Chemical Engineering June 2010 - 26

Fractionation Column
Propelling distillation research
I
have 70 supervisors. It sometimes
feels like I am pulled in 70 different
directions - north, south, east,
west, up, down and inside-out. But
even after two years at this job, I can
still hold my hand steady - if I put
it in a vice. Nevertheless, I feel that
I have the best job in the distillation
world; I am technical director at Fractionation
Research, Inc. (FRI; Stillwater,
Okla.; www.fri.org).
FRI is a consortium of 70 companies
that pool portions of their annual
distillation research budgets to collectively
perform distillation research.
My 70 supervisors are 70 distillation
experts from 70 global companies,
which include petroleum refiners,
chemical companies, engineering
companies and vendors of distillation
equipment,
particularly trays and
packing. Each of those companies
     
      
      ®
MIST ELIMINATORS
seems to have different distillation
needs and focuses, from thermodynamics
to intensification, from crude
columns to beer columns, from tray
development to packing troubleshooting,
and so on.
The bulk of FRI's research budget
is spent in Stillwater, Okla., where
the membership owns two large distillation
columns. The low pressure
column is operated at pressures ranging
from 10 mmHg to 165 psia (11.4
bara). The lower section is 4 ft (1.22
m) dia.; the upper section is 8 ft (2.44
m) dia. The high-pressure column is
operated at pressures up to 500 psia
(34.5 bara). In those two research columns,
thirteen different binary systems
have been used to study the hydraulics
and efficiencies of trays and
packings. Both columns are about 80
ft (24 m) tall and both have windows.
     
       
    
    
RANDOM PACKING
      
    
      
PROFILE WIRE SCREEN
These windows often reveal important
insight that would otherwise be
overlooked. For instance, if you have
ever looked into a deisobutanizer operating
near the critical point, you
would swear that you were seeing
liquid-liquid extraction.
FRI's research directions come
from the Technical Advisory Committee
(TAC), which holds two meetings
each year. Since FRI's membership is
very global, one meeting each year is
held in the U.S., while the other meeting
rotates between Europe (during
even years) and the Far East (during
odd years).
Each of the 70 member companies
assigns an engineer to the TAC. At
every FRI TAC meeting,
approxiWhen
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mately 75% of the time is devoted to
reviews of research results of the last
six months. Then, projects for the next
six months are discussed and voted
upon. Meetings are led by Paul Steacy,
the TAC chairman, and UOP's distillation
" ace. "
In Oklahoma, approximately 20
people are employed by FRI - the
president, the technical director, four
Ph.D. engineers, eight technicians and
administrative personnel. Working together
they produce data, correlations
and reports. FRI's ultimate product
is DRP, the Device Rating Program.
That program is used globally to rate
trayed and packed columns.
When the Oklahoma engineers and
A Member of Fractionation Research, Inc.
DISTRIBUTORS & SUPPORTS
  
   
  
      
Circle 2 on p. 62 or go to adlinks.che.com/29251-02
COALESCERS
      
       
   
26 ChemiCal engineering www.Che.Com June 2010
STRUCTURED PACKING
    
    
  
technicians ask if my instructions are
coming from me or my 70 bosses, my
typical retort is " We are one and the
same. " Distillation lovers often exhibit
an uncanny ability to reach consensuses.
For us, the only worthy direction
is forward. That is FRI's direction
and the direction in which I hope to
propel readers of this column over the
coming months.
■
Mike Resetarits
resetarits@fri.org

http://www.fri.org http://adlinks.che.com/29251-02 http://www.Che.Com

Chemical Engineering June 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering June 2010