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Process & Energy Optimization of

Air Separation Units

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Agenda

 Our Expertise
 Our Offer
 Process / energy
Optimization for ASU’s
 Our Experience
 Our Strengths
 Industrial Sectors
 Our References
 Our Clients

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OUR EXPERTISE

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Expertise
Process and Energy optimization for Cryogenic Processes

• Air separation units and

• LNG Plants

Process simulation software:

• Hysys
• Pro II
• Unisim

Proprietary Thermodynamic Tools for optimization

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OUR OFFER FOR ASU’s

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• Process Optimization without CAPEX

Phase 1 • Increase in oxygen production by 3 to 5% without
any CAPEX

• Energy Optimization without CAPEX

Phase 2 • Decrease in Specific Power Consumption by 3 to 5%
without any CAPEX

• Process / Energy Optimization with

CAPEX
Phase 3 • Additional increase of production and decrease of
SPC by at least 5% with minor CAPEX.
• CAPEX payback period is 1 to 2 years.

• Continuous Optimization from remote

location
Phase 4 • Continuous monitoring , optimization from our
Hyderabad Command & Control center and accrual
of benefits.

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Process / Energy Optimization of ASU’s

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ASU – Block Diagram

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Why Optimization of ASUs

Air Separation Units are highly energy
intensive

Continuous improvement of ASUs is required

to negate the effects like
• Plants not perfectly designed (demand, margins,
technology)
• Equipment aging, circuit fouling
• Energy efficiency decreasing continuously
• No proper evaluation for investments on upgrades &
technology

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The Solution Best Team

Process /
Energy Optimization
Management / Simulation
Plan experts

Best
Optimization
Results

Energy
Plant
efficiency
Action plans Managers

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Parameters Impacting ASU performance

Internal External

Production
Productionofofeach
eachproduct
productand
andits
its Ambient conditions
deviation
deviationfrom
fromdesign
design//demand
demand Temperature, humidity,
Pressure)
Product
Productventing
venting//draining
draining
Product venting / draining
Fouling
FoulingininExchangers
Exchangers

Pressure
Pressuredrops
dropsinincircuits
circuits//equipment
equipment

Higher purity (more than required) /

waste

One or more equipment operating

away from its design specifications

Startup times

Accuracy of control instruments

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Optimization possibilities on Air Compression side

 Intercoolers
o UA, Cold end DT, DP gas fouling
 Compression group
o Thermodynamic loss, mechanical loss (3 – 5%), electrical loss (2%)
o Thermodynamic eff, compressor eff, motor eff
o Leaking seals, bypass / vent valve leaks, impeller fouling
 Air Precooling
o Packing fouling, channeling, pump load factor and efficiency,
overall optimization
 Air Purification
o Cycle time, Tads, Pads, CO2 content, Qreg, Treg, Reg heater power,
Annual power

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Optimization possibilities on Air Separation side

 Distillation
o LP Col pressure (3X impact on MP Col pressure), DT at
reboiler, Compressor discharge pressure
o O2 extraction eff, MPGAN vs LPGAN, O2 in WN
o Reflux ratios (RL, LL, LIN)
 Liquefaction
o Turbine parameters (Tin, Pin, Pout, η, mech losses)
o Liquefaction
 Plate fin heat exchangers
o DP / pass, cold end DT, LIN assist
 Product compression
 Tin, Pin, η, Pnetwork, venting / recycle

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Developments in ASU Technology
 Thermodynamic cycles
o SPC of O2 improved by 8% in the last 15 years
 Plant design
o Design margins reduced from 30% to 10%
o Positive impact – cost reduction for new plants, additional
capacity in old plants
o Negative impact – Low efficiency at reduced loads
 Adsorbents
o New adsorbents in the market – every 5 – 7 years
 Pumps, Turbines & Compressors
o 1% - 2% efficiency improvement every 2 years
 Distillation column trays and packings
o 15% higher throughput every 5 – 7 years
 Plate fin heat exchangers
o Improved plates / fins (lower DP & higher U) every 5 – 7 years

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Potential savings
Unit % cons. Potential Improvement areas
savings
Air Compression 50% 4-5% • Coolers, Filters
• Control
• Dynamic simulation
• Compressor model
• Inter-stage temperature

Air Precooling 3% 2% • Packing

• Heat & Mass balance
• Pumps

Air Purification 8% 6 - 7% • Regen flow, Regen Temp, cycle time

• Adsorption flow, pressure and temperature
• Optimization model

Product 30% 4-5% • Flow, Inlet Pressure, Inlet temperature

• Coolers, strainers
compression • Dynamic simulation
• Compressor model
• Discharge pressure

Utilities 9% 3–4% • Pumps

• Flow, fans, fouling

Total 100% 4 – 5% 2 Months program for each ASU

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Experience

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Our Experience

• >15 process optimization projects completed in

• Cryogenic air separation units
• Hydrocarbon processing units
Process • Chemical manufacturing units
optimization • Typical outcomes: value added product mix, operation at
design point, feed optimization
• >5 productivity enhancement projects completed in process
industry (~5 – 7% higher productivity from baseline)

• > 10 energy optimization projects done for

• Pipeline networks in Iron & Steel plants
• Power plants
• Compressor stations
Energy
• Typical outcomes: reduce network losses, reduce unit power
Optimization consumption, CAPEX modifications with energy payback
calcs.
• Achieved ~5 – 7% reduction in overall energy consumption
and specific energy consumption

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Key Strengths

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Key Strengths
• Basic design expertise
Process • Strong Thermodynamics competencies (liquefaction cycles,
Engineering isothermal compression & energy recovery)
Competencies • Exposure to various process technologies
• Process simulation software

• Strong domain knowledge

• Energy experts
Energy Sciences • R & D team in place
• Alliances with Renewable energy technology developers

Technical
• Design knowledge & operational experience to support
services to plant commissioning teams and plant managers
operations

Design software • Fundamental concepts and software expertise available to

development create design tools and constantly updating them

Knowledge
• Secure database for processes, technologies & project data
database

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Key References

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Key References of Krest’s Energy Consultants

Unit Key Challenges Results

3 cryo air separation units Produce more Oxygen by 6 – 7% more Oxygen produced higher VCM /
of RIL petchem site reducing Nitrogen venting EO production
Industrial gas network Suggest optimum gas flows 16 scenarios of supply – demand points
optimization at Tata Steel and finalize best supply interoperability studied.
- Jamshedpur routes in complex Oxygen, Finalized maximum flow vs pressure in all
Nitrogen gas networks Oxygen lines for easy switch-over by SMS
team.
Coal gasification units of Stabilizing syn gas On-spec producer gas flow established. 8
JSPL - Barbil production and MW power recovery streamlined. Gas
establishing power clean-up system operation is improved. Tar
recovery separation unit performance is improved.
400 TPD ASU at Monnet APU Operation APU operation was stabilized and Argon
Ispat & Energy Ltd., Argon production production along with Oxygen production
after choking of exchangers.
850 TPD ASU at Root Cause Analysis Root cause analysis of Cold box explosion
Electrosteel Steels Ltd., which was due to RLT of LOX in perlite
500 TPD ASU at Sterlite Capacity enhancement 5% increase in gaseous oxygen production
Copper, India without CAPEX.

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Our Clients

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Our Clients

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Thank you
Krest Engineering & Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Hyderabad, India
Ph: +91 98487 31800

Engineering I Technology I Consulting