Refining energy consumption

The gradual reduction and ultimate elimination of lead has seen considerable effort by the refiner to maintain the octane numbers at satisfactory levels. In Europe, the conventional unleaded motor fuel, Eurosuper, should have a minimum RON of 95 and a minimum MON of 85. These values were set in 1983 as the result of a technical-economic study called RUFIT (Rational Utilization of Fuels in Private Transport). A compromise was then possible between refining energy expenses and vehicle fuel consumption (Anon., 1983). 

Scra.p Copper. The energy required for copper production from scrap is appreciably less than that needed production from ores. If the scrap is of low grade and has to be smelted and refined, the energy consumption is about 45 GJ /1 (43 x 10 Btu/t) of copper (52). Scrap that only requires melting and casting uses about 5 GJ/t (4.7 X 10 Btu/t) of copper. 

Various pollution prevention case histories have been documented for nonferrous metals refining industries. In particular, the actions of the AMPCO Metal Manufacturing Company, Inc., typify industry efforts to simultaneously lessen the impact of the industrial process on the environment, reduce energy consumption, and lower production costs.1... 

As a result of the continuing increased demand for petroleum and a continuing decline in the domestic production of crude oil, it has been necessary to import crude oil and refined products in ever increasing amounts. In 1970, the U.S. imported 1.324 million barrels per day of crude oil and 2.095 million barrels per day of refined products, a total of 3.419 million barrels per day. At the same time, our consumption of oil was 14.697 million barrels per day. Our imports of oil were therefore 23.3 percent which amounted to 10 percent of our total energy consumption. 

The filtrate is then concentrated to 60% of dry substance in multiple-effect evaporators economical in energy consumption ( 1 lb of water evaporated by 1/n lb of steam, where n is the number of effects). However, the temperature to which the liquor is exposed in the multiple-effect evaporators is much higher than in the single-effect, vacuum evaporators that are used in the final evaporation of refined liquor to afford finished-syrup concentration this exposure to high temperature causes, in the syrup liquor, formation of color and off-fla-... 

Following are estimates of the atmospheric emissions and energy consumption associated with the raw materials acquisition and processing (logging, pulping, and papermaking for paper, petroleum production and refining and polymerization for polyethylene) and disposal of sacks, and for the manufacture and use of sacks. 

Pinch analysis is applied to the crude oil distillation system to determine the minimum utility requirements and to find any applicable modifications to the process. The petroleum refining industry ranks third, after the chemical and the primary metal industry, in its energy consumption [2]. In addition, in any refinery, there is a wide range of temperatures where heat must be supplied or removed. Therefore, applying pinch analysis to the crude oil distillation system is necessary to reduce the energy consumption as far as possible. 

Directive 1999/32/EC on the reduction of the sulphur content of several liquid fuels and Directive 2003/17/EC. The latter obliges the refining sector to reduce the sulphur content of fuels, increasing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. 

The separation cost is often related directly to the degree of dilution for the component of interest in the initial mixture. This cost includes the fact that most separations use 50 times the minimum energy requirement based on the ideal thermodynamic requirements. To put the energy consumption in perspective, the chemical and petroleum refining industries in the US consume approximately 2.9 million barrels per day of crude oil in feedstock conversion [1], One method to visualize this cost factor is with the Sherwood plot shown in Figure 1.2. 

Ozone was added to the eye of a refiner to enhance the TMP quality and to reduce energy consumption by facilitating fiber separation [103]. The ozone mainly oxidized the wood extractives but, as well as saving energy, a 1-2% charge of ozone on the TMP rejects resulted in a higher pulp strength and improved subsequent peroxide bleachability. 

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