Create Your First Project

Start adding your projects to your portfolio. Click on "Manage Projects" to get started

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Refinery Retrofit for Chevron

Project type

Chemical Process Engineering

Date

2024

Chevron asked our senior design team to evaluate the efficacy of producing jet fuel, which involves the design of a retrofit process to add production of jet fuel to a current west coast gasoline refinery. The project aims to enhance the refinery's capabilities and expand its production to include jet fuel, contributing to Chevron's goal of meeting the growing demand for aviation fuel. The process was split into three separate simulations to help Aspen HYSYS achieve convergence.

Dimersol Process

Aspen HYSYS simulation for the Dimersol process that was to be integrated into the retrofit. The Dimersol process is not a new process but it was a first for Chevron as it allows for higher carbon number olefin reactants to feed their proprietary alkylation reactors. This is advantageous as jet fuel requires a mix of hydrocarbons that lean toward higher carbon numbers. This simulation features the Dimersol black box reactor, a caustic (NaOH) wash, a water wash and distillation train to separate the products into liquid propane gas, Dimersol heavies to be used elsewhere at the refinery and the desired Dimate product of C6 olefins. The reactor and both washes are to have recycles for the catalyst, NaOH and H2O respectively but were simplified for the simulation to achieve convergence.

iC4 Alkylation

Aspen HYSYS simulation for the light Isoalkylation train takes feeds of fluid catalytic cracked mixed C4's, the liquid propane gas from the Dimersol process, and C4 from a storage sphere onsite. These reactants are then dried and run through the black box Isoalkylation reactor. The downstream distillation train features a flash drum for cost effective separation of different carbon number species. The vapor is then compressed and run through a distillation column producing sales propane and the bottoms are combined with the liquid effluent from the flash drum to be run through another distillation train. In the second distillation train isobutane, sales butane and a gasoline blend are produced. The isobutane is recycled as it is used as a reactant in the Isoalkylation process.

iC5 Alkylation

Aspen HYSYS simulation for the heavy train is similar to the light train but uses heavier carbon number reactants and the Dimate produced in the Dimersol process. Feeds of isopentane stored onsite, the Dimate from the Dimersol process, and fluid catalytic cracked mixed C5's are dried and fed to the Isoalkylation reactor. The distillation train produces isopentane to be recycled for the Isoalkylation reactor, a gasoline blend and the desired jet fuel blend product.

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Create Your First Project

Refinery Retrofit for Chevron

Project type

Date

Joe Sullivan Portfolio

I'd Love To Hear From You!