Enhancing the Heat Exchange Efficiency of a Delayed Coking Unit.

Heat integration of oil refining processes is an effective instrument in the technological modernization of industrial facilities. A more rational use of the heat carried by internal process streams is of particular importance for such energy-intensive technologies of heavy oil residue cracking as delayed coking. In this work, we construct a model of the existing heat exchange network of a petcoke production unit and analyze it using pinch analysis. The conducted study revealed violations of the basic pinch principles committed when designing the existing network. An approach to enhancing the energy efficiency of the process was proposed, involving retrofitting of the existing equipment without expanding the heat exchange surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]