Refinery pre-heat train systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10494576-B2
Application number	US-201715444991-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	May 10, 2016
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A crude oil refinery pre-heat train (PHT) includes a crude oil stream pipeline system that extends through the PHT and is configured to carry a stream of crude oil from an inlet of the PHT to a furnace of the PHT; heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system; and a control system. The heat exchangers include a first set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system between the inlet of the PHT and one or more de-salters of the PHT; a second set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system between the one or more de-salters of the PHT and one or more pre-flash drums of the PHT; and a third set of heat exchangers positioned between the one or more pre-flash drums of the PHT and the furnace of the PHT.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A crude oil refinery pre-heat train (PHT), comprising:
a crude oil stream pipeline system that extends through the PHT and is configured to carry a stream of crude oil from an inlet of the PHT to a furnace of the PHT;
a plurality of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system, the plurality of heat exchangers comprising:
a first set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system in a first section of the PHT, the first section comprising a portion of the PHT between the inlet of the PHT and one or more de-salters of the PHT, the first set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system in the first section of the PHT comprising a set of eight heat exchangers, where:
a first heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a heavy vacuum unit cold front reflux stream of the PHT;
a second heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with an atmospheric crude tower overhead stream of the PHT;
a third heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a crude distillation tower top circulating reflux (top pump around) stream of the PHT;
a fourth heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with an atmospheric diesel stream of the PHT;
a fifth heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with an atmospheric Kerosene stream of the PHT;
a sixth heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a Naphtha bottom stream of the PHT;
a seventh heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a light vacuum gas oil stream of the PHT; and
an eighth heat exchanger in the set of eight heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with an atmospheric column middle circulating reflux stream of the PHT;
a second set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system in a second section of the PHT, the second section comprising a portion of the PHT after the one or more de-salters of the PHT and before one or more pre-flash drums of the PHT; and
a third set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system in a third section of the PHT, the third section comprising a portion of the PHT after the one or more pre-flash drums of the PHT and before the furnace of the PHT; and

a control system configured to actuate a first plurality of control valves to selectively thermally couple the crude oil stream with a plurality of heat sources in the first section of the PHT, the control system also configured to actuate a second plurality of control valves to selectively thermally couple the crude oil stream with a plurality of heat sources in the second section of the PHT, the control system also configured to actuate a third plurality of control valves to selectively thermally couple the crude oil stream with a plurality of heat sources in the third section of the PHT.

2. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of heat exchangers are shell-and-tube heat exchangers or plate-and-frame heat exchangers.

3. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of heat exchangers comprises an adjustable heat exchange surface area.

4. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third heat exchangers are serially arranged in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the third heat exchanger is serially arranged with the fourth through seventh heat exchangers in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the fourth through seventh heat exchangers are arranged in parallel in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the eighth heat exchanger is serially arranged with the fourth through seventh heat exchangers in the crude oil pipeline.

5. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 1 , wherein the second set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system in the second section of the PHT comprises a set of seven heat exchangers.

6. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 5 , wherein:
a first heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a kerosene product stream of the PHT;
a second heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a diesel product stream of the PHT;
a third heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a light vacuum gas oil stream of the PHT;
a fourth heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a heavy vacuum unit middle circulating reflux stream of the PHT;
a fifth heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a stabilized naphtha stream of the PHT;
a sixth heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a crude distillation unit middle circulating reflux stream of the PHT; and
a seventh heat exchanger in the set of seven heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with the crude distillation unit middle circulating reflux stream of the PHT.

7. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 6 , wherein the first heat exchanger is arranged in parallel with the second heat exchanger in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the second heat exchanger is arranged in parallel with the third and fourth heat exchangers in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the third and fourth heat exchangers are serially arranged in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the third and fourth heat exchangers are arranged in parallel with the fifth and sixth heat exchangers in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the fifth and sixth heat exchangers are serially arranged in the crude oil stream pipeline system, and the seventh heat exchanger is serially arranged with the first through sixth heat exchangers in the crude oil pipeline.

8. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 1 , wherein the third set of heat exchangers positioned in the crude oil stream pipeline system in the third section of the PHT comprises a set of fifteen heat exchangers.

9. The crude oil refinery PHT of claim 8 , wherein:
a first heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a heavy vacuum unit middle circulating reflux of the PHT;
a second heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a crude distillation unit middle circulating reflux stream of the PHT;
a third heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a vacuum residue product stream of the PHT;
a fourth heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a kerosene product stream of the PHT;
a fifth heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a heavy vacuum gas oil product stream of the PHT;
a sixth heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermally couple the crude oil stream with a diesel product stream of the PHT;
a seventh heat exchanger in the set of fifteen heat exchangers is configured to thermal

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Noureldin Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud
• Farooq Zeeshan

Classifications

• F28F27/00

  Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) · CPC title

• F28D2021/0059

  for petrochemical plants · CPC title

• C10G7/12

  Controlling or regulating · CPC title

• C10G31/06

  by heating, cooling, or pressure treatment · CPC title

• C10G2300/4006

  Temperature · CPC title