AM-95-19 PACKINOX: ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES OF WELDED PLATE FEED-EFFLUENT HEAT EXCHANGERS IN REFINING

Description:

Welded plate heat exchangers have become a common technology in the refining industry. They are now recognized as the standard technology for feed preheating in catalytic reforming. From that platform, their use has recently spread upstream (hydrotreating-HDT, hydrodesulfurization-HDS) and downstream (aromatics plants, in particular). They have proven their high reliability over the past decade, cumulating over one hundred years of satisfactory service. On new projects, process licensers are now taking full advantage of the outstanding thermal capabilities of welded plate feed effluent heat exchangers, and fired heaters and product coolers are sized for smaller duties. Refiners benefit in many ways: economically, by a reduction in total capital cost requirements and by lower operating costs; in the field, through the advantage of unique safety features; and environmentally, through a reduction in total emission. The most outstanding value of welded plate feed effluent heat exchangers is often found in the retrofit of older, existing reformers and hydrotreaters. It is not uncommon to see a unit’s pressure lowered by 100 psi and / or its throughput increased by 30% or more principally by the installation of a high efficiency, low pressure drop PACKINOX in replacement of an outdated feed preheat train. Two case stories are presented in the paper as examples of new and retrofit applications.