METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WASHING THE INTERNALS OF A VESSEL FOR PROCESSING A HEAVY HYDROCARBON STREAM

摘要

A method for washing the internals of a vessel for processing a heavy hydrocarbon stream, such as a paraffinic diluent recovery column (1) in a bitumen refining plant, comprises introducing a cleansing stream (3) comprising aromatic and/or naphthenic components into the vessel such that the cleansing stream flows along at least a substantial part of the surface of the internals of the vessel and flushes precipitated asphaltene deposits from said internals. The cleansing stream (3) may comprise an aromatic and/or naphthenic light gas oil (LGO), which is recycled from an atmospheric distillation column (2) in a bitumen refining plant.