Integrated Energy System Analysis in Hydrocarbon Industries

Manu Kaushal and Rajdeep Aggarwal

Engineers India Limited, R&D Centre, Gurgaon – 122001
manu.kaushal@eil.co.in

Abstract
The rate at which the energy demands and prices are increasing it may be impossible to pursue
the present rate of development. Developing countries, like India, will be forced to retard its
development / industrialization program for want of sufficient energy reserves. Besides this the
environmental implications of haphazard energy utilization also need to be closely studied. In-
efficient use of energy has stretched the global environment to its limits as can be seen from
unpleasant responses of the nature. Green house effect, acid rain, smog, deforestation, shift in
climatic conditions, etc., are some of the indications.

The industrial sector is a major energy-consuming sector accounting for about 50 % of the
commercial energy available in the country. Considering the scenario of the Indian Industrial
sector and its energy utilization efficiency, there is urgent need to review manufacturing
technologies and the present energy management approach. Owing to old and obsolete industrial
technologies and machinery the extent of energy wastage is very high. Needless to say that
much of the efficiency revolution is not going to happen unless the frame conditions for doing
business will be changed. Efficiency must be made profitable.

By combining the conventional energy analysis procedures with the proven techniques of
Process Integration analysis, EIL has developed a simple five step energy analysis system
comprising of (i) Assess current performance, (ii) Identification of alternatives, (iii) Evaluation of
technical / operational feasibility, (iv) Implementation and (v) sustaining energy performance
through effective monitoring.

The technique has been used for ‘Energy reduction opportunity assessment study’ at Saudi
Aramco’s Jeddah Refinery. The design basis for this study was operation rates and conditions of
year 2003. A total of 31 project ideas were considered, of which 20 met the technical screening
criteria. The baseline energy costs for 2003 were $11.86 MM/yr. The energy savings potential
was found to be $4.36 MM /year, which is about 36% of the baseline energy costs of $11.86
MM/yr, using fuel oil, fuel gas and diesel prices of $0.30/MMBtu, $1.25/MMBtu and $ 1.5/MMBtu
respectively as per the guidelines issued by the client’s Energy Management Steering
Committee.

The 20 projects (called Energy Conservation Actions, or ECAs) were grouped into three
categories as shown in Table-1.

Table-1: Summary of Savings

No. of Savings,
Projects MM$/yr
Operational Improvements 8 1.7
Minor Modifications 2 0.023
Major Modifications 10 2.64
Overall 20 4.36
This paper presents salient features of the study carried out at Jeddah Refinery.

1.0 Introduction
Petroleum refining is a vital industry. It converts crude oil and natural gas to a variety of fuels,
lubricants, and petrochemical products that help improve the quality of life. Globally, it processes

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 more material than any other industry. Total refinery throughput is about 3,500 million tons/year,
over four times that of the next largest industry, steel. The scale and significance of refining,
however, does not shield the industry from considerable changes and challenges – especially
from energy consumption as conservation point of view. Over the next two to three decades
competitive pressures and changing societal requirements will dramatically reshape the refinery
processing. The minimization of the energy costs, reduction in losses and clean fuels will be
major prime movers, which will govern the economics of the refinery processing. The refinery
shall not only be under pressure to adopt energy efficient processes, topologies but also will have
to constantly monitor their systems / energy consumption levels and take immediate corrective
measures wherever deviations are observed. Thus is it important to establish the capability bench
mark for the system, which refers to the best performance a system can deliver, and then regular
monitoring of the performance against the capability bench mark. Thus the key for sustaining the
optimum energy consumption levels is Monitoring and Targeting techniques. The key features
of these techniques are:

 Establishing the best system performance based on the actual operational practise and
operating data.

 Establishing the current performance level of the system.

 Identifying the inefficiencies in the existing set up of the system.

 Establishing the retrofits / modifications in the existing system for more energy efficient
operation.

 Establishing capability bench mark for revised system and monitoring the performance of
the same.

EIL has demonstrated the efficacy of these techniques in a commercial project of energy system
analysis of major units of Jeddah refinery of Saudi Aramco. The techniques have been highly
useful and based on the findings of the study, Saudi Aramco has awarded another project to EIL
to conduct a similar energy study at their Ras Tunra Refinery. The brief description of the study at
Jeddah Refinery and techniques employed is given below.

2.0 Energy system analysis at Jeddah refinery - scope

Jeddah refinery processes around 85,000 BPD of Arab light crude in three Crude and two
Vacuum units. Secondary processing units include FCC and gas section. Refinery generates its
own power and also exports to a few neighbouring industries. Refinery produces feedstock for a
Lube refinery. Other units include Merox (LPG, Light Naphtha, Kero, Gasoline), Naphtha
hydrotreater, and reformer

Saudi Aramco’s Jeddah refinery has been making continuous efforts towards energy cost
reduction in the refinery. Several studies have been conducted which include CanSave study of
1999 by Azzouni Management consultants of US, Profit improvement study of 2000 by KBC and
energy/yield study of 2002 by UOP. The present study under discussion has been commissioned
as a pilot project for evaluating the energy conservation opportunities as well as to develop the
performance monitoring tool for various energy consuming equipments. The scope of the study
involved:

 Pinch retrofit analysis and de-bottlenecking study, including pre-heat optimization, column
pinch analysis, inter-unit integration of crude/vacuum units, pump-around optimization
and evaluation of pre-flash options, The units included under this were

 CDU2/VDU2
 CDU3
 CDU4

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  VDU5
 FCC
 Performance analysis of major energy consuming equipment such as boilers, fired
heaters, turbines, pumps, compressors, blowers etc. and identification of upgrade
opportunities

 Analysis and optimisation of CHP system

 Identify various heat recovery schemes from out going flue gases

CDU2 and VDU2 furnaces were the major bottlenecks to further increase unit throughput or
obtaining better valuable product yield. Raising furnace inlet temperature through increased heat
recovery in the feed preheat train would help to relieve these bottlenecks.

3.0 Analysis methodology

The following general methodology was adopted during the energy system analysis:

 System identification, involving establishing the data requirement as well as

identifying the high energy consuming area.
 Data collection, validation and reconciliation of the same to remove / even out the
gross errors in the system.
 Modeling the existing system to predict the current system performance and also
to establish the capability benchmark.
 Analysing the system using the developed model for energy inefficiencies and
identifying the options to over come them.
 Technical as well as economic evaluation of the various identified options for
establishing the further feasibility.
 Prioritization of these options based on the ease of implementation as well as
associated economic returns.
As a part of the pinch analysis the following activities were carried out:
 Column Pinch analysis for pump around optimization
 Pre-heat train retrofit analysis

Column pinch analysis

The crude column has been simulated using ASPEN process simulator. Using the existing
column operation and mechanical details, a column simulation model was developed and
converged to enable better evaluation and optimization of the unit. The converged model
matched all the important operating parameters such as the pump around flow rates /heat duties,
product flows/specifications and condensers’ duties with the current operation. The column grand
composite curve (CGCC) showing net enthalpy deficient at every stage was generated. The
column grand composite curve is a useful tool for column thermal analysis. It gives an insight to
the existing column operation and guides towards optimizing the same by evaluating the options
of side condensers, side re-boilers, feed conditioning and pump around duties. The column
composite curve for the crude column of CDU-2 was generated and is shown in Figure-1. The
CGCC shows both the ideal and the actual operating curve. The ideal curve gives the
thermodynamic limits of the system and the actual curve represents the current operation/position
as compared to the thermodynamic limit of the system.

It can be observed from Figure-4.6 that there is very little scope for additional heat recovery in the
upper two pump arounds. The only potential for drawing more heat exist in kerosene pump
around, however this being a low level pump around and is unlikely to yield any appreciable
benefit. Thus it was decided to retain the current pump around configurations and duties.

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 FIGURE-1 Column Garnd composite curve for Crude column of CDU2
Block CRUDECOL: Column Grand Composite Curve (Stage-H for Main Column)

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Ideal Profile
Actual Profile

Scope for improvement

HDO PA
Stage

LDO PA
8
7
6

KERO PA
5
4
3
2

-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Enthalpy Deficit MMBtu/hr

Pre-heat train retrofit analysis

For analysis of pre-heat train integrated monitoring and targeting model, as mentioned above was
developed. The model incorporates the features data reconciliation, heat exchanger network
simulation and retrofit analysis. The model so developed was not generic in nature and was
specifically developed / tailor made for each of pre-heat trains of CDU2 and CDU3 units of
Jeddah refinery. The model operates as follows:
 The temperature profile data and stream flow rate data of the pre-heat train is
collected from the plant and is keyed in to the model.
 The model checks, validates the data and generates a reconciled set of data after
accounting for errors of heat and mass balance.
 The model established the over all heat transfer coefficient of each individual
exchanger which indicates the current health of the pre-heat train.
 The simulation module when invoked uses the reconciled data as input and
generates the correct temperature profile of the network as well as performs the
perturbation analysis of the network, identifying the beneficial locations for area
addition.
 The model produces both of these outputs in graphical as well as tabulated form.
The figure-2 below shows the comparison of the clean, current and maximum
fouled over all heat transfer coefficient. The figure-3 shows results of the
perturbation analysis.
 The recommendations of the retrofit analysis are incorporated in the model and
simulation module is run again to establish exact benefits which generally are with
+/- 10% of predicted values. Further, after the first suggested modification exhausts
it potential, further opportunities are evaluated by re-running the model and this is
carried out till all promising options are exhausted.

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 Exchanger performance analysis for the period 7/1/2004

600.00

500.00
U (kcal/hr m2 C)

400.00
Current U
300.00 Design U
Clean U
200.00

100.00

0.00

Figure-2 Exchanger performance analysis for pre-heat train of CDU2

Exchanger sensitivity analysis for final

target temperature of CR_205 stream

3
2
1
0
-105 07 A 17 03 B 11 A 12 13 14 AB
E2 E2 09 E2 E2 09 E2 11 E2 E2 E2 14
-2 E2 E2 E2 E 2
-3
-4
-5
-6

Figure-3 Exchanger sensitivity analysis of PHT of CDU2

From the exchanger performance analysis plot, shown in Figure-2 it can be inferred that currently
the exchangers are at satisfactory performance level except the RCO / CRUDE exchangers
(E211A & E214A/B). These exchangers may not necessarily be fouled up; their main reason of
improper functioning seems to be the vastly different flow-rates on the shell and tube side. The
crude flow-rate is 246 t/hr, which is 20 times the RCO flow-rate of 12 t/hr. Further these
exchangers are designed for much higher flow rate of the RCO, which is appx. 85 t/hr. Thus the
RCO side velocities are very low and thus a poor heat transfer coefficients. Such conditions
generally lead to poor “FT” factor and also improper distribution of heat transfer rate.
From the exchanger sensitivity analysis plot, as shown in Figure-3 was generated for an
perturbation area of 100 sq. m. The temperature polygon marked ( ) shows the effect of
increasing area of an exchanger by 100 sq. m. while the temperature polygon marked ( ) shows
the effect of decreasing area of an exchanger by 100 sq. m. It may be noted that the area of only

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one selected exchanger is perturbed at one time and for all other exchangers areas are kept at
base values. The exchanger sensitivity information is also given below in Table-2.
Table-2 (Exchanger sensitivity analysis)
Exch ID Effect on crude pre-heat temperature,
deg F
Area Addition Area Deletion
E205 1.944 -1.89
E207 3.042 -4.302
E209A 1.62 -2.862
E217 1.818 -2.664
E203 3.852 -6.39
E209B 2.664 -4.626
E211 1.152 -2.772
E211A 0.342 -0.432
E212 3.834 -6.66
E213 3.564 -8.964
E214 1.386 -5.292
E214AB 0.234 -0.36

From the above analysis tabulated in Table-2 and shown in Figure-3, it can be seen that the most
sensitive exchangers which affect the crude pre-heat temperature are E203, E212, E213, E207,
and E209B. Out of these exchangers E212 and E213 are the most sensitive; therefore, these
exchangers were examined for evaluating the possibility of area addition in the first instance and
their effect on the final crude pre-heat temperature was determined. It may be noted that one
modification is tried one time and next modification is evaluated only after detail analysis of first
modification is over, its effects have been accounted for in the revised network in terms of other
stream temperatures, LMTD across exchangers as well as area effectiveness and sensitivity of
revised pre-heat train configuration. The process is repeated till all possible useful options are
exhausted. It may be noted that as a first modification after evaluating the practical constraints, a
shell of 250 m2 was added in series to exchanger E212, which resulted in appx 5 degC increases
in final crude pre heat temperature. Similarly other modifications were tried in successive
iterations, while keeping in mind the pressure drop and space constraints.

The pre-heat train model not only is useful for retrofit analysis but also in regular monitoring of the
system also. It can be used at regular intervals to establish the over all heat transfer coefficient of
each of the exchanger in the network and thus performance level of exchangers can be
established. This will help in identifying the exchangers which foul fast. However only knowing the
fouling exchangers is not sufficient. The simulation engine build in the model establishes the loss
in pre-heat because of fouling and thus helps in establishing the cleaning schedule. The
simulation model also helps in predicting the effect on the pre-heat temperature and over all
temperature profile of the network because of outage of a shell, area loss because of blocking of
some of tubes on account of tube rupture. Thus the model is robust and multifaceted and is
useful in establishing energy retrofits as well maintenance schedules.

Similarly the equipment performance analysis for various process heaters and boilers was carried
out and energy inefficiencies were identified. An excel based model of CHP system was also
developed to identify the energy saving opportunities by addressing operational changes as well
as day today monitoring of the system for varying operational philosophies for optimum energy
consumption in the utility and process.

The study revealed 20 feasible energy saving opportunities which are listed below in the Table-3
along with their energy saving potential.

Table-3 various energy saving options

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 Energy
ECA# Description savings Fuel Type
MMBTU/Hr
CDU II HEN
1 IMPROVEMENT 13 FO
INSTALLATION OF
2 PREFLASH DRUM 8 FO
FCC HEN
3 IMPROVEMENT 22 FO
CDU3 HEN
4 IMPROVEMENT 6 FO
INTEGRATING CDU$ &
5 VDU#5 40 FO
ZONE II HEATERS
6 HRSG 46 FO
ZONE IV HEATERS
7 HRSG 16 FO
BOILERS 8.5
FO
8 ECONOMIZERS
INSTALLATION OF
FOUR FO POWER
9 145 DIESEL
GENERATOR AND ONE
CGT
LOW NOX BURNERS
10 INSTALLATION 15.6 FO
CERAMIC COATING
11 INSTALLATION 8 FO
DUMPING SLOP WAX
12 INTO VB (VDU#2) 1 FO
DUMPING SLOP WAX
13 INTO VB (VDU#5) 1.3 FO
BOILERS EFFICIENCY
14 IMPROVEMENT 7 FO
HEATERS EFFICIENCY
15 IMPROVEMENT 22 FO
RUN TWO CGTs
16 INSTEAD OF THREE 72 DIESEL
USE HOT VGO FOR
17 FCC FEED 14.5 FO
CHP OPTOMIZATION
(FO) -0.28 FO
18
(DIESEL) 2.15 DIESEL
OPTIMIZE LCO PROD.&
19 BLEND DIESEL
CONDENSATE
20 RECOVERY FROM WATER

TOTAL 447.77

4.0 Conclusion

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References
1. Aggarwal R, Gill BS and Chopra SJ, “Integrated Analysis of Pre-heat Train and Furnace
Systems in Refineries’. Paper presented at Intl. Conf. on Adv. in Chem. Engg.
ICAChE’96, Dec.96, Madras, India.

2. Aggarwal R, Kaushal M and Gill BS, “Thinking Beyond Furnace Efficiency’, Hamara EIL
Vol. XVIII No. 1-2, Jan-Feb, 1997.

3. Dhole VR and Linnhoff B, Total site targets for Fuel, Co-generation, Emissions and
cooling, ESCAPE II Conference, Toulouse, France, Oct. 1992.

4. Gill BS, “Cost Effectiveness in the Refining Sector”, Paper submitted to PII, Sept 2000.

5. Linnhoff B. et. All., A User guide on process Integration for Efficient use of Energy,
IChemE, Rugby U.K., 1982.

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