ARTICLES
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Choosing a neutralising amine corrosion inhibitor
Jul-2004
A review of physical and chemical properties of commonly used amine-based corrosion inhibitors. The authors highlight the relative strengths and weaknesses ...
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Improving the distillation energy network
Oct-2013
Energy-efficient design applied to the refit of a distillation unit was achieved through optimisation between the distillation column and heat network ...
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Crude overhead system design considerations
Jul-2007
Proper crude unit overhead system design is important when building a new unit or revamping an existing one to process different crudes
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Oct-2005
Fundamental design considerations influencing diesel and vacuum gas oil (VGO) recovery when revamping existing or designing grassroots crude units. By ...
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Flue gas heat recovery through the acid dew point
Jul-2019
Polymer based heat exchange technology enables more heat recovery from flue gas by addressing acid corrosion issues.
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Why vacuum unit fired heaters coke
Oct-2004
A description of the internal workings of vacuum heaters and the causes of coke formation within them
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Maximisation of VGO through deep-cut distillation for refinery margins
Jan-2011
Appropriate choice of crude and/or crude oil blends as feedstock and a vacuum tower revamp enable higher production of vacuum gas oil
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Operating vacuum distillation ejector systems
Oct-2016
Best practices and opportunities to deliver reliable ejector system performance and reduce performance risk.
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An atmospheric crude tower revamp
Jul-2005
Overall gas oil yield was maintained with heavier crudes due to a crude tower revamp. The revamp allowed for a crude heater outlet temperature reducti ...
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Preventing ammonium salt fouling and corrosion
Jan-2018
Best practices and opportunities to reduce the risk of salt deposition and damage
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Entrainment issues in vacuum column flash zones
Jan-2010
For a vacuum tower to operate effectively, the flash zone and the wash section must work together to provide the best possible feed quality to the sections ...
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Designing the CDU/VDU for opportunity crudes
Oct-2012
New units for processing heavy crudes should not be designed using conventional practices or run length will be short, and product yields and quality ...
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Reducing vacuum tower pressure
Apr-2015
To create a better vacuum the vapour load to the ejector has to be reduced
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Identifying poor heat exchanger performance
Sep-2007
Identifying root causes of poor crude unit debutaniser reboiler performance and low-cost solutions that help meet exchanger original design conditions
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Improved conceptual process design avoids revamp scope growth
Mar-2002
For grassroots design, defining project scope is a straightforward exercise. Grassroots projects can follow optimum execution procedures for engineering ...
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Future of opportunity crudes processing
Oct-2011
Five critical drivers help refiners remain profitable and sustain long-term business goals while processing relatively inexpensive, low-quality crudes
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Oct-2004
Installation of vortex tube clusters in crude unit preflash drums has eliminated foam carry-over, increasing diesel and atmospheric gasoil product yie ...
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Jan-2006
Cost-effective exchanger network solutions need to rely on more than just pinch technology if they are to be successful
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Consider retrofits to handle high-viscosity crudes
Mar-2004
In 2000, ConocoPhillips’ refinery in Sweeny, Texas, began processing 16° API gravity blends of extra-heavy crude oils, including Merey 16 and BCF 1 ...
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Oct-2012
Inaccurate feed characterisation and process modelling errors are major contributors to poor performance in a vacuum unit as refiners switch to heavier ...
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Evaluating opportunity crude processing
Oct-2006
Is processing opportunity crudes for every refiner? Technical challenges and economic benefits from processing high-acid crudes and bottom-of-the-barrel ...
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Sep-2003
Case studies show how accurate field-measured differential pressure can be interpreted incorrectly when troubleshooting refinery vacuum columns
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Revamping atmospheric crude heaters
Sep-2007
Revamp of an atmospheric crude unit heater suffering from coking caused by asphaltene precipitation resulted in an increased heater run length
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Revamping crude towers for quality and yield
Nov-2016
A successful revamp of distillation towers for increased diesel quality and yield depended on reliable design and accurate assembly
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Simulating crude units with preflash
Nov-2016
Process simulation offers a cost effective way of testing ideas to improve yield and energy performance.
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Enhancing flexibility in two-stage hydrocrackers
Aug-2022
Shifting markets and refined product priorities compels refiners to find the flexibility for shifting from middle distillate to naphtha for petrochemical ...
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Maximising stripping section performance
Aug-2021
The design of a crude unit stripping section affects diesel and gasoil yields, energy usage, and unit reliability.
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Revamping crude towers for quality and yield
Nov-2016
A successful revamp of distillation towers for increased diesel quality and yield depended on reliable design and accurate assembly
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Flue gas heat recovery through the acid dew point
Jul-2019
Polymer based heat exchange technology enables more heat recovery from flue gas by addressing acid corrosion issues.
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Importance of testing for vacuum ejectors in refinery service
Jun-2022
Efforts should be made to identify and avoid errors in the specification, engineering, and manufacturing of vacuum system equipment before they manifest ...
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De-mystifying vacuum ejector systems
Feb-2023
First-stage inter-condenser design and performance are critical for reliable vacuum system performance.
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Choosing a neutralising amine corrosion inhibitor
Jul-2004
A review of physical and chemical properties of commonly used amine-based corrosion inhibitors. The authors highlight the relative strengths and weaknesses ...
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Premature foam-flood in an amine absorber: Part 1
Nov-2021
Troubleshooting and hydraulic analysis identified vapour channelling in fixed valve trays as the root cause of premature foam-flooding in a high pressure ...
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Realities of heat flux in fired heaters
Nov-2020
Uneven radiant heat flux distribution is a major cause of poor reliability in refinery fired heaters.
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An atmospheric crude tower revamp
Jul-2005
Overall gas oil yield was maintained with heavier crudes due to a crude tower revamp. The revamp allowed for a crude heater outlet temperature reducti ...
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Improving the distillation energy network
Oct-2013
Energy-efficient design applied to the refit of a distillation unit was achieved through optimisation between the distillation column and heat network ...
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Myth of high cutpoint in dry 
vacuum units
Apr-2014
Accurate measures of true boiling point cutpoints are essential to correctly evaluate vacuum unit performance
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Problems in processing discounted crudes Part 2: crude and vacuum columns
May-2019
Project costs must be considered to fully understand whether or not an opportunity crude really does deliver on savings.
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Managing vacuum tower wash beds
Sep-2020
ThruVision™ scans monitor the rate of coking in vacuum tower wash beds to get the most out of bed productivity.
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Column revamp boosts diesel production
Nov-2020
Revamping the internals of a main fractionator column enabled a refinery to increase its diesel throughput.
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Jun-2021
Upgraded crude scheduling enabled a refiner to increase its use of opportunity crudes for higher margin.
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Jan-2022
Improvements in performance and energy efficiency were achieved during the turnaround of a crude distillation unit.
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Crude oil processing scheme for reducing operating costs in the CDU
Feb-2023
Development of crude oil distillation processing schemes to significantly reduce external energy and stripping steam demand.
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Flexible upgrading of heavy feedstocks
Feb-2019
Adding tailor-made options for upgrading heavy crudes to existing assets can adapt refineries to changes in market conditions and regulatory demands.
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Problems in processing discounted crudes Part 1: definition and crude preheat
Feb-2019
Project costs must be considered to fully understand whether or not an opportunity crude really does deliver on savings.
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Amine anomaly in a mild hydrocracker
Jun-2021
Simulation and operational changes help to crack the riddle of frequent amine carry-over from a high pressure amine absorber.
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Nov-2017
Thorough tank cleaning means removing all of the sludge and restoring the vessel’s full storage capacity.
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Correcting vacuum column design flaws
Apr-2017
Conventional design practices have been proven inadequate when maximising diesel recovery and gas oil cut point
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Our desalting rate drops away quickly when we use heavier feeds. What is the problem here?
Feb-2021
Responses to a question in the Q1 2021 issues Q&A Feature
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Preventing ammonium salt fouling and corrosion
Jan-2018
Best practices and opportunities to reduce the risk of salt deposition and damage
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De-mystifying vacuum ejector systems
Feb-2023
First-stage inter-condenser design and performance are critical for reliable vacuum system performance.
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Fouling in VDU ejector systems
Feb-2023
Review of critical ejector-condenser interplay, with an overview of fouling in VDU ejector systems, including a case study where fouling impacted a refiner's ...
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Desalting chemistry and monitoring methods to help expand crude basket
Feb-2023
Widening the crude basket increases the challenges of maintaining asset reliability and plant performance, including formation of rag layers.
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Design configurations for lowering quenched coke drum venting pressure
Feb-2023
Compare the advantages when installing either an ejector or a water ring compressor for lowering coke drum venting pressure.
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Reconfiguration of naphtha splitters using divided wall column technology
Feb-2023
Integration of DWCs into existing refining configurations reduces energy consumption and GHG emissions in distillation systems while also lowering operating ...
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Crude oil processing scheme for reducing operating costs in the CDU
Feb-2023
Development of crude oil distillation processing schemes to significantly reduce external energy and stripping steam demand.
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Sulzer’s VIEC technology provides the solution with single-stage early separation
Nov-2022
The principle of “easiest first” applies as much in the oil industry as in most other enterprises. This in no more evident than in the state of the ...
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Identifying the root cause of underperforming ejector systems
Nov-2022
Underperforming ejector systems illustrate the importance of the long air baffle, its proper operation, and how to quickly identify problems when they ...
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Crude preheat train fouling and fix-up
Nov-2022
Rigorous modelling of crude preheat train exchangers allows for fouling progression of the heat exchangers to be monitored throughout the crude unit run ...
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Enhancing flexibility in two-stage hydrocrackers
Aug-2022
Shifting markets and refined product priorities compels refiners to find the flexibility for shifting from middle distillate to naphtha for petrochemical ...
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Importance of testing for vacuum ejectors in refinery service
Jun-2022
Efforts should be made to identify and avoid errors in the specification, engineering, and manufacturing of vacuum system equipment before they manifest ...
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Apr-2022
A vacuum column’s economics can be greatly improved with a low cost modification to the ejector system
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Mitigating overhead corrosion and reducing downstream costs
Jan-2022
A combination of onstream measurements, closed-loop control, and corrosion measurement enabled significant reductions in caustic addition rates and FCC ...
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Premature foam-flood in an amine absorber: Part 2
Jan-2022
Troubleshooting and hydraulic analysis identified vapour channelling in fixed valve trays as the root cause of premature foam-flooding in a high pressure ...
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Jan-2022
Improvements in performance and energy efficiency were achieved during the turnaround of a crude distillation unit.
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Premature foam-flood in an amine absorber: Part 1
Nov-2021
Troubleshooting and hydraulic analysis identified vapour channelling in fixed valve trays as the root cause of premature foam-flooding in a high pressure ...
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Maximising stripping section performance
Aug-2021
The design of a crude unit stripping section affects diesel and gasoil yields, energy usage, and unit reliability.
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Upgrading a vacuum distillation tower (TIA)
Aug-2021
When a major oil refinery in India was constrained by its vacuum tower, it turned to Sulzer Chemtech to find a solution that would not only solve existing ...
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Jun-2021
Upgraded crude scheduling enabled a refiner to increase its use of opportunity crudes for higher margin.
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Amine anomaly in a mild hydrocracker
Jun-2021
Simulation and operational changes help to crack the riddle of frequent amine carry-over from a high pressure amine absorber.
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Reducing FCC main fractionator operating risks
Mar-2021
Analysis of an FCC main fractionator upset and follow-up revamp showed that removal of the HCO wash section did not impact operations or product quali ...
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Upgrading a vacuum distillation tower (TIA)
Feb-2021
Reliable and efficient vacuum towers are key to ensuring optimal performance and yield.
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Our desalting rate drops away quickly when we use heavier feeds. What is the problem here?
Feb-2021
Responses to a question in the Q1 2021 issues Q&A Feature
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Processing lower cost crudes with greater confidence and improved reliability
Dec-2020
For more than 100 years, it has been understood in the petroleum refining industry that certain crude oils or, more accurately, crude oil fractions contain ...
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High performance internals in severe service
Nov-2020
Application of a severe service grid achieved 10% higher throughput with improved reliability in a vacuum tower revamp.
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Europe's largest manufacturer of tower packings
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Watlow’s thermal systems optimize your refinery
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Compressors for demanding applications
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FCC online diagnostic services for FCCU
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Turbomachinery and Pump Symposia, September 26-28
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New fired heaters
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Evonik Catalysts. Let’s make a difference
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Tri block, double block and bleed valve from ZWICK
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Hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalysts
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