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Seminar assignments - Assignment 1 questions + answers

Oil Refining and Processing (The University of Western Ontario)

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The University of Western Ontario

Faculty of Engineering
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CBE 4432B/9132B –Oil Refining and Processing

Assignment # 1

Due Date: Thursday, January 23, 2014 by 5 p.m.

Problem 1.1
Results for ASTM D 86 distillation tests of a gasoline fraction are given in Table 1. The
standard specific gravity of the fraction is determined to be 0.76.
a) Estimate its Watson characterization factor and hence its dominant hydrocarbon
type. The volume average boiling point for a petroleum cut using its ASTM
distillation curve can be estimated as: (10)

b) This gasoline stream needs to be cooled from 90 oC to 30 oC at a flow rate of 300

kg/h. Calculate the enthalpy change for heat exchanger duty. Specific heat for the
gasoline fraction can be estimated by the following equation (Lee and Kesler, 1975;
Watson and Nelson, 1933). (10)

(kJ/kg.K)

Problem 1.2
Calculate the kinematic viscosities of following crude oils samples at 100 oF whose specific
gravities and mean average boiling points (MeABP) are given below.
i) Specific gravity: 0.845; MeABP: 310 oC (10)
ii) Specific gravity: 0.895; MeABP: 420 oC (10)
The following equation developed by Pedersen et al. (1989) can be used.

ν 100 = 4.39371 – 1.94733Kw + 0.127690 Kw2 + 3.2629x10-4 (API)2

-1.18246 x 10-2Kw(API)

ν100 is kinematic viscosity in centistokes (cSt) at 100 oF (37.8 oC)

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Table 1. Results for an ASTM D 86 distillation of a gasoline

Distillation volume, % Temperature, oC

IP 33.0
5 42.5
10 45.5
20 50.0
30 55.0
40 62.5
50 75.0
60 99.0
70 131.0
80 151.5
90 167.5
95 177.5
EP 183.5
%distillate 97.8
%residue 0.8
%losses 1.4

Problem 1.3
i) A desalter is used in a petroleum refinery to remove salts from crude oil.
Describe its operation in some details with suitable diagram(s).
(40)
ii) A refinery is experiencing a decrease in desalter performance due to increase in
salt content in crude supply. It plans to add a second desalter so that there is
countercurrent flow of wash water and crude for better removal efficiency.
Draw simplified flow diagram showing the input and output streams for this
arrangement. (20)

References
Lee, B.I. and M.G. Kesler, “A generalized thermodynamic correlation based on three-
parameter corresponding states”, AIChE J, Vol. 21, No. 3, p. 510 (1975).
Pedersen, K.S., A. Fredenslund and P. Rasmussen, “Properties of oils and natural gases”,
Chapter 7, Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, TX (1989).
Watson, K.M. and E.F. Nelson, “Improved methods for approximating critical and thermal
properties of petroleum fractions”, Ind. Eng. Chem., Vol. 25, No. 8, p. 880 1933).

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Solution Problem 1.1

Part a.
The volume average temperature is calculated using the given equation and ASTM
distillation data from Table 1.

Thus TvABP = 273 + 90.75 = 363.75 oK

Substituting the given values in Watson factor equation

(1.8Tb )1 / 3
KW 
S
= 11.4

This fraction has high concentration of naphthenes.

Part b.
Enthalpy change is given by the following equation.

Q = mcpl ∆T
Here, m = 300 kg/h

∆T = 90 – 30 = 60
Specific heat equation is given as below (Lee and Kesler, 1975; Watson and Nelson, 1933).

(kJ/kg.K)

Here, Kw = 11.4

S = 0.76 and
o
T = (363+303)/2 = 333 K

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Substituting into specific heat equation gives:

Cpl = 2.16 kJ/kg.K

Thus Q = 300x2.16x60 = 38,880 kJ/h

Problem 1.2
The following equation given for calculation of kinematic viscosity.

ν 100 = 4.39371 – 1.94733Kw + 0.127690 Kw2 + 3.2629x10-4 (API)2

-1.18246 x 10-2Kw(API)

It requires Kw and API values for the crude samples.

Sample 1

(1.8Tb )1 / 3
KW 
S
Tb = 583 oK; S = 0.845

Kw = 12

141.5
o
API = ____________ - 131.5
Specific gravity

= 35.96

Substituting into viscosity equation gives,

ν100 = 4.9 Cst

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Sample 2

(1.8Tb )1 / 3
KW 
S
Tb = 693 oK; S = 0.895

Kw = 12

141.5
o
API = ____________ - 131.5
Specific gravity

= 26.6

Substituting into viscosity equation gives,

ν100 = 34.2 Cst

Problem 1.3
i) A desalter in petroleum refinery is used to remove salts from crude oils. Crude oil often
contains suspended solids and water with dissolved inorganic salts such as chlorides of
calcium and magnesium. If the salts are not removed, they can lead to corrosion, plugging,
and fouling of equipment and poisoning the catalysts in processing units.

The salts are washed out of crude oil by a wash water stream which is mixed with the
incoming crude oil (see diagram below). The feedstock crude oil is heated to between 50°
and 150°C to reduce viscosity and surface tension for easier mixing and separation of the
water. However mixing of wash water and crude generates an emulsion of fine water
droplets in crude oil. An electrostatic electric field is used to help coalesce the fine droplets
to produce larger drops which can be settled by gravity.

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The desalted crude is continuously drawn from the top of the settling tanks and sent to the
crude distillation tower. Wastewater and contaminants are discharged from the bottom of
the settling tank to the wastewater treatment facility

ii) Flow diagram of two stage desalter unit with countercurrent flow of wash water and
crude oil

Desalted
Crude

Crude e
Desalter 1 Desalter 2
oil

Wash water from stage

2 to 1

Fresh wash water

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