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The main purpose of installing a C4 separation tower in the four-tower process for gas separation

2018-10-08View Original

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Upon research, it turns out that some refineries have alkylation units that require the use of C4 separation towers. The question then is: in a three-column gas separation process, after MTBE production, the C4 fractions can be sent directly to the alkylation unit, thereby eliminating the need for a C4 separation tower and saving energy. However, the downside is that the C4 fractions are not separated before being used in alkylation, resulting in a low concentration of isobutane; this leads to high separation costs during the alkylation process. This is probably why a four-column gas separation process includes a C4 distillation tower – by separating the C4 fractions first, the concentration of isobutane in the subsequent stages is higher, reducing separation costs, and overall energy consumption remains low. Do you understand? Thank you!
Reply #22018-10-09
Our plant does not have an alkylation unit; the gas separation section consists of a three-column process (propane removal column, ethane removal column, propylene column) plus MTBE. After the ether is produced, the C4 fraction is sold as household liquefied gas. It counterproves your hypothesis
Reply #32018-11-03
This tower 4 is essentially equivalent to a butadiene removal tower as well; butadiene has a significant impact on alkylation

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