Title: Enhancing the efficiency of crude oil transportation pipeline: a novel approach

Authors: M. Ameri; M. Askari

Addresses: Department of Mechanical & Energy Engineering, Power and Water University of Technology, P.O. Box 16765-1719, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Mechanical & Energy Engineering, Power and Water University of Technology, P.O. Box 16765-1719, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: In this paper, exergy and economic analyses are carried out on a 30″ crude oil transportation pipeline and related pump stations. The exergy destructions and losses of the components and the entire system were determined in the operation, resulting in the identification of the gas turbines stacks as the major elements of exergy losses. A proposal has been made for improving the energy and exergy efficiencies of the entire system. It has been shown that transfer of heat recovered from hot flue gas to the crude oil (for warming up the crude oil) can reduce the viscosity and flow resistance of the crude oil in the transportation pipelines, which could lead to a reduction in the power consumption and transportation costs. By applying this method, the energy and exergy efficiencies of the system will increase by up to 36.40 and 23.23%, respectively.

Keywords: energy analysis; exergy analysis; energy efficiency; exergy efficiency; transport pipelines; pumping stations; crude oil; oil transport; oil pipelines; gas turbines; exergy losses; gas turbine stacks; heat transfer; hot flue gas; viscosity; flow resistance; power consumption.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2013.058106

International Journal of Exergy, 2013 Vol.13 No.4, pp.523 - 542

Received: 27 Aug 2012
Accepted: 14 Jan 2013
Published online: 08 Dec 2013 *

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