Inflection Point Engineering Calculators

Hydroprocessing Mass Balance

Overall material balance closure around a hydrotreater or hydrocracker reactor section. Compares mass in (feed + chemical H2) versus mass out (liquid products + gas/losses) to verify data quality, with H2 consumption and liquid volume swell.

Method: Mass rates computed from volumetric rates with SG = 141.5/(API+131.5) and 350.5 lb/bbl of water. Gas mass rates from ideal-gas molar volume 379.5 SCF/lbmol at 60°F, 1 atm; H2 MW = 2.016. Chemical H2 consumption = (makeup − purge) pure H2. Volume swell = (liquid product − feed) / feed. Acceptable closure: within ±2%. References: Speight, The Chemistry and Technology of Petroleum; API MPMS for API/SG conversions; standard refinery mass-balance practice.