The concepts for crude oil distillation are primarily the same for

both atmospheric and vacuumdistillation units. However, this section

will onlydeal withthe fractionationtower of the atmospheric distilla-
tion unit. The degree of fractionation in a crude oil distillationunit
is measured by the temperature di erence between 95% vol. ASTM
(American Standard Temperature and Measurement) of the lighter
product and 5% vol. ASTM of the adjacent heavier product. These
lighter products are composed kerosene and light gas oil. The heavier
products are composed of heavy gas oil and fuel oil. When the
temper ature difference gives the 95%point of the lighter products to
be less
than the 5% point of the heavier products, the difference in
tempera tures is referred to as an ASTMgap. For the reverse case, the
situationis referredtoas anASTMoverlap.
Fractionation performance is at its best when there is an ASTMgap
between the products. As fractionation decreases, the gapbecomes an
overlap, a greater number of the components of the two products are
not separated. Fairly complete fractionationmay be expected in the
upper regions of the fractionation tower between lighter products such
as kerosene and light gas oils. However, lower in the fractionation
columnsuchseparationis not possible. It maybepointedout, that in
thelower levels of thefractionationcolumn, thereis anASTMoverlap.
During crude oil distillation steam stripping is used to further
re move the entrained light end products from the drawoff
products. When side stream products are drawn off of the main
fractionation column it contains various light end components from
vapors passing through the draw-off trays. This draw-off product
is then routed to a side-streamstripper where steamis introduced
through the bottom of the tower, owing counter-currently to the
liquid. By imposing a counter current owof the steamonthe liquid,
greater heat transfer isachievedduetoamixingof theproducts.

Steamstrippers such as the one described are usually composed of

four trays to increase surface area contact between the products and
the steam. The entrainedlight ends are removedbythe steamthrough
vaporization and both they and the steam reenter the fractionation
column. This process is also done for the residue collected fromthe base
of the fractionationcolumnas well. A representation of the quantity

36
of steamand the percent of light end products removed by stripping is
representedintheFigure6.1.

6
.1 D
esig
nTo
olsfo
rDistilla
tio
n

6
.1.1 T
rueB
oilin
gPo
intC
urv
ean
dth
eEq
uilib
-

riu
mFlashV
apo
rizatio
nCu
rve

Two important tools for designing and maintaining the distillation

process are the True Boiling Point (TBP) and the EquilibriumFlash
Vaporization(EFV) curves. The rst of theseis theTBPcurvewhich is
createdfromtheproduct ASTMdistillationcurves.
The ASTMdistillation data is tabulated as the temperature's Initial
Boiling Point (IBP), 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90%, and Final Boiling Point
(FBP). The temperatures between the IBPand the EBP are read o
at the respective volume percentages distilled. This is represented in
Figure 6.2. Fromsucha gure, datafor the TBPmaybe read.
Once TBPhas been calculated, the EFVcurve may be created. The
purpose for creating an EFVcurve is that it provides the temperature
wherearequiredvolumeof product will bevaporized. This information is
very important in the design stage, in that improper design will either
provideinsu cient separationor unneededcosts.
Using Figure 6.3 the Flash Reference Line (FRL) may be drawn
onto the TBP curve. The EFVis then drawn as a straight line between
the intersection of the 10%volume point on the FRLand the 70%vol
point ontheTBPcurve.

6
.1.2 E
stab
lish
ingF
lashZ
oneC
ond
itio
ns

A ashzone is the area inthecrude distillationtower where separation

of distillate vapors fromunvaporized liquid product occurs. Upon entry
of the ashzone, vapors fromthe distillate rise through the tower where
it is condensedbyacoldre uxstream. This re uxstream ows down
from the top of the tower. At the same time, steam enters the ash
zone fromthe bottomproduct stripper which is located belowthe ash
zone.

37
 Flash zone conditions, particularly the temperature, are di cult to
measure accurately. This is primarilydue tothe turbulent conditions
createdbythe entrance of the liquidproducts andthe disengagement
of the vapors fromthe liquidproducts. However, these conditions are
necessary for evaluating a distilling units performance. Therefore, there
are seven primary steps for determining ash zone conditions given by
Jones.[3]

Establishthetotal ashzonepressure.

Set thequantity of strippingsteamused. (Thisvalueisusually

1.2poundsof steamper gallonof product)

Using a material balance, calculate the moles per hour of vapor

leavingthe ashzone.

Set theamount of over- ash

Construct theEFVcurve.

Fromaknowledgeof theamount of hydrocarbonvapor moles, the

moles of steaminthe ashzone, andthetotal pressurewithinthe
ashzone, determinethepartial pressureof hydrocarbons. This
is
molesHCvapor

molessteam+molesHCvapor totalpressure (6.1)

Adjust theEFVcurvetocalculatepartial pressures.

 By following this seven step process, the ash zone temperature
maybeobtained.

38