Increasing the efficiency of the partial oil removal column

The operation of the primary oil refining unit is considered. An analysis of the operation of the operating column K-1 showed that there are noticeable fluctuations in the operating mode of the apparatus in the summer and cold season, as a result, a change in the temperature of the column top and a deterioration in the clarity of fraction rectification were observed. To study the methods of adjusting the parameters of the K-1 topping column, a computational experiment was carried out using the UniSim Design modeling system, in which the models of the apparatus and the installation model as a whole were formed. The Peng-Robinson method was used as a mathematical package for calculating the thermodynamic properties of the mixture components. Comparison of the calculated performance of the two options for the equipment of the column K-1. According to the first version, the operation of the K-1 column was simulated, in which the raw material enters the 19 tray, the hot stream is fed to the bottom of the column to the 24 tray, oil reflux to the 5 tray, acute irrigation and a partial condenser are used. Unstable technological regimes of the column top were observed in this variant in industrial conditions. To assess the fundamental possibility of changing the hardware design of the K-1 column, another option was chosen, in which there is no acute irrigation and oil irrigation, at the same time, upper circulating irrigation was introduced from the 5th to the 1st tray with cooling the flow and the technological scheme of forming and feeding the hot jet was preserved. Comparison of the fractional compositions of the topped oil showed that for the considered options, there are practically similar calculated estimates, while the use of upper circulating irrigation allows not only to unload the upper part of the distillation column from the heat load, but also to use a significant heat flow of the cooler of the upper circulating irrigation for preheating oil , which will also reduce the consumption of liquid fuel for furnaces.

Economic Potential of Gold in Batouri (Eastern Cameroon)

The aim of this work is the valorization of the economic potential of gold in the Batouri region. The study is undertaken on five sites of which two alluvials (Djengo and Mongonam localities) made up of flat and river gold, two eluvials (Kambele and Bote) containing gold of veins in quarries, and one semi mechanized exploitation (METALICON) working on the two previous  types. Laboratory works consist of traditional melting, determination of the various grades of gold through densimetry and spectrometry analysis and refining using the Miller Chloration method. The main results from these analyses are: i) recovery concentration is low, (about 0.5 g/t) for the traditional mining and higher with the semi mechanization (1.5-2 g/t). Densimetry and spectrometry analyses show that gold of semi mechanized sites has an average grade of about 24 carats, 22 carats and 20 for alluvial and eluvial gold respectively. ii) For 26 kg of gold refined, a weight of 16.681 kg is obtained at a cost of 4 051 946 (four million fifty one thousand and nine hundred forty six) CFA F. Spectrometry analyses reveal the presence of silver and copper impurities, elements that can still be valorized through the presence of a gold refining unit. Hence, the absence of a gold refining unit in our country leads to poor transformation of its ores and loss of devices.

Exergy pinch analysis of a furnace in a primary oil refining unit

The article considers the issue of thermodynamic optimization of heat power equipment. The solution to this problem allows one to increase the energy efficiency of heat systems by reducing the energy resources consumption. The article compares the traditional (enthalpy) pinch method and the exergy pinch method. The exergy method of thermodynamic analysis allows one to take into account both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of thermal processes. A furnace that heats oil in the ELOU AT-6 primary oil refining unit was selected as an object of the study. The results obtained using the traditional pinch method showed that the furnace does not require optimization. However, the exergy analysis showed that the furnace has exergy losses. The method of exergy pinch analysis allows us to formulate and justify specific design measures aimed at increasing the furnace energy efficiency. Using the exergy pinch analysis, one can identify the unused exergy and determine the part in which the loss occurs.