Process Description:Crude distillation unit is often referred as an atmospheric distillation unit because it is operated at

slightly above atmosphere pressure. Pressure is highest at bottom which gradually decreases till
the top part of the column
Crude oil is pumped from storage tanks where it is freed from sediments and free water by
gravity. It goes through a series of heat exchangers where it is heated with hot products coming
out from the distillation column. The temperature of the crude feed can reach 120150 0C. The
crude oil contains salt in the form of dissolved salt in the tiny droplet of water which forms a
water-in oil emulsion and suspended solids. This water can be separated by gravity Chemical,
Mechanical and Electrical approach. Generally electrical method is preferred in refinery where
water is separated through electrostatic water separation. This process is called desalting.
The crude is further heated in product heat exchangers. This preheating is done by using the hot
products which are coming out from side stripper of distillation column. We need to cool down
the products to the desired temperature for pumping to the storage tanks. This is essential for the
economics of the unit in terms of energy conservation and utilization.
Preheating of crude oil is not done enough till this stage. Crude has to be vaporized partially
because all the products have to be in vapor form, except for the bottom product RCO (residue
crude oil) before enters the atmospheric distillation column. Thus a furnace is required to boost
the temperature to between 330 and 385oC depending on the crude composition.
After heated by furnace now the partially vaporized crude is transferred to the flash zone of the
column which is located at a point lower down the column and above what is called the stripping
section. The crude distillation tower is typically 45-60 m high. Distillation column is equipped
with around 3050 valve or bubble cap trays. As crude is entered to the column lighter
component start to vaporize due to their higher volatility. The vapor goes up rises up to the top
of the column at a high flow rate. The lightest hydrocarbon goes to the condenser at the column
overhead. This condensed part goes to overhead reflux drum. In the reflux drum, gases and liquid
(naphtha) are separated. Separated Gases (C1-C4 gases) goes to the flare header and liquid
naphtha divided into two streams. One stream drawn as a product stream and another one is
returned to the column as a reflux. This reflux liquid flows down through the series of column
trays, flowing counter current to the hot vapors coming from bottom and condensing some of
those vapors along the way.

The products are also drawn from different trays of the column. These are called side draw-offs.
These side cut products are straight run naphtha, kerosene or jet fuel, Liquid gas oil (LGO) and

Heavy gas oil( HGO) .The lightest side draw-off from the fractionating column is a fraction
called kerosene, boiling in the range 150-280oC, which flows into a smaller column called sidestripper. The purpose of the side stripper is to remove some light hydrocarbons by using steam
injection or an external heater called 'reboiler'. It essentially helps to meet the properties
specified for kerosene, since in a multi-component distillation there is overlap of constituents of
various cuts.
After leaving the tower, bottom product residue crude oil goes to the vacuum distillation unit for
further processing. Overhead and side cuts products streams go to holding, intermediate storage
tanks or for further units of refinery depending on their composition and refinery requirements.

Process Flow Diagram Atmospheric Crude Distillation Unit

Desalter:Most crude contain traces of salt which can decompose in the heater to from hydrochloric acid and cause
corrosion of the fractionator's overhead equipment. In order to remove the salt, water is injected into the
partially preheated crude and the stream is thoroughly mixed.
The mixture of oil and water is separated in a desalter, which is a large vessel in which may be
accelerated by the addition of chemicals or by electrical devices If the oil entering the desalter is not
enough heated, it may be too viscous to permit proper mixing and complete separation of the water and
the oil, and some of the water may be carried into the fractionators.
Approaches (removal of brine suspensions)
Mechanical
chemical
Electrical
Mechanical
Heating of crude oil to 120-140oC under pressure to check vapour loss followed by setting in large
vessels

CHEMICAL
Heating of crude oil, mixing wash water + chemical (demulsifier ) and settling
No more used being less efficient and unable to give constant product quality

Electrical Desalting
This desalting approach is largely used at present refinery.
PRINCIPLE

When two immiscible liquids one electrically conductive and one non conductive, pass through a high
intensity electric field, the conductive liquid coalesces into large droplets
In crude oil- water emulsion system water is electrically conductive hence coalesces into large drops and
falls to bottom being heavier than oil.

Deasalting : Problems,Causes and Solutions:

Problems
High salt content
in desalted crude
oil

Causes
a) Feed salt content high
(b) Wash water injection low
(c) Crude oil flow rate more
than design value
(d) Insufficient mixing of
crude oil and wash water

Solutions
(a) Increase wash water
rate
(b) Reduce crude oil
flow rate
(c) Increase the mixing
valve pressure drop

Oil in the
desalter effluent
water

High water carry

over in desalted
crude oil

(a) Interface level too low

(b) Excessive crude oil wash
water mixing
(c) Poor wash water quality
(d) Crude oil temp too low
a) Wash water flow rate too
high
(b) Interface level too high

Source : Handbook of Petroleum Processing, 2006

a) Increase the
interface level
(b) Reduce the mixing
valve pressure drop
(a) Reduce the wash
water flow rate or
increase chemical
injection
(b) Reduce the interface
level