Numerical simulation of oil refining tower

Oil refining encompasses a series of unit operations designed to fractionate crude oil streams to yield higher-value products. Distillation, a pivotal process, involves a cascade of units integrated within a distillation column, facilitating the concurrent transfer of mass and heat between the liquid and vapor phases while maintaining thermodynamic equilibrium between these phases. In this study, we conducted numerical simulations and optimization of an atmospheric distillation column, establishing parametric relationships that furnish insights into operational performance and the overall process. This becomes especially crucial when assessing key parameters such as feed flow rate, temperature, steam injection rates, reflux conditions, and side stream flow rates. The results obtained from the optimization process showcase its effectiveness in maximizing the objective function, ensuring a daily diesel production rate of 2,900.00 metric tons, which represents an approximately threefold increase compared to industrial production levels prior to unit optimization. In this context, it is evident that sustaining optimal industrial performance in these processes necessitates the continual enhancement of operational conditions, rooted in simulation and optimization studies of refining columns.