ Next Steps

▪ Q&A
© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 3
Refinery Business Challenges

Produce Most Profitable

Maximize Refinery Utilization
Product Slate
Safely operate refinery
Maximize production of
to its full capacity
high-value products

Sustain Refinery Margins

in Changing Operating
Conditions

Adapt to Product Specification

Changes Process Wider Variety of Crudes
Enter new market or adapt to Leverage opportunity crudes
seasonal spec changes

Challenge is to sustain refinery margins in changing operating conditions

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 4
aspenONE® Engineering

The refining “branch”

Aspen HYSYS® Petroleum Refining
focused on margin analysis

Software suite focused on process engineering and optimization

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 5
What is Aspen HYSYS World’s Leading Process Simulation Software

Software that enables simulation of process industries

flowsheet & equipment by using
• Graphical & intuitive flowsheet based interface
• State of the art thermodynamic correlation
packages
• Fast and streamlined

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 6

Process Simulation Capabilities Tailored for Crude Oil Refining

Refining Components
Aspen Petroleum Properties
HYSYS® Assay Management
Petroleum Refinery Reactors
Refining Multi-unit Simulation
(RefSYS) PIMS & APS Support

Aspen HYSYS®

Capabilities tailored for refining enables accurate prediction of refining yields & properties.
© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 7
Wide Range of Reactor Types to Meet All Demands

Rigorous Refinery
Reactors
Petroleum Shift
Reactor Sulfur Recovery
(LP Base & Delta (SULSIM)
Submodel)

Custom 3rd Party

Reactors
Generic Reactors Aspen (as HYSYS
(PFR, CSTR, etc.)
HYSYS Extensions or
Aspen Custom
Modeler)

A complete suite of rigorous reactor models for all major types of refinery reactors.
© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 8
 Aspen HYSYS® Petroleum Rigorous Refining Reactors
Gas Processing
Naphtha Hydrotreater
✓ ✓
Isomerization
Kerosene Hydrotreater ✓
✓
Atmospheric Distillation

Catalytic Reformer
Diesel Hydrotreater
✓

Product Blending
GasOil Hydrotreater ✓
Alkylation
✓
✓ Cat. Gas. Hydrotreater
Fluid Catalytic
Di-Olefin HDTR ✓
Resid Hydrotreater ✓ Cracking (FCC)
✓
Vacuum Distillation

Selective HDS

Delayed Coker
✓
Hydrocracker
✓
Visbreaker ✓

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

What are Rigorous Refining Reactor Models?
▪ Engineering models used to predict new yields and
conditions from a base point
– Models are calibrated to match a known base point,
i.e, a test run or snapshot of plant conditions

▪ Based on rigorous engineering concepts

– Mass balance (feed vs. products)
– Atom balances (sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen)
– Volume balance (feed vs. products)
– Heat balance (for key reactor endotherms or
exotherms)
– Kinetics (typically first order expressions)
– Equipment models
– Reactor types like plug flow or CSTR
– Key control strategies like FCC
reactor/regenerator heat balance or
hydroprocessor bed quenches
© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 10
How are Reactor Models Used?

‘What-If’ Analysis
(What if we change feed?)

Reactor Unit Optimization

(Optimize reactor severity)

Revamp Studies
(Optimize reactor and auxiliary equipment)

Improve crude oil feedstock selection

(Update refinery planning models)

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 11

Reactor Model Workflows
1. Configure Reactor
– specify number of reactors, size, catalyst inventory, etc.

2. Calibrate Reactor
– match plant data (these form the reactor base point)
– plant products are blended to form a reactor effluent to tune
reactor kinetics

3. Simulate Reactor
– prediction runs in the main flowsheet (reactor predicts move
from a base)
– typically change feeds and reactor operating conditions
– products appear as a reactor effluent stream

4. Add Product Fractionation using Flowsheet Options

– cut reactor effluent into plant products

5. Add optimizer options

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 12
Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Reactor Features

• Model is reactor and regenerator with heat balance

• Feed and reactions based on 21 lumps
• Reactor can be one or two risers with dilute phase
• Regenerator can be one or two stage
• Model contains calibration for matching plant data

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 13

Naphtha (Light Oil) Hydroprocessing (NHT and CGH) Reactor Features

• Three reactors are available

1. NHT reactor is for treating reformer feed
2. Cat Gas SHU is for FCC naphtha selective hydrotreating
3. Cat Gas HDS is for FCC naphtha desulfurization
• Each reactor is a standalone bed

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 14

Heavy Oil Hydroprocessing Reactor Features

• Model is reactors and recycle gas system

• Feed and reactions based on 97 lumps
• Each reactor can be one to six beds
• Hydrotreating and hydrocracking are modelled
• Feeds can be distillate, gas oils or resids
• Model contains calibration for matching plant data

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 15

Naphtha Reforming Reactor Features

• Model is reactor beds and recycle gas system

• Feed and reactions based on 50 lumps
• Reactor can be three to six beds
• Model options include semi-regenerative and
continuous
• Model contains calibration for matching plant data

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 16

C4/C5/C6 Isomerization Reactor Features

• Model is standalone reactor bed. Use two reactors for

lead and lag reactor systems
• Feed and reactions based on 50 lumps
• Supports C4/C5/C6 isomerization
• Normally used in flowsheet with reformer
• Default kinetics may need manual calibration to
match plant

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 17

Alkylation (H2SO4 and HF) Reactor Features

• Feed and reactions based on 49 lumps

• Models for H2SO4 and HF
• Models are standalone reactors
• User adds IC4 recycle and fractionation system
• Model contains calibration for matching plant data

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 18

Thermal Cracking (Delayed Coker and Visbreaker) Reactor Features

• Feed and reactions based on 37 lumps

• Coker is feed heater with drum
• Visbreaker is feed heater with optional soaker
• Model contains calibration for matching plant data

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 19

Short Cut Reactor Features (aka Aspen PIMS Reactor LP Submodel)

• Uses “Base & Delta” LP method

• Reduces complexity in multi-unit or refinery wide
models by replacing rigorous reactor models

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 20

Workflow Options for Updating Refinery Planning Tools (LP Models)

1 Using a combination of Aspen HYSYS & MS Excel Interface

2 Using a Single MS Excel Workbook

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

Typical Reactor Planning Submodel (FCC)
Base Case Variable Shifts off the Base Case

Operating Condition Cut Point

Feed Property Effects
Effects Effects

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 22

Option 1: Using a combination of Aspen HYSYS & MS Excel Interface
Excel  HYSYS  Excel
HYSYS Petroleum Refining Flowsheets Assemble and Evaluate Plant, Model and LP Submodel Data

ASW links plant data to reactor

model flowsheet
Link plant data to FCC model
Calibration environment forces
model to match plant data

Calibrate FCC model to match plant

data

Validate FCC model predictions with

case study tools

Evaluate LP model base and shift

vectors with case study tools

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 23

Option 1: Using a combination of Aspen HYSYS & MS Excel Interface
Excel  HYSYS  Excel
Process Data from Aspen HYSYS® Petroleum Refining Drives Aspen PIMS Submodel Coefficient Formulas

Process data table drives submodel

coefficients

Case Study Output from HYSYS Petroleum

Refining transfers to PIMS Submodel sheet

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 24

Option 2: Using a Single MS Excel Workbook
Excel-based workflow

Plant Data from Data Historian

New LP Submodel

HYSYS model used to

generate data for
spreadsheet
© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 25
Option 2: Using a Single MS Excel Workbook
Track Plant vs. HYSYS vs. LP

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 26

Software Demo

1. Configure FCC model

2. Calibrate FCC model

3. Predict a feed change

4. Predict a catalyst change

5. Predict operational changes

6. Planning Model (LP) support

7. Refinery-wide modelling

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 27

Next Steps to Get Started Updating Your Refinery Reactor Models
Click on the below links for step by step guidelines on
How can I get started? 1. Training Module: Getting started with reactor models in Aspen HYSYS
2. Reference Guide: Aspen HYSYS Petroleum Refining & Reactor
Models
3. Getting started guide for delayed coker modeling
4. Getting started guide for visbreaker modeling
5. Practice materials for updating planning model (Using a Collaborative
MS Excel Workbook)
6. Practice materials for updating planning model (Using combination of
Aspen HYSYS & MS Excel)
• Contact your Aspen Technology representative (Your AspenTech
Need Help to Set up Account Manager).
Models for your refinery?
• AspenTech Customer Support
• Additional contacts:
Ankita.Mangal@aspentech.com
Stephen.Dziuk@aspentech.com
© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 28
Q&A

Contacts:

Ankita.Mangal@aspentech.com

Stephen.Dziuk@aspentech.com

Sandeep.Mohan@aspentech.com

© 2018 Aspen Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. 29