Systematic retrofit design with Response Surface Method and process integration techniques: A case study for the retrofit of a hydrocarbon fractionation plant

Aurora Hernández Enríquez, Michael Binns, Jin Kuk Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the Retrofit Design Approach (RDA) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for the retrofit of industrial plants in which assessment of design options for improving existing processes in a site-wide and integrated manner is not straightforward, due to complex design interactions in the process. The design methodology applied in this study is based on the systematic use of a process simulator which is used to identify promising variables through sensitivity analysis. Hence, the most important factors are determined and a reduced model is constructed based on RSM. An optimization framework is then built using the reduced model based on key selected variables, which is optimized to find optimal conditions and performance of the process. This design methodology provides strategic guidelines for determining the most cost-effective design options. The retrofit of a hydrocarbon fractionation plant is presented as an industrial case study. This includes a large number of design options with different process configurations and operating conditions due to the interconnection of distillation columns in sequence and the integrated heat recovery within the plant. The case study results demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach which is able to effectively deal with a large retrofit problems. This is possible with the aid of process simulation and RSM producing a reduced model which requires considerably less computational effort to solve.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2052-2070
Number of pages19
JournalChemical Engineering Research and Design
Volume92
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2014

Keywords

  • Distillation column design
  • Heat exchanger networks
  • Process integration
  • Process simulation
  • Response Surface Methodology

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