Acceleration of boiling in the desired conditions: Application of its effect in the refinery and petrochemical industries

Abstract

Rectification is used in almost all the processes of refinery and petrochemical industries. In most cases light fractions or individual components in the bottom of rectification towers are significantly higher than the thermodynamic equilibrium. The reason for this is that in the specified heat supply to the distillation residue of the fractionating tower and its specific volume, the boil-up rate of the light fractions or of some hydrocarbons is lower than the required value. The authors prove that the injection of the surface active agent in a feed stream of the fractionating tower in optimal concentration aimed at the potential content of the bottom product doubles the boiling rate of the residual light fractions in the distillation residue of the fractionating tower. It reduces the residual content of the light components in the bottom of rectification towers and improves quality of the previous fraction. The described effect has an industrial approbation. The result can be used in the running of fractionating towers for various purposes. © 2014 WIT Press.