TITLE:
Optimization of the Striping Section of Modular Refinery Operations in Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Adeloye Olalekan Michael, Igbagara Princewill Woyinbrakemi
KEYWORDS:
Simulation, Optimization, Okoro 2012, Hydrocracker, Five Lump, Aspen Hysys, MatLab
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Optimization,
Vol.11 No.3,
September
29,
2022
ABSTRACT: Nigerian crude oil type Okoro 2012 was applied in this study owing to its
low API value 23.54 and high residual percentage value of 42.16% from conventional
modular refinery operations in Nigeria. The residue acted as a precursor or
feedstock to the hydrocracker reactor of the modified modular refinery operation,
which is an hydrogenation catalytic process at operating conditions of 380°C and 183 bar respectively and the hydrogen gas applied is produced via steam-methane reforming since the
operational feedstocks are available as methane is the first gaseous
product from the modified modular refinery process. Thus, more valuable
products such as liquefied petroleum gas, naphtha and diesel were produced from
modified modular refinery thereby resolving the residue or bottom product issue
associated with conventional modular refinery operation in Nigeria. Models were
developed from the first principle through the application of the principle of
conservation of mass to predict the performance of the hydrocracker reactor and
the developed models were sets of ordinary differential equations, which were
solved using MatLab ODE45 solver and validated using simulation data of Aspen
Hysys software for the hydrocracker
reactor. The
results gave a minimum percentage absolute error (deviation) between model
predictions and Aspen Hysys results of 4.45%, 5.0% and 2.02% for liquefied
petroleum gas, naphtha and diesel products respectively. Hence, the model developed
predicted the output performance of the hydrocracker reactor very closely and was applied in studying or simulation of the effects of catalyst
effectiveness factor on the overall performance of the hydrocracker
reactor.