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Vacuum Distillation Unit

Crude oil is f irst ref ined in an Atmospheric Distillation Column. Fractions of crude oil such as lighter gases (C1-C4), gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, f uel oil, diesel etc. are separated in the atmospheric distillation column. T he af ter taking out these lighter hydrocarbon cuts, heavy residue remaining at the bottom of the atmospheric distillation column needs to be ref ined. T hese heavy hydrocarbon residues are sent to a Vacuum Distillation Column f or f urther separation of hydrocarbons under reduced pressure. Heavies f rom the atmospheric distillation column are heated to Typ ic al PFD o f a Vac uum Dis tillatio n Unit approximately 400C in a f ired heater and f ed to the vacuum distillation column where they are f ractionated into light gas oil, heavy gas oil and vacuum reside. Some heavy hydrocarbons cannot be boiled at the operating temperature and pressure conditions in the atmospheric distillation column. Hence they exit the bottom of the column in liquid state and are sent to the vacuum distillation column where they can be boiled at a lower temperature when pressure is signif icantly reduced. Absolute operating pressure in a Vacuum Tower can be reduced to 20 mm of Hg or less (atmospheric pressure is 760 mm Hg). In addition, superheated steam is injected with the f eed and in the tower bottom to reduce hydrocarbon partial pressure to 10 mm of mercury or less. Lower partial pressure of the hydrocarbons makes it even more easier f or them to be vaporized, thus consuming less heat energy f or the process. A typical process f low diagram (PFD) of such a vacuum distillation column is presented in the f igure above. Steam ejectors can be used to suck the lighter hydrocarbon vapors at low pressure f rom the top of the column. T hese vapors are then cooled down to condense the steam which had been introduced in the column earlier. T he condensed oily water is removed and can be recycled to the column af ter boiling it. Hydrocarbon vapors are taken out at this stage. Two dif f erent cuts of hydrocarbons light vacuum gas oil and heavy vacuum gas oil are separated in the vacuum distillation column at dif f erent stages of the column, based on the dif f erence between their boiling point ranges. T he liquid being drawn at low pressure needs to be pumped. T hen it is heated and partially recycled back to the column. Part of is is taken out as vacuum distillation products light vacuum gas oil or heavy vacuum gas oil. Light vacuum gas Oil is sent to a hydrotreater and then to a catalytic cracking unit to obtain smaller chain hydrocarbons. Heavy vacuum gas oil is also sent f or cracking using hydrogen in a hydrocracking unit to produce smaller chain hydrocarbons. Heavy hydrocarbons which cannot be boiled even under reduced pressure remain at the bottom of the column and are pumped out as vacuum residue. T he vacuum distillation column bottom residue can only be used f or producing coke in a coker unit or to produce bitumen.