Efficiency Improvement in a Crude Oil Heating Furnace Based on Linear Regulation Control Strategies

Francisco Jacas-Portuondo, Leonardo Peña-Pupo, Miguel R. Forgas-Brioso, Electo E. Silva-Lora, John A. Taborda-Giraldo () and José R. Nuñez-Alvarez ()
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Francisco Jacas-Portuondo: Tecnomatics Department, Union Cuba Petroleum (CUPET), Santiago de Cuba 90100, Cuba
Leonardo Peña-Pupo: Postgraduate Program in Energy Engineering, Excellence Group in Thermal Power and Distributed Generation-NEST, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Itajubá, Itajubá 37500-903, Brazil
Miguel R. Forgas-Brioso: Department of Electrical Engineering, Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba 90100, Cuba
Electo E. Silva-Lora: Postgraduate Program in Energy Engineering, Excellence Group in Thermal Power and Distributed Generation-NEST, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Itajubá, Itajubá 37500-903, Brazil
John A. Taborda-Giraldo: Electronic Engineering Program, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta 470004, Colombia
José R. Nuñez-Alvarez: Energy Department, Universidad de la Costa, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: This paper presents research results to improve energy efficiency in one of the crude oil heating furnaces at the “Hermanos Díaz” refinery in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. It analyzes the main process’s variables and disturbances, and the multivariate dynamic behavior of the F-101 furnace temperature is characterized to evaluate different control strategies. In addition, the design of a linear regulation control law was implemented as a way to solve the limitations of the existing control of the furnace, to control the plant for the first time with a multivariable approach, demonstrating superior performance by guaranteeing decoupling between the variables, decreasing the overruns by 6%, and increasing the response speed of the system by more than 5 min. The comparison with results obtained with other control strategies allowed us to determine the better performance of the furnace by increasing its energy efficiency, evidencing the economic and environmental impact and obtaining as benefits a better dynamic behavior by reducing fuel oil consumption by 5%, equivalent to 0.74 m 3 /day, which reduces the operating costs of the plant, the temperature of the gasses by 2%, emissions of CO 2 pollutant gas to the environment by between 3 and 5%, and increasing energy efficiency by 1.5%.

Keywords: energy efficiency; environmental impact; heating furnace; advanced multivariable control; linear regulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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