Sour water (water contaminated with hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and other soluble components) is formed in various parts of the refinery and processed in a fractionator to separate the contaminants from the water before the water is reused. As a result of a substantial expansion, the existing fractionator was too small. The refinery asked that the entire sour water stripper system be redesigned to accept as much sour water as was possible while keeping the project expenses as low as possible.
MULTI-DISCIPLINE SERVICES USED:
Process Engineering:
- Conceptual design of the modified facility reusing as much equipment as possible
- Detailed design of the facility once the concept was approved
- PFD preparation
- Process simulation and heat and material balance preparation
- Modification of the existing P&IDs
- Participate in the project HAZOP as the process expert
Mechanical Engineering:
- Investigation of tower packings to maximize the existing tower through-put
- Hydraulic design of the pumps and piping system
- Thermal and hydraulic design of the preheat exchanger, overhead cooler, and product cooler
- Specification of the new overhead cooler
- Design of the piping systems
- Relief valve design
- Review and approve vendor equipment drawings
- Monitor packing installation into the existing tower
Controls Design:
- Overall design of the system controls
- Start-up assistance