Abstract: In refining and chemical enterprises, pentane foaming agents can be produced by light naphtha components extracted from pre-hydrogenation units. After the implementation of the national standard GB/T 22053—2020, the quality requirements for foaming agents are stricter. By constructing an ASPEN PLUS model for the stripper, fractionating column, and depentanizer of the pre-hydrogenation unit, the control parameters of the pentane foaming agent production process were analyzed and calculated，and a production adjustment plan was developed. The results of industrial tests showed that the proportion of pentane foaming agent was closely related to the temperature of the sensitive plate at depentanizer overhead, and the temperature change at the top of the column should be controlled at ±0.3 ℃ to ensure that the composition range of the foaming agent was ± 2%. At the same time, the effects of increasing production of pentane foaming agent were analyzed from aspects of the stripping column, product grade and type of crude oil processed to improve the economic benefits of the enterprise.

Key words: pre-hydrogenation unit, stripper, pentane, foaming agent, sensitive plate temperature