Integrated heat exchange on crude oil and vacuum columns

摘要

The amount of heat input required for the sequential fractionation of a crude oil in a crude column and a vacuum column is reduced by an improved heat exchange method wherein the desalted crude oil is flashed and the flash zone liquid is split into two streams. One of the streams is first heat exchanged against an atmospheric gas oil stream from the crude column and then against a first asphalt stream from the vacuum column. The other stream is first heat exchanged against a heavy vacuum gas oil stream from the vacuum column and then against a second asphalt stream from the vacuum column. The two streams are then recombined, heated and passed into the crude column.