Steady-state and dynamic reactor models for hydrotreament of oil fractions: A review

PETR 63

Jorge Ancheyta, jancheyt@imp.mx and Fabian Mederos, fsmedero@imp.mx. Processes and Reactors Research Program, Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, Mexico City, 07730, Mexico
Hydrotreatment is one of the fundamental processes of petroleum refining industry from technical and environmental points of view that requires of constant technological research. Hydrotreatment process is essential to obtain fuels with low polluting compounds content such as sulfur. To design, simulate or optimize hydrotreatment plants for production of high quality fuels a suitable and reliable reactor model that describes all phenomena occurring during hydrotreatment reactions is needed. Various models with different level of sophistication are reported in the literature for steady-state and dynamic operation of three-phase reactors for oil fractions hydrotreatment. The degree of sophistication and complexity of each reported reactor model depends mainly on the purpose and needed prediction capabilities in each investigation. The objective of this work is to present a critical review of the reported reactor models in order to analyze their advantages and disadvantages and recommend the structure of a hydrotreatment model to be used in a specific situation.