Optimization of Sulfur Recovery and Tail Gas Treatment Units Using Aspen HYSYS and MATLAB Integration

Mahdy, Araby Ibrahim; Shoaib, Abeer Mahmoud; Gamal Mohamed Ahmed, Mohamed; Behery, Khaled Ibrahim; Saad, Walaa Osman

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2022.154995.6697

Optimization of Sulfur Recovery and Tail Gas Treatment Units Using Aspen HYSYS and MATLAB Integration

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Faculty of Engineering, Suez University, Suez, Egypt

² Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez, Egypt.

³ Qarun Petroleum Company, Cairo, Egypt

⁴ Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez, Egypt

10.21608/ejchem.2022.154995.6697

Abstract

The sulfur recovery unit (SRU) is an important part of gas processing and crude oil refinery plants. The primary purpose of SRU is to convert sulfur components in the acid gas stream, such as H2S, SO, SO2, and COS, to elemental sulfur to comply with rigorous environmental regulations regarding release of these components into atmosphere. SRU with Tail Gas Treating Unit (TGTU) was simulated using Aspen HYSYS simulation software, with actual plant data used to validate the model. MATLAB was integrated with Aspen HYSYS to optimize ten operating variables of SRU and (TGTU) using genetic algorithm without affecting Sulfur Recovery Efficiency (SRE). When the model was used, sulfur output increased by 2%, Net High-Pressure Steam (HPS) increased by 9%, and Low-Pressure Steam (LPS) decreased by 8%, resulting in an increase in (SRE). Using this approach, similar SRUs with varying feed conditions and properties might be optimized.

Keywords