Ethylene Production From
Tennessee Fracked Natural Gas
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
ENGR 5910/ENCH 4300
4/26/2012
Brandon Dodd
Valentine Mbamalu
Outline
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Introduction
Design Basis
Cracking Reaction
Process Flow Diagram
Equipment Design
Project Economics
Conclusion
Introduction
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Design Basis
• Analyze 500,000 metric tons Ethane feedstock
per year
• Feedstock will be considered as 100% Ethane
• Negligible reaction byproducts not to be
considered for this level of design
Ethane Cracking Reaction
Hydrogen Gas
Byproducts
Methane
Propane
Generalized Process Flow Diagram
Steam Cracker
• 170 MW heat duty
• Modeled as 2 100MW
separate pyrolysis
furnaces
• Each furnace 100 MW
capacity
• Operates at 80% capacity.
Transfer Line Exchanger
• Shell and Tube Model
• 73 MW Heat Removed
from Product Stream
• 820 m2 Total
Exchange Area
• 2 Units in Series
Distillation Columns
• 3 Total Columns
• 8 stage de-methanizer
– 10m high
– 3m diameter
• 20 stage de-ethylenizer
– 15m high
– 3m diameter
• 40 stage de-ethanizer
– 27m high
– 3m diameter
Other Equipment Estimated
• Quench Tower
• Compressors
• Refrigeration
• Pumps
• Fans
Unit Cost Summary
Unit
C-101
C-102
K-101
E-101
E-102
E-103
F-101
H-101
H-102
P-101
R-101
T-101
T-102
T-103
V-101
Z-101
Unit Cost Estimation Summary
Description
# Units
Cost (Millions)
Compressor
1
2
Compressor
1
12.7
Drier
1
1.2
Transfer Line Heat Exchanger
1
0.5
Refrigeration Train
1
0.4
Regrigeration Train
1
0.6
Fans
20
0.3
Pyrolysis Furnace/Cracker
1
21.5
Pyrolysis Furnace/Cracker
1
12.6
Pump
10
2.9
Acetylene Converter
1
0.2
De-methanizer - tower
1
3.7
De-ethylenizer - tower
1
5.4
De-ethanizer - tower
1
9.3
Product Holding Tank
1
2.7
Quench Tower
1
2
Costs – In Millions
• Capital Costs - $121
– Includes land cost
• Total Annual Operating Costs - $617
– Utility Cost - $142
– Raw Material Cost - $475
– Labor Cost – estimated $1
Revenue – In Millions
Total Yearly Revenue - $960
• Ethylene – 560,000 metric tons
– $955
• Methane – 3000 metric tons
– $0.7
• Propane – 3000 metric tons
– $0.7
Revenue Vs. Cost
1000
900
800
M
I
L
L
I
O
N
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Revenue
Raw Mat.
Utilities
Labor
Payback Period
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
• Air pollution
• Primary – Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate
Matters, Volatile Organic
Component
. Secondary – Ozone
. Incinerators
Conclusions
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Costing based on key component
Project is profitable
Economic activities will receive boost
Jobs and revenue to state and local gov.