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Updating Refinery Planning Submodels - FCC

An Application Example using Aspen HYSYS Petroleum Refining & Aspen Simulation Workbook
Aspen HYSYS® V9
Introduction and Background
HYSYS Petroleum Refining

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Complete Solution for Engineering Workflow in Refining
Acid Gas Refining Components
Sulsim Petroleum Properties
Column
Hydraulics Assay Management
ASW Refinery Reactors
Safety Multi-Unit Simulation
Energy Analysis PIMS & APS Support

EDR
Aspen HYSYS® Petroleum Refining
Economics
for product yields and properties
aspenONE® Engineering
A suite of products focused on Aspen HYSYS for Refining Simulation
process engineering and optimization
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Foundations of Aspen HYSYS Petroleum Refining
Efficient Hypotheticals Petroleum Property
Assay Management
Management Propagation

Lab Data

Hypos

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Aspen HYSYS® Petroleum Refining Reactor Suite
Gas Processing
Naphtha Hydrotreater Isomerization
Kerosene Hydrotreater
Atmospheric Distillation

Catalytic Reformer
Diesel Hydrotreater

Product Blending
Alkylation
GasOil Hydrotreater

Cat. Gas. Hydrotreater


Fluid Catalytic
Cracking (FCC) Di-Olefin HDTR
Resid Hydrotreater
Vacuum Distillation

Selective HDS

Delayed Coker
Hydrocracker
Visbreaker

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Aspen HYSYS Petroleum Refining Workflow
for Owner Operators
Build Simulation Model
Engineering Studies

Calibrate Using Plant Data What-If Re-vamp


Performance
Optimization
Monitoring

Validate Predictions Safety & Energy Economic Margin


Controllability Integration Performance Analysis

Deploy Model
Planning & Scheduling (PIMS & APS) Support
Refinery
Crude Reactor
Planning & Assays Wide
Engineering Distillation Models
Modeling
Scheduling
Studies
Support
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Planning and Scheduling (PIMS & APS) Support
Four Main Workflows

Crude Distillation Refinery Wide


Share Assays Reactor Models
Models Models
• Build assays in • Using same • Calibrate HYSYS • Build equivalent
either PIMS or assays build model to match PIMS model in
HYSYS with the equivalent model plant data HYSYS
same interface in HYSYS • Determine LP • Upgrade reactors
• Send assays • Calibrate HYSYS scope based on to rigorous models
between PIMS and model to plant variable curves in where necessary
HYSYS operation HYSYS • Perform rapid
• Engineering • Update PIMS • Provide simulation optimization
confirms planning assay tables to data for PIMS studies in HYSYS
predictions at the reflect plant cut reactor submodels • Higher accuracy
crude distillation points and margin analysis
unit fractionation tool
overlap effects

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Update Reactor Planning Submodels with
Engineering Simulation Models

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Simulation Models Predict New Operating Conditions
Yield variation

40.0

38.0
Known plant behavior
36.0

34.0

32.0
yield (%)

30.0

28.0
Planning Model
26.0

24.0
? Feed Quality x

Plan wants to operate here


22.0 Feed Quality y
20.0
675 725 775 825 875

Operating parameter Yield variation

40.0

38.0

36.0

34.0

32.0

yield (%)
30.0

28.0

26.0

24.0

22.0

20.0
HYSYS Simulation 675 725 775 825 875

Operating parameter

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Typical Reactor Planning Submodel (FCC)
Base Case Variable Shifts off the Base Case

Operating Condition Cut Point


Feed Property Effects
Effects Effects

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LP Planning Submodel Update in HYSYS V9 Improved in V9

V9 Improvements
Calibrate Engineering Model Update Planning Submodel
New ASW Dataset Editor
for FCC, REF, HCR
Collect & Condition Plant Data Define scope of operation for plan
Improved Reactor
Initialization, Convergence,
Configure model & bring in plant data Run ENG Link to ASW & Other Enhancements

ASW (Excel)
case studies Front End

HYSYS
Improved Assay
Characterize Feed Characterization
Run New ASW Front End for
Export results
scenarios in FCC, REF, HCR
Calibrate ENG model to Excel
ASW
New Case Study Tool
Calculate vectors, validate new
Validate model against plant data Improved User Property
submodel Support
Review, document, publish & update Update PIMS with new submodel ASW Usability
Enhancements
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Simulation Data in Customizable, Consistent Format for
Planning Model Update
In V9, no need to repeatedly map variables from HYSYS to PIMS

New case study & One-time mapping to Integrated HYSYS Building custom ASW
variable navigator required planning reactor models with front-ends easier than
design to fit planning format makes for easy ASW make it easy to ever with new task
model update repeated data build Excel-based pane and pasting
workflow generation interfaces functionality

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Application Example
Update Refinery Planning Submodels - FCC
Example Objectives
Learn how to:
 Prepare a simulation model for Planning Model Update:
Establish appropriate scope & operating range for the study

 Run a Case Study to generate Simulation Data for PIMS:


Ensure all required variables are included in the study

 Use an Excel Front End as an alternative workflow:


Setup & Run the same analysis in Aspen Simulation Workbook

 Present simulation data in desired format for PIMS:


Appropriately map & link variables to PIMS submodel tables.

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Example Objectives

• The intent of this application example is to convey how Aspen HYSYS V9 can be used by process
engineers or planners to generate simulation data required to calculate base and shift vectors
needed to update a PIMS reactor submodel.

• Your plant configuration, conditions, product specs and objectives will vary from the HYSYS case
used this example.

• This example follows the workflow of using a pre-calibrated and pre-configured model to generate
this data.

• This example uses Aspen HYSYS V9 CP1 (35.0.1.271)

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Scenario

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The Example

• As plant conditions have changed, the planning submodel for the FCC has fallen out of accuracy with the
plant data.
• You have been tasked with updating the planning submodel using the simulation model that your refinery
keeps calibrated to plant data on a regular basis.
• The planner has supplied you with a base case and a range for the key variables that drive the reactor
submodel.

1. Confirm that the ranges for the key variables can be


Tasks accurately represented by a linear model
2. Setup & Run the Case Study to generate the data
required to update the planning submodel
3. Update the planning submodel using the new data
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Application Example Logistics

Included Files:

FCC_PMU_Starter.hsc ASWFrontEnd_FCC_Example.xlsm Gulf_Coast.xls

Instruction:

1 # Indicates Step Order Actions are in Bold Information in Italics

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Review of the Model Files
• The FCC_PMU_Starter.hsc file has been setup for this example.
The FCC model in this case has already been calibrated to the
plant, and the model has been set up to perform case studies to
generate data to update planning models.

• Many of the variables that need to be changed to generate the


data for the update are not independent variables by default.
Therefore, the example uses some flowsheeting tools in order to
isolate changes in certain variables.
– Assay Manipulator: To make sure that certain feed properties are
changed without altering other feed properties in the assay, this unit op
FCC_PMU_Starter.hsc is used to directly overwrite or shift the property to match an input value.
– Adjust Blocks: These adjust cut points in the column to match given
distillation temperatures of key product streams
– Component Splitters: These are used on the light end streams to get
results on specific components and to calculate variables like FOE

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Review of the Model Files
• The Gulf_Coast.xls file is one of the standard Aspen PIMS
example files. It has a number of example sub models. This is
the model that we are using as our PIMS model in this example.

• The page shown is the SFCC submodel which at the bottom has
the gray section showing the simulation data. The vectors in the
actual submodel are linked to the simulation data on this page.
The simulation data are in commented (*) rows and therefore
are not directly read by PIMS. This is the best practice for
maintaining PIMS submodels frequently updated by HYSYS.

• At the beginning of this example, the PIMS model reflects the


Gulf_Coast.xls
starting PIMS model prior to being updated. Throughout the
example we will talk through the process of updating this
simulation data to meet the new operating requirements of the
plant.

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Review of the Model Files
• The ASWFrontEnd_FCC_Example.xlsm file shows an example
of how this workflow can be completed using the aspenONE
Engineering Excel Add-in, Aspen Simulation Workbook (ASW).

• This file is an example of what you can do with the ASW Front
End to an FCC model using ASW functionality.
– The FCC variables were brought in automatically when the Front End
was created from the FCC model
– The other feed and product variables were brought into this model using
standard ASW functionality in V9.
– The scenario table was set up to the same parameters that the case
ASWFrontEnd_FCC_Example.xlsm study was set up to in the HYSYS file.

• The workflow for completing the planning model update


workflow will be shown in the second section of this example.

• To follow along, you will need to have ASW V9 installed.


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Investigate Operating Ranges of Key Variables
Can they be adequately represented by a linear model?

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Key Variable Ranges

• The planning department hasn’t indicated any changes to the base & shift values for the key
operating variables, but given changes in catalyst, operation, and other factors, the unit in the
refinery isn’t behaving according to the old shift vectors.

• This newly calibrated model should reflect the new FCC behavior. Since the planning model
will be a linear representation of this behavior, first, we want to make sure that the data we are
providing represents a linear area of the various response curves.

Tasks 1. Setup a study to see the responses of key operating


variables
2. Evaluate the results of the study to determine if the
base & shift values need to be adjusted

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Set up a case study to see response of key variables
1
2
Open the case
“FCC_PMU_Starter.hsc” View the Case Studies Summary

The variables we
are most
interested in right
now are those that
will show the over-
cracking curve,
namely the riser
temperature and
naphtha yields.

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Set up a case study to see over-cracking curve

1
Add a New Case Study

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Set up a case study to see over-cracking curve
1
First, we need to add the independent Click the “Find Variables”
variable we’re interested in: Riser Top button
Temperature

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Add the Riser Top (Plenum) Temperature
1 2 3
Choose & Select the
Choose the FCC Object Filter by Temperature Plenum Temperature

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Add the Light Naphtha Flowrate
4
Since we know the other two variables Choose & Select the
we need, we can add them now too. Volume Flowrate

1
Choose the Light Naphtha

2
Filter in Output variables
3
Filter by Liquid Flow

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Add the Heavy Naphtha Flowrate
2
Add the already selected
variable

1
Choose the Heavy
Naphtha

3
Click “Done”

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Setup the Case Study
Notice that the variables 1
were sorted appropriately Open the Case Study
into dependent and Setup Tab
independent.

Tip* The “Find Variables” button opens up the same


Navigator just with a different Input/Output Filter
activated. To see all variables, simply check both
Input/Output boxes and the variables will sort themselves
when you add them to the study
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Setup the Case Study
2
We want to look at the Choose Parameters for
sensitivity of the naphtha the Study
flowrates to the Riser
Temperature.

1
Choose the Case Study
Type “Sensitivity”

3
Click “Run”

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Review the Case Study Results
1
Click ‘Results’ to view a
table

2
Click ‘Plots’ to view the
results in a graph

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Review the Case Study Results

Based on the light naphtha response, we


should be OK representing with a linear
curve. We might be a little bit worried
above 990 F, but looks more or less OK.

1
Look at the Heavy
Naphtha now

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Review the Case Study Results
Based on the heavy naphtha response, to
represent the curve with a line, we want
to stay below 980-985F. We would need
to consult with the planning department
to make sure this covers an agreed upon
range. Otherwise, we may need to alter
our sub-model to have multiple
base/shifts to represent this curve

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Review Additional Variable Responses

In the SFCC submodel in the Gulf_Coast.xls PIMS model, the


independent variables are listed at the top of the gray section, with
the base as the first column and the shifts indicated in the blue boxes.
A next step would be to run additional case studies where you may
expect non-linear curves to be present to do a similar analysis as we
did with the overcracking curve.
For the sake of this example, we are not going to walk through
additional case studies, but as you are applying this to your workflow, Gulf_Coast.xls
it is recommended that you look at the various bases and shifts and
analyze the accuracy of a linear representation of key variables.
For this example, we are assuming the same base & shift vectors that
were used the last time the workflow was performed are still
applicable. Occasionally, it will make sense to add/remove variable
relationships as the PIMS model & plant behavior changes.

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Run Case Study to Generate Simulation Data

• The case has been set up to run the Planning Model Update workflow, so a case study is
already in place that can generate the simulation data for updating PIMS.

• We need to update the base and shift vectors to reflect any changes we have made after our
previous analysis.

• Once the data has been generated, we need to review, and export to the PIMS model.

Tasks 1. Setup the case study to reflect changes in base & shift
vectors
2. Export generated data to PIMS model to update.

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Update Base & Shifts in Planning Model Update Case Study
First, let’s review the case
study that was used the
last time we updated the
In the independent
FCC submodel
variables section, the
variables all correspond
to the those in the top
part of the gray section
in the PIMS submodel
and the tags
1 correspond to the PIMS
Open the Planning Model
tags. The dependent
Update Case Study
variables also appear in
the proper order. This
will enable a consistent
format making it easy
to transfer data later.

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Review Case Study Setup

In HYSYS V9, there is a new type Unidirectional studies will only shift in the
of case study, “Base & Shift” positive direction, while Bidirectional studies
that is designed specifically for will shift in both directions for each variable.
this workflow.
This page shows the current
value that is being used in the
case right now, and then the
base value for the study, and the
shift off of the base for each Notice that the
variable. current case study
HYSYS will first run the base is set up so that
case, and then will run a case the Base & Shift
for each shift of each variable in values match the
the list, creating a table like the existing PIMS
gray one in the PIMS model. submodel.

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Adjust Base & Shift Values to New Operating Window
In the last part of the
example, we saw that the
overcracking curve
indicates we want to
operate below 985F. We
have discussed with the
planning department and
have agreed of a base of
975F with a 10F shift. If we had run
1 additional
Adjust Base value for the scenarios and
Reactor Temperature identified other
operating
window changes,
we would make
those changes
now as well.
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Run the Case Study to Generate Simulation Data for PIMS

1
Click ‘Run’

*This model has an FCC


and a set of adjust blocks in
it. This case may take
about 10 minutes to run,
depending on the machine.
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Review Results & Export to Excel
After the case study
has run, review the
results in this table or
open the ‘plots’ page.
The ‘plots’ wont be
terribly informative as
there is only data for
two points for each
independent variable.
1
Click ‘Send to Excel’ &
Save the .csv file.
Notice that the data is in a format
very similar to that of the gray
section of the PIMS submodel.
Export this to Excel so we can link it
to the PIMS table.

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Copy Paste into PIMS Submodel, or Link Directly
The next step will depend
greatly on the best practices at
your organization. You can
create a new page in your
PIMS model to host this data
and link it directly to the
output format of the case
study (watch out for any unit
conversions). If you are
concerned about additional
pages in the PIMS model, you
can also manually copy/paste Before updating the submodel in PIMS, it is important that you follow
or link in another spreadsheet the PIMS submodel validation practice at your organization. You need
and copy/paste into your to make sure that when the update is complete that it works within the
submodel when you are ready rest of the PIMS model, and that the base/shift vectors are sensible.
for the final update. This will depend on your organization & your engineering judgement.
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Planning Model Update in Aspen Simulation Workbook

• The planning model update workflow so far has been presented in Aspen HYSYS. In V9, this
workflow is also supported in Aspen Simulation Workbook, or ASW, an Excel Add-In that can
be used to link Aspen HYSYS to Excel.

• In this section, we will walk through what an ASW case looks like for this example, and how to
do planning model update using it.

Tasks 1. Review the setup of an Aspen Simulation Workbook


(ASW) for a case like this
2. Review the workflow of running case studies in ASW

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Open the ASW Example File

1
In V9, an ASW front end can be automatically created from an
Open the file FCC, Reformer, or Hydrocracker. When you create a reactor front
“ASWFrontEnd_FCC_Example.xlsm”. end, the middle section of this sheet will automatically be created
Make sure to Enable ASW and for you. In this example, the feed information and the
Macros upon opening. fractionation section variables have been added manually using
the ASW functionality. The FCC_PMU_ASW.hsc file is embedded in
‘Connect’ the embedded case. this case. To see the file, click ‘Visible’ in the Ribbon
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Open the ASW Example File

This file has been set up so that all independent variables show blue/bold font. By changing one of these variables in
this case, ASW sends the new value to HYSYS, and after HYSYS solves, the values of all other variables will update.

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Review the Scenario Table

ASW has a feature similar to the case


study called a Scenario Table. Open the
‘PlanningUpdate_Scenario’ sheet. This
has the same data as our HYSYS case
study had in it. We can run this case
study directly from within ASW to
generate the same data. In this
example, the case has not yet been run.

1
Click on any cell in the
Scenario Table
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Run the Scenario Table

1
Click the Table Actions
button

2
Run Active Scenarios

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Run the Planning Model Update Scenario Table

Here, you can de-select


scenarios that you may not
want to run. You can also
save a copy of each simulation
you run if you would like to
further investigate each case
later.

1
Click Run Scenarios

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Review Results & Linked Planning Model

Now, you can use standard


Excel functionality to create
charts based on the data,
perform additional
calculations, or even re-run
specific cases.

1
Click Linked_SCCU

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Linked Planning Submodel

On this page, there is a copy of the


submodel from the PIMS model. You
can see that each of the cells in the
gray simulation data section of the
submodel is linked to data in the
scenario table. So, each time you re-
run the scenario table, this submodel
will automatically be updated. Now,
depending on your organization’s
practices, you could run any further
validation on the submodel and
copy/paste or link directly to your
actual PIMS model.

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In Conclusion….
Using HYSYS Petroleum Refining you…

Prepared a simulation model for Planning Model Update


Established appropriate scope & operating range for the study

Ran a Case Study to generate Simulation Data for PIMS:


Ensured all required variables are included in the study

Used an Excel Front End as an alternative workflow:


Setup & Ran the same analysis in Aspen Simulation Workbook

Presented simulation data in desired format for PIMS:


Appropriately mapped & linked variables to PIMS submodel tables
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Additional Resources

Documentation on Support Site


Assay Management Reference

Refining Unit Ops Guide

Video & Content at www.aspentech.com


Aspen HYSYS Resource Center

Planning Model Update Video

Petroleum Refining Webpage with Video on Refinery Wide Modeling

Refinery Reactor Webpage with Video

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