US 12,305,129 B2
Controlling energy generation and use by adjustment of distillation columns
Mohammed A. Qahtani, Dhahran (SA); and Mohammed Y. Alyousif, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/192,163.
Prior Publication US 2024/0327722 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. B01D 3/32 (2006.01); B01D 3/00 (2006.01); B01D 3/42 (2006.01); C10G 7/12 (2006.01); F25J 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 7/12 (2013.01) [B01D 3/007 (2013.01); B01D 3/322 (2013.01); B01D 3/42 (2013.01); F25J 3/0209 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1025 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for distillation, the process comprising:
distilling a hydrocarbon feed to produce a top hydrocarbon fraction and a bottom hydrocarbon fraction in a column within a distillation unit comprising the column, a reboiler, and a control system;
feeding steam from a cogeneration unit to the reboiler at a steam demand maintained by the control system; and
controlling power generated by the cogeneration unit with a power controller within the control system, wherein controlling the power comprises decreasing or increasing a column pressure of the cogeneration unit via a pressure controller according to a ratio of an operational load to a pre-set maximum allowable load.