Refinery Overview

Distillate Fuel Oils Diesel Fuel Oils 

---

Naphthenic acids have been the topic of numerous studies extending over many years. Originally recovered from the petroleum distillates to minimise corrosion of refinery equipment, they have found wide use as articles of commerce in metal naphthenates and other derivatives. A comprehensive overview of the uses of naphthenic acid and its derivatives can be found in References 1 and 2. A review of the extensive research on carboxyUc acids in petroleum conducted up to 1955 is available (3), as is a more recent review of purification, identification, and uses of naphthenic acid (4). 

This chapter has only provided a brief overview of the technology of distillation. In part, to highlight some important engineering concepts and equipment, the following summary is given. As described, refinery main fractionators are distillation towers that separate very wide boiling fractions into a series of rough... 

However, it is not our intent in this chapter to enter into a political discussion of the levy of fines for infringement of the environmental laws. Our purpose is to provide the reader with an overview of a selection of the many and varied regulations that shows the types of emissions from refinery processes and the laws that regulate these emissions. 

Petroleum refining is one of the largest industries in the United States, and potential environmental hazards associated with refineries have caused increased concern for coimnunities in close proximity to them. This update provides a general overview of the processes involved and some of the potential environmental hazards associated with petroleum refineries (see also Chapter 3). 

In this chapter, we will give an overview of the process configurations of petroleum refining and the petrochemical industry. We will also discuss the key classifications of petrochemical industry feedstock from petroleum products and explain and propose possible synergies between the petroleum refinery and the petrochemical industry. 

Four appendixes are included. Appendix A contains standard materials selection used by many refiners and contractors in petroleum processing equipment. Appendix B contains a rules of thumb overview of refinery materials of construction. Appendix C contains background information on hydrogen diffusion through vessel walls, and Appendix D contains a standard specification for steel line pipe. 

The interaction between reactor miniaturization and catalyst nanotailoring to achieve an effective PI has been emphasized by Charpentier [28] and Dautzen-berg [29]. The role of membranes in PI has been discussed by Drioli ef al. [30]. This short overview of the recent state-of-the-art, although limited to reviews published in the last few years, evidences the intense research effort and broad-range type of applications for PI, from refinery and petrochemistry to biotechnology, fine and specialty chemical production. 

A major drawback of all the thermal processes of the day was the production of low valued coke. Alternative process routes were being developed to address this issue. One development pursued was hydrocracking which suppresses coke formation by the circulation of high pressure hydrogen. However, the route successfully pioneered by Houdry led to an eventual refinery configuration with the FCC centered as the primary means of conversion in today s modem refinery. Houdry s route appeared to preempt hydrocracking. Table I provides an overview of the major milestones of FCC (4, 5, 6, 7). 

Brown, R.C. (2005), Biomass refineries based on hybrid thermochemical/biological processing - An overview, in Bioreflneries, Biobased Industrial Processes and Products, B. Kamm, RR. Gruber, andM. Kamm, Editors, Weinheim, Germany, Wiley-VCH Verlag 1-24. 

Perhaps the best way to start a brief description is to quote an NFPA Journal article entitled Buildup to Disastef July/August 2007 [18]. Three investigators from the US CSB and Hazard Investigation Board concisely described an overview of the incident that wrecked the refinery as ... 

Table 1.2 gives an overview of the major similarities and dissimilarities of petrochemical refineries and biorefineries while Figures 1.3 and 1.4 give an overview of the base petrochemicals and their major applications as well as the updated top 12 building blocks derived from biomass. ° Table 1.2 and Figures 1.3 and 1.4 clearly illustrate that starting materials, processes, and products are quite different. 

Brown RC. Biomass refineries based on hybrid thermochemical-biological processing - an overview. In Kamm B, Gruber PR, Kamm M, editors. Biorefineries - industrial processes and products, status quo and future directions, vol. 1. Weinheim (Germany) WUey-VCH 2006. p. 227-52. 

---