for a facility. There may also be hydrogen recovery systems from fuel gas, refinery
or petrochemical gases, and purge gases that make up into the headers.
Along with the process flow diagram, there should be a spreadsheet and/or
simulation model that provides material balance calculations for the system. The
model can use typical hydrogen consumptions and production for users based on
feed rates or can be more sophisticated and account for feed quality as well as rates.
Having these tools available will allow more intelligent use of hydrogen in a
refinery, especially by operations personnel.
Hydrogen Headers
Fresh Hydrogen
The fresh hydrogen header takes hydrogen from the producers and distributes it to
the initial users. Incoming hydrogen may originate from the SMR hydrogen plant
300 psig
Sweet
300 psig
Sour
700 psig
Sweet
Sour Sat.
Fuel Gas
Hydrogen Producers
Hydrogen Headers
Hydrogen Users
Hydrogen
Recovery
Fuel
Gas
Naphtha
Catalytic
Reformer #1
Naphtha
Catalytic
Reformer #2
SMR #1
SMR #2
NHT
Distillate
Hydrotreaters
Gas Oil
Hydrotreaters
Other HP
Units
Hydrocracker
Hydrogen
Recovery
Fig. 24 Typical full-conversion refinery hydrogen management approach
636
S.A. Treese