Carrying out experimental tests to determine the octane rating of gasoline or the cetane number of diesel, for example, is essential for companies that process oil or distribute its derivatives. However, these measurements prove to be complex and time-consuming. Now the properties of fuels, among many other information, can be determined in a simpler way with Calcproc, a computer program initially developed by engineers at Petrobras and later improved by researchers from Faculty of Chemical Engineering (QEF) from Unicamp and Center for Energy and Petroleum Studies (Cepetro) from Unicamp.
With this computer program, simply collect basic properties of the oil sample or its derivatives, such as, for example, its density or distillation curve, something easily obtained in the laboratory, and insert them into an electronic spreadsheet. Then, the Calcproc code calculates several advanced properties of these products – such as those mentioned at the beginning and many others defined in the specifications of the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) for each type of fuel.
Calcproc is a tool designed to calculate the physicochemical properties of petroleum and its derivatives. The program can be used by research centers and companies linked to the refining, production and distribution chain of these products to determine the properties of the fuels they work with, carrying out product quality control and assessing whether this product meets its environmental requirements. and legal. Today, it is in full use in various sectors of Petrobras, which wants to take the tool to other institutions and companies.
With Calcproc, the task of determining the complex properties of an oil sample based on simple and easily determined properties or parameters is quick and efficient. As it has a user-friendly interface with Excel, simply enter the basic data into a spreadsheet, typing it or importing it from another source, and the program makes all the estimates. syour use It's intuitivea.
From Petrobras to Unicamp laboratories
DSince the 2000s, Petrobras engineers have been focusing on the question of how to quickly discover the complex properties of a sample of oil or its derivatives. And so, at the time, they began developing a computer program that used simpler data to estimate more complex physicochemical properties.
At the beginning, the program was used by the company in internal training courses for new engineers. Then, the company's own engineers began to develop codes to be applied in industrial calculations. Thus, the computer program gained updates and improvements. However, a higher level of scientific research still needed to be reached to expand the tool's potential.
“Unicamp was then approached to expand its development”, says professor Leonardo Vasconcelos Fregolente, professor at FEQ and former engineer at Petrobras. “The software needed to become more robust. To give you an idea, he had around 120 prediction correlations at the time. With the progress made at Unicamp, the program now has at least another 240 new methods. The leap was big”, explains Fregolente. But the advances didn’t stop there:
“We improved the scientific part of the software, we inserted many new property evaluation and prediction equations, in addition to making it more friendly to new versions of Excel, making it fully usable by Petrobras process engineers. The precision of mathematical models has been refined over the years, and today it is possible to achieve precise and reliable estimates”, comments Fregolente.
Accurate calculations and resource savings
Researcher Shella Santos, who participated in the project, also explains that important changes were made to make Calcproc more reliable and scientifically based. “Some properties were tested and new correlations were developed using experimental data from Petrobras and scientific literature. Furthermore, we added a functionality that indicates to the user whether the chosen method is outside the calculation limit according to the inputs added. And studies have shown that correlations have very good prediction potential”, adds Santos.
Therefore, in addition to the advantage of estimating physical-chemical properties of products with a high level of reliability and eliminating the need for complex tests, the computer program provides results in real time. This is necessary because the properties of products vary depending on the operational conditions of industrial processes, as Fregolente explains:
“For example, diesel and gasoline are mixtures of components produced within a refinery, made online. Using the Calcproc tool, it is possible to know in real time and precisely how much of each component needs to be introduced into the mixture.”
The program was also added to the calculation of energy efficiency estimates using the indirect method (loss method). Calcproc now features the following features and functionality:
- more than 400 property prediction methods;
- calculation of mixture priorities;
- conversion of distillation curves and unit conversion;
- furnace efficiency calculation;
- intuitive interface and installation in Excel for different versions;
- availability of the technical information base and references to the scientific methods that make up the computer program in the user manual;
- among others.
Calcproc is a computer program owned by Petrobras and Unicamp. And today, it is used by several technical sectors of the oil company. It is worth mentioning that Calcproc can be used not only in refineries, but also in fuel producing and distributing companies.
According to Fregolente, “Petrobras is interested in generating knowledge and making the software available to any company that is part of the oil and derivatives handling chain, including those who carry out quality control processes. It has reached a level of reliability that today we can offer it to anyone interested in the market”, he concludes.
Companies and public or private institutions interested in Calcproc can contact the Unicamp Innovation Agency (Inova Unicamp) directly for licensing the program through the application form connection with companies. Contact with the University makes it possible to have access to cutting-edge technologies, and technology transfer reduces risks associated with the development of new innovative products and processes.
