Near-Zero Flare for Chemical Process Industry via Plant-wide Optimization and Simulation

Qiang Xu, Kuyen Li, and John L. Gossage

Department of Chemical Engineering Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77710

TERC SAC Meeting Houston, TX February 21-22, 2008

Flare Minimization, Why It Is Important? Texas Air Quality Challenges

Ozone Non-Attainment Dallas/Fort Worth Houston/Galveston Beaumont/Port Arthur El Paso Ozone Near Non-Attainment Austin/San Antonio Corpus Christi/Victoria Tyler/Longview/Marshall
Ref: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/implementation/air/sip/siptexas.html

Emission from Chemical Plant Turnaround Operations

C, CO, CO2 VOC

NOx

Example: Emissions during the Startup of an Ethylene Plant

An ethylene plant with a capacity of 1.2 billion pounds of ethylene production per year About 5 million pounds of ethylene for flaring during an ordinary startup About 98% flaring efficiency

NOx = 7.5K lbs

Emissions:

CO = 40.0K lbs HC = 15.1K lbs HRVOC = 100.0K lbs

Economical & Environmental Challenges

Environmental Burden:
Air pollution Influence on regional environmental quality and sustainability

Economical Burden:
Raw material lavished Productivity reduced Additional environmental penalties

Current Studies on Flare Minimization

Qualitative Ways (Major efforts):
Depend on the experienced operators/engineers/ administration and well plant planning/scheduling/training Reduce the number of instances when the plant has to flare and the quantity of the materials to be flared

Quantitative Methods:
Dynamic simulation for operational feasibility test Virtual run for process risk analysis Cost-effective way

How does It Work for Turnaround Operations?

modification scheduling simulation

Industrial expertise integrated process modification Industrial expertise integrated operation scheduling Dynamic simulation for feasibility, operability, and safety test

operation

Project Objectives
Develop a systematic methodology for significant emission reduction from chemical process industry Provide the source of emission with details for point (industry) sources, which have never been compiled previously and are expected to help explain many of the monitoring observations. Demonstrate the benefits will accrue not only for the environment and society, but also for economics and sustainability

Process Design and Modification

Methodology Framework
for Near-zero Flaring

Off-spec products should be either recycled for online reuse, or stored somewhere temporarily for future reprocessing.

The off-spec products will be reused instead of being flared.

Superstructure for Conceptual Design

Logic-based Mixed-integer Dynamic Optimization for Design and Scheduling

Design Superstructure Binary

Operational Scheduling

Dynamics

Logic-based MIDO

Logic

Industrial Expertise

Solution Identification

Dynamic Simulation Task

Build steady state flowsheet in Aspen Plus Prepare flowsheet for dynamic simulation Add Dynamic data Export simulation Simulation in Aspen Dynamics Change control system, testing procedures

Test Bed: An Ethylene Plant Startup

C1 C2, C3 C4

Achievements from Previous Activities

Lyondell Chemicals Olefin Plant: The flaring was reduced by 75% comparing to the earlier startup Huntsman Petrochemical Ethylene Plant: The flaring was reduced to less than 3.5 hours BASF-TOTAL Ethylene Complex: The flaring was reduced by 50% comparing to the earlier startup Lyondell PDGlycol Plant: Avoid runaway reactions during the startup

Technology Transfer
Submit the report with the detailed methodology and project data Generate papers and give presentations based on the developed methodologies and technologies Develop educational website to disseminate concepts of near-zero flare, methodology framework, and selected models and results Offer flare minimization workshop at Lamar University through continuing education and provide consultation for chemical plant turnaround operations

Concluding Remarks

Near-zero flare is a fundamental solution for emission source reduction in chemical process industry Integration of process modification, operational scheduling, and dynamic simulation can help chemical plants identify near-zero flaring opportunities Our previous research activities and industrial collaborations provide solid foundations for the project

Concluding Remarks (Contd)

Research Institute

Industrial Partners

Provide Point Source Emission Improve Air Quality in Texas

Near-zero Flare

Cost-effective Control Strategy Profitable Pollution Prevention Way

Government & Supporting Agency

Publications and Presentations

1. Flare Minimization for Chemical Plant Turnaround Operation via Plant-wide Dynamic Simulation, accepted and to be appear in Proceedings of FOCAPO 2008. 2. Flare Minimization during Plant Startup via Dynamic Simulation, 2007 PSE ASIA, Xian, China, August 15 - 18. 3. Flare minimization toward zero discharge for chemical plant turnaround operation via dynamic simulation, AIChE Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 4 - 9 in 2007. 4. Flare Minimization via Dynamic Simulation, Int. J. Environment and Pollution, 29, 19, 2007. 5. Better Plant Startup via Simulation presentation in the AIChE National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 12 - 17, 2006. 6. Flare Minimization via Dynamic Simulation, Conference Proceedings in the AIChE National Meeting, New Orleans, FL, April 25 - 29, 2004. 7. EPA Region 6 - P2 Roundtable Meeting, March 11, 2004. 8. Beaumont-Port Arthur Emission Events Meeting, TX, June 9, 2004. 9. La Porte Emission Events Meeting, June 8, 2004. 10. Six master theses and one doctoral dissertation were generated.