RESEARCH POSTERPRESENTATIONDESIGN 2011

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Modeling and simulation of Rotating Disc Contactor (RDC) for the extraction
of aromatic hydrocarbons from lube-oil cut

Abstract
Lubricating oil production



Model features




Industrial process features (For verification)
Parametric Study










Selected References
Singh, H.; Kishore, K. Solvent refining of medium viscosity distillate and
changes in group chemical composition. J. Appl. Chem. Biotech. 1978, 28,
617-625.

Coto, B.; van Grieken, R.; Pena, J. L.; Espada J. J. A model to predict physical
properties for light lubricating oils and its application to the extraction
process by furfural. Chem. Eng. Sci. 2006, 61, 4381-4392.

Kumar, A.; Hartland, S. Empirical prediction of operating variables, In:
Godfrey, J. C.; Slater, M. J. Liquid-liquid extraction equipment. John Wiley &
Sons, 1994, pp 625.

Godfery, J. C.; Slater, M. J. Liquid- liquid extraction equipment. Wiley,
Chichester, 1994.

Lubricating oil cut (Petroleum cut)



Aromatics Saturated

Aromatics removal from lube oil cut


within an RDC column with the use of a solvent


Lubricating oil

University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO
Amirhossein Mehrkesh, Touraj Tavakoli, Mohammad Sadegh Hatamipour and Arunprakash T. Karunanithi
General scheme of the extraction process


Mathematical Modeling flowchart










RDC columns

Mechanically agitated Liquid-Liquid extraction columns

Used in petrochemical, petroleum refining and pharmaceutical
processes.

Most efficient extraction systems (Highest extraction yield)

Have very high throughput, low power consumption, ease of
operation and maintenance.

Known to have complex Hydrodynamic and Mass-transfer
phenomena.


Innovative features of the proposed model

Representation of RDC column as a set of compartments

Accounting for the temperature variation across the column

Consideration of all mass transfers between the two phases

Accounting for variation in physical properties, flow rates and mass
transfer coefficients across the column.

Assuming constant Temp. and Conc. in each compartment


Model predicted vs. Actual data
Q: Volumetric flow rate

C: Mass concentration

N: Number of compartments

e: Back mixing parameter

d: dispersed phase

c: continuous phase
Column Specification
Column diameter (m) 4.1
No. of discs 32
Column height (m) 22.2
Feed entry 32nd disc (Bottom)
Solvent entry 1st disc (Top)
Physical
properties
Furfural Lube-oil cut
Density @ 20 0C 1.1598 0.9255
Viscosity @ 25 0C 1.49 445
Column height (m) 61.7 258.3
Feed entry 96 490
Solvent entry 1.526 1.5203
CA (%) 24.3
CN (%) 9.8
CP (%) 65.9