Effect of increasing the load in the Amuay Refinery alkylation isostripper tower

• José Ayala Refinería de Lagoven-Venezuela
• Augusto Bitter Refinería de Lagoven-Venezuela
• Jorge Sánchez Universidad del Zulia-Venezuela

Palabras clave: alkylation, isostripper simulation, tray hydraulics, flooding

Resumen

In this work the alkylation isotripper tower of Amuay Refinery (Falcón, Venezuela) was studied by means of simulation with PRO-II, Version 3.3 (Simulation Sciences lnc). The Hexamer algorithm was used to calculate the thermodynamic properties of hydrocarbon mixtures with hydrogen fluoaride. Simulations of the isostripper tower were done with design data from Universal Oil Products (UOP), up to date operational data and data for expanding capacity. A comparison of the simulation results with the design and operational data shows that in all cases product purity, temperature profiles and liquid and vapor compositions in each tray, as well as the values other operational variables, were very similar. From the simulation of the isostripper tower for higher loads, it was found that the feed could be increased up to 10615 kmol/h without hydraulic limitations in the main isostripper tower nor process limitations in the main equipment (pumps, condenser, reboiler, etc). This feed increase produce 730 kmol/h alkylate and $60.000 a day.