Flowsheet optimization of a lubricant base oil hydrotreatment process

Flowsheet Optimization of a Lubricant Base Oil Hydrotreatment Process

Unsaturated, nitrogenated and sulfured compounds may reach undesirable levels in lubricant base oils, requiring hydrotreatment (HDT) at high temperatures and pressures. HDT processes are well known for their high capital and operational costs due to the use of hydrogen, compressors and multistage heterogeneous reactors. Process costs are thus highly dependent on the applied conditions. An overs...

Designing a Process Flowsheet

The appearance and form of piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) have changed little over time, despite decades of technology improvements. A P&ID created 60 years ago on the drawing board, using ink pens on linen sheets, describes a process the same way as one created today using modern computer-aided design (CAD) software. P&IDs continue to be fundamental references for any process faci...

Process flowsheet optimization : recent results and future directions

Effect of Wax Content in Hydrocracker Unconverted Oil on Viscosity Index and Yield of Lubricant Base Oil 150N

Hydroprocessing has become the main technology for the production of API Group II and III base oils. One of the key properties is viscosity index for Group II and III base oils. The effect of wax content in hydrocracker unconverted oil on viscosity index and yield was studied in a 400 kton/year hydroisomerization dewaxing plant at a total pressure of 15 MPa, a feed rate of 38 ton/hour, and a ga...

Design of Optimal Process Flowsheet for Fractional Crystallization Separation Process

A procedure is presented that synthesizes fractional crystallization separation processes to obtain pure solids from multi-component solutions. The method includes a procedure to generate a network flow model to identify alternative process designs for fractional crystallization. The main advantage of this systematic procedure with respect to other reported procedures is using non-equilibri...