Desalter Effluent Study an Effective and Economical Solution
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NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Using V✧SEP to Treat Desalter Effluent Study An effective and economical solution New Logic Research has developed an innovative and rugged Ultrafiltration Membrane System for the treatment of desalter effluent. In the past, desalter effluent has been something that a refinery has just put up with and tried to manage as best it can. Now by utilizing the proprietary VSEP Filtration System, desalter effluent can be treated and mitigated at the source. Crude Oil Basics Crude oils are complex mixtures containing many different hydrocarbon compounds that vary in appearance and composition from one oil field to another. Crude oils range in consistency from water to tar-like solids, and in color from clear to black. An “average” crude Desalting - The First Step in Crude oil contains about 84% carbon, 14% Oil Refining constantly varying conditions is a key hydrogen, 1%-3% sulfur, and less than ingredient to success of the entire 1% each of nitrogen, oxygen, metals, Desalting and dewatering of crude oil refinery operation. The main function and salts. Refinery crude base stocks upstream of the crude distillation unit of the Desalter is to remove salt and usually consist of mixtures of two or is a key process operation for the water form the crude oil. However, more different crude oils. removal of undesirable components many other contaminants such as clay, from crude oil before it reaches any of silt, rust, and other debris also need to Crude oils are also defined in terms of the major unit operations. The operation be removed. These can cause corrosion API (American Petroleum Institute) of a desalting system can be very and fouling of downstream equipment. gravity. A crude with a high API gravity challenging due to changing process Also, there are metals that can deactivate are usually rich in paraffins and tend to variables. At best, it is a process of catalysts used in the process of refining. yield greater proportions of gasoline and measuring trade-offs and compromises. light petroleum products. Crude oils that Desalter Theory contain appreciable quantities of A delicate balance must be maintained hydrogen sulfide or other reactive sulfur while controlling mixing intensity, wash The Desalter removes contaminants compounds are called “sour.” Those water quality, chemical demulsifier feed from crude oil by first emulsifying the with less sulfur are called “sweet.” and other parameters that can provide crude oil with chemicals and wash water optimal salt removal. On one hand the to promote thorough contact of the water All crude oils are assayed and valued quality of the crude overflow must be and oil. The salts containing some of the depending on their potential yield. within specific standards and on the metals that can poison catalysts are Crude Oil with low assay numbers is other hand the under-carry must not be dissolved in the water phase. After the referred to as “Opportunity Crude”. This so potent that it compromises the oil has been washed and mixed as an type of oil will be more difficult to system’s dehydration abilities or fouls emulsion of oil and water, demulsifying process due to higher levels of up downstream wastewater treatment. chemicals are then added and contaminants and water. This type of New legislative demands placed on electrostatic fields are used to break the crude will typically give desalter effluent water quality present the emulsion. Desalters are sized to allow equipment the most trouble and require operator with a difficult challenge. the water and oil to settle and separate the greatest skill of the operator. Optimizing the desalting process under according to Stoke’s Law. V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study In addition, solids present in the crude and fouling downstream in the heat Refinery Wastewater will accumulate in the bottom of the exchangers, furnaces, and distillation desalter vessel. The desalter must be units, if not removed. Electrical The desalter effluent is a major source periodically washed to remove the desalting is the application of high- of contaminated wastewater and a accumulated solids. voltage electrostatic charges to source of hydrocarbons as oil under concentrate suspended water globules in carry to the extent that emulsions are not A’“mud washing” system is installed in the bottom of the settling tank. completely broken. Oil under carry can the bottom of the vessel to periodically Surfactants are added only when the be the single largest source of oil losses remove the solids. Mud washing crude has a large amount of suspended to the wastewater treatment system. consists of recycling a portion of the solids. Reduction in the amount of Oil in the desalter effluent water to agitate the undercarry not only reduces sewer accumulated solids so that they are Other less-common processes involve loadings but also recovers valuable raw washed out into the effluent water. filtering heated crude using material that would otherwise be lost. These solids are then routed to the diatomaceous earth and chemical Rates vary with the water content of the wastewater system. treatment and settling. Ammonia is often crude oil and the degree of difficulty in used to reduce corrosion. Caustic or acid desalting the crude, but a representative Desalter effluent or undercarry is a may be added to adjust the pH of the rate would be around 2-2.5 gallons of combination or many things including water wash. wastewater per barrel of crude oil feed the mud wash done at periodic intervals, to the unit. Desalter water contains salt, produced water that came with the Wastewater and contaminants are sludge, rust, clay, and varying amounts crude, and the brine wash water discharged from the bottom of the of emulsified oil (oil under carry). resulting from the dilution and removal settling tank to the wastewater treatment Depending on the crude oil source, it of salts and other contaminants. facility. The desalted crude is may or may not contain significant continuously drawn from the top of the levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), Desalter Process settling tank and sent to the crude ammonia, and phenolic compounds. distillation tower. A properly performing Relatively high levels of suspended and To accomplish desalting, the crude is desalter can remove about 90% of the dissolved solids are usually observed. first preheated to 120º-150º with heat salt in raw crude. exchangers in order to reach the required Refinery Process Wastewater Description Waste Byproducts viscosity level normally in the range of Storage Tanks Crude Oil comes with a considerable amount of Sulfides, Salts, TDS, and Oil 5-15 centi-stoke. water. During storage of the crude, this water settles in the storage tanks and is periodically drained off. The temperature is limited by the vapor Desalting Unit The Desalting process produces salt water from the Chlorides, Carbonates, pressure of the crude-oil feedstock. washing of the crude oil. The undercarry from the Sulfides, and Oil desalter conatins the produced water that came About 2-6% wash water is metered in with the crude as well as wash water which is added ahead of the desalter as an extraction prior to dealting to dilute and remove contaminants agent in addition to emulsifying agents Distillation Oily sour water is drained from the "knock-down" Sulfur and Ammonia to help dissolve salts and sediments. sump vessels of the fractionators. Intense mixing of the crude, wash water, and chemicals then takes place over a LPG Caustic Washing In the liquid petroleum gas caustic wash unit, casutic High Sulfides caustic is added to convert Sulfur (H2S) to Sodium mixing valve. Di-Sulfide (NaS2) Once in the pressurized desalter vessel, Cooling Tower Blowdown Water used for cooling is recirculated in a closed loop. Corrosion Inhibitors, TDS Water drained as "blow-down to maintain acceptable the salts and sediment settle with wash temperature and dissolved solids levels. water and tend to form emulsions. The wash water is separated by electrostatic Miscellaneous Other wastewaters are produced from wash down of Propane, Methyl Ethyl Ketone, operations, boiler blowdown, MEK de-waxing, and TDS, Oil and others precipitation using high voltage and de- Propane De=asphalting emulsifiers and acid. The salts that are removed are mainly chlorides and carbonates. They can cause corrosion Sources of wastewater during the refinery process V✧SEP ... A New Standard in Rapid Separation Copyright 2003 all rights reserved NEW LOGIC RESEARCH Case Study Process Variables Affecting Desalter Performance use of membrane filtration results in materials and modules. Through the reduced capital, chemical, operating, innovations in membrane chemistry and Crude Oil Quality and energy-consumption costs. The design, membrane filtration Crude Oil Feed Rate potential for economic benefit to the technologies will establish a leadership role in the chemical processing market. Temperature, Viscosity, and Density user industry is revolutionary. Recent advancements including the Electrical Field Intensity Crude oil refiners facing global invention of Teflon, Kynar, and Wash Water Quality competition are looking for new inorganic membranes have made their Wash Water Feed Rate technologies for product manufacturing use practical even for the most Emulsifiers Rate that can improve operations aggressive chemical environment. Water Level Control performance, reduce operating costs, and stem pollution problems before they The VSEP Technology Emulsion Layer Thickness occur. Conventional separation Demulsifier Rate processes have been around for many Historically, membrane manufacturers Mud Washing Technique years and have been optimized to the have utilized tangential or crossflow Brine Recycling Process greatest extent possible. With new filtration to reduce solids loading of the regulations on emissions, demand for membrane. In this method, the feed high product quality, and burgeoning material is pumped at high velocity into VSEP Membrane Filtration - energy costs, traditional separation the system.