Refinery Transition Process for a Carbon-Neutral Society

• Published in: 2024 International Conference on Electrical, Computer and Energy Technologies (ICECET pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Mori, Yusuke, Li, Zihe, Mogi, Gento
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 25.07.2024
• Subjects: carbon neutrality; decarbonization; energy; environment; FCC; fluid catalytic cracking; Hydrogen; Load modeling; Low carbon economy; Oil refineries; Oils; Petroleum; Profitability; refinery operation optimization; Temperature control; Temperature distribution
• DOI: 10.1109/ICECET61485.2024.10698550

Initiatives toward mitigating the impact of climate change and achieving a decarbonized society are underway to address the increasing global environmental challenges. Herein, aiming to meet the two strategic goals of decarbonization and a hydrogen society set by the Government of Japan, oil refinery processes were optimized via computational simulations based on the demand for petroleum products in three scenarios for 2030 outlined by the International Energy Agency. We focused on optimizing the operation of a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit, which is a core process unit in refineries. Results revealed that under the current operating conditions of an FCC unit, the product volume can be controlled by changing the riser outlet temperature (ROT) when the ROT was set in the range between 480°C and 540°C. However, when operated between 535°C and 545°C, flue gas emissions increased. Further simulation was implemented to extend of the research scope for the entire refinery model to optimize plant operation condition in accordance with the 2030 energy demand scenario from International Energy Agency. This entire simulation facilitated a quantitative evaluation of CO 2 emissions, followed by simulations introducing CO 2 capture equipment into the process. A CO 2 capture unit can absorb over 90% of the CO 2 emitted from the major units of the refinery. Furthermore, conducting multiple process simulation by varying the operating parameters of the major equipment enabled the identification of operational conditions that reduce environmental load while improving the profitability of the refinery. Additionally, the potential use of bio-oil derived from wood base biomass as an alternative to crude oil was discussed.