Q & A > Question Details
How do you estimate the decrease in yields resulting from an increase in pressure in the fractionator due to fouling in the head coolers?
 
Answers
03/07/2019 A: niranjan puttaraju, GS E&C, niranjanmurthyp@gmail.com
Yields are mainly depend on operating conditions coke drum pressure, coke drum top temperature/COT and recycle ratio. You can estimate change in yield by keeping all other operating parameters and feed properties remain same. Also you can check rule of thumbs.
02/07/2019 A: John Bettinger, Qualex Engineering, john.bettinger@qualex.com
The overhead cooler fouling will back up pressure through to the coke drums. There are published resources that indicate that 8 psi reduction in coke drum pressure reduces coke yield by 1 wt% on feed and increases liquid yield by 1.3 vol% on feed. I assume a pressure increase would have the inverse affect.