Title: Optimised coker unit design integrating heat exchange network and exergy analysis

Authors: Ayat Ossama Ghallab; Ahmed Essam Keshta; Reem S. Ettouney; Mahmoud A. El-Rifai

Addresses: Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt ' Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt ' Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt ' Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Abstract: Two approaches are applied for reducing energy consumption in an actual delayed coking plant converting vacuum residue into lighter and higher value hydrocarbon products. Pinch analysis is applied with a view to optimising the pinch temperature approach and structure of the existing seven heat exchangers' network. This resulted in about 27% reduction of the total annual cost corresponding to an annual saving of about US$1.9 million. Exergy analysis is also conducted on other main process plant equipment which revealed a possible annual saving of US$0.75 million through generation of medium pressure steam in the blowdown tower.

Keywords: delayed coker; pinch analysis; process optimisation; exergy analysis; energy efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2023.128530

International Journal of Exergy, 2023 Vol.40 No.1, pp.91 - 107

Received: 02 Aug 2022
Received in revised form: 28 Sep 2022
Accepted: 28 Sep 2022
Published online: 25 Jan 2023 *