Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 29

Special Focus Petrochemical Technology
M. RÖNKÄ, Borealis, Porvoo, Finland; Z. RAMDIN and
J. PROVOST, Technip Energies, Paris, France; T. LANG and
A. KNÖPFLER, Wieland Thermal Solutions, Ulm, Germany
Enhanced reboiler for C3
(CO2
) footprint reduction and the minimization
of material requirements are
becoming key drivers of our daily decisions
in all industry sectors. With the example
of a successful process integration
of a propylene-propane splitter unit in an
existing refinery and petrochemical plant
environment, the authors would like to
demonstrate the benchmark capabilities
of a combination of sophisticated technologies
for enhanced heat exchanger design,
as well as distillation and vapor recompression
technologies. The authors'
focus is on a case study and the implementation
of an enhanced thermosiphon
reboiler/condenser heat exchanger for
polymer-grade propylene production.
Startup data from the field has proven
the successful operation of this highly
efficient unit.
This evaluation will focus on an open
separation unit. The design
heat pump C3
concept of the enhanced thermosiphon
reboiler, along with a cost evaluation of an
economical and low-CO2
will be considered.
footprint basis,
will be presented. In the latter case, Scope
1-3 emissions1
Background. According to the International
Energy Agency (IEA), energy efficiency
is " the first fuel of a sustainable
global energy system. " 2
Nevertheless, the
agency noted that " global improvements
in energy efficiency since 2015 have been
declining. " This is a reason for concern,
as the IEA's Sustainable Development
Scenario relies on an energy efficiency
of 40% to ensure meeting international
climate and energy goals in the next 20
yr. One of the causes of climate change
is linked to the low cost of energy sources
such as oil and gas. The COVID-19
Reboiler
Reboiler
FIG. 1. Example of a heat pump implementation on a distillation column.
Hydrocarbon Processing | MARCH 2022 29
OVHD condenser
Heat pump
compressor
Heat pump
condenser
energy efficiency and reduces CO2
Energy efficiency, carbon dioxide
splitter heat pump improves
footprint
pandemic has also strongly impacted
recent investments in energy efficiency.
While we have a good understanding
of this global threat, and are increasing
our control over it, the negative impact
of climate change on our planet remains
and proposing solutions that improve energy
efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions is the most economic means to
reduce carbon intensity, according to the
" Industrial Energy Transition Manifesto "
of KBC, a Yokogawa Company.3
For more than 20 yr, in accordance
with environment, social and governance
policies, the co-authors' companies have
jointly developed, and supplied to the energy
industry, enhanced heat exchanger
solutions that reduce unit size and improve
energy efficiency. These solutions
rely on dual enhanced tubes dedicated
to the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers
Association (TEMA) type of shell-andtube
heat exchangers, especially for large
heat duty services in the LNG and petrochemical
sectors.
Borealis-one of the world's leading
providers of advanced and circular polyolefin
solutions and a European market
leader in base chemicals and the mechanical
recycling of plastics-has made energy
efficiency a major axis of its strategic
sustainability framework for energy and
the climate.4
It even goes further when
energy efficiency is combined with the
use of locally produced renewable electricity,
as in its petrochemical facility in
Porvoo, Finland, where energy efficiency
actions are combined with a long-term
power purchase agreement to supply the
site with renewable energy.
This article will present the technical
basis of a heat pump system applied to a
distillation column that helps improve
energy efficiency and minimize carbon
footprint. The importance of the heat
exchangers that are part of the heat pump
system, the overhead condenser and the
bottom reboiler will be presented. Technologies
developed by the co-authors'
companies will be described.
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022

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