Operational optimization of the thermoelectric system of an oil refinery

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this work is to develop a mathematical programming model applied to operational planning of the thermoelectric plant of the RECAP Refinery (Sao Paulo-Brazil) as well as its interconnections with the process units. The problem is formulated as a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model where the mass and energy balances, the operational status of each unit, and the demand satisfaction are defined in multiple time periods. The model determines the operational configuration of the plant by minimizing utility costs, and identifies steam losses as well as inefficient units by comparing the optimal solution with the current operation. The MILP is able to accurately represent the topology and optimize the operation of the real-world system under different utility demands and abnormal situations, achieving a 5% cost reduction. The MILP is currently integrated with the refinery database and used for the planning of the refinery utility system.