Abstract:
In this work, plantwide exergy analysis of a petroleum refinery was
conducted. An Aspen HYSYS® model of a petroleum refinery was used for
collection of information to perform the exergy analysis. The plant wide model
consisted of alkylation unit, reformer, naphtha hydrotreater, catalytic cracker, diesel
hydrotreater, isomerization unit, hydrocracker, and kerosene hydrotreater. Seventeen
(17) independent input streams and twenty-eight (28) output streams of the plant
were considered for the analysis. The physical and chemical exergies of the streams
were summed for assessing the overall exergy efficiency, exergy destruction, and
improvement potentials of the plant. Exergy efficiency of the plant was 91.38% with
exergy destruction of 704054.64 kW and exergetic improvement potential of
60707.50 kW. The current study gives an insight into the plant-wide transformation
from physical exergies of the process streams and utilities into the chemical exergies
of the fuels (product) produced in the refineries.
