CHE 481-483: Process Design
Final Design Project Presentation
Chemical & Biological Engineering Department
Drexel University
Manufacture of Ethylene Glycol
Design Team:
Name
Topics Covered in Presentation
Chong McLaren
Project Scope
Nicholas Mitchell
Process Description
Timre Segear
Economic Feasibility
Suroor Manzoor
Safety & Environment
Conclusions & Recommendations
Academic Advisor: Dr. George Rowell
Industrial Advisor: Mr. Steven Schon, P.E.
Project Scope
Chong McLaren
Size of Plant

Ethylene Glycol



Diethylene Glycol (By-product)



896 MM lbs/Yr
99.8% Purity (Polyester Fiber Grade)
2.2 MM lbs/Yr
99.6% Purity
Raw Material


Ethylene: 484 MM lbs/Yr
Oxygen: 370 MM lbs/Yr at 99% Purity
Location




Port Arthur, TX
BASF/ATOFINA steam cracker
Grass-Roots Site
Self Sufficient Unit (Utilities & WWTP)
Production of EO Technology

EO Reactor

Shell Technology vs. Chlorohydrin process

Silver Catalyst
Efficient & Environmentally friendly
No unwanted byproduct

Ethylene Conversion: 12.5%



Oxygen vs. Air





Reduce quantities of inert gases into recycle
Eliminate the need for a purge reactor system
Higher selectivity: 65-75% vs. 85-90%
Higher operating cost
Higher risk of handling
Production of EG Technology

EG Reactor

Ion Exchange Catalyst vs. No Catalyst



Hydrolysis of EO
Reduce operating temperature by 150 °F
Reduce amount of excess water



Water:EO - 20:1 to 4:1
EO Conversion: 98%
Higher MEG selectivity: 91% vs. 98%
Chemistry

Ethylene Reaction:



C2H4 +1/2 O2 → C2H4O
Side Reactions:

C2H4 + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 2 H2O

C2H4O + 2 1/2 O2 → 2 CO2 + 2 H2O
EO Reaction:

C2H4O + H2O → C2H6O2

C2H4O + C2H6O2 → C4H10O3
Market Analysis

EG Worldwide Production



GLYDE: 896 MM lbs/Yr of EG Production



31.2 Billion lbs/Yr
20% in US
3% of World market
14% of US market
Growth Rate

6%-7% globally per year between 2006 - 2010
Market Analysis


Polyester Grade EG
Demand for Derivatives
Uses

Demand of EG ↑, Demand in
End-Use Segments ↑

automobile coolant, antifreeze
additive, fiber, film, PET bottles,
solvent in printing ink
PET Film
3.6%
Other
3.0%
Industrial
5.4%
Antifreeze
11.4%
PET
Bottles
24.5%
Polyester
Fiber
52.1%
Process Description
Nick Mitchell
Ethylene
Section 200:
300:
400:
500:
100:
Block Flow Diagram
EG
EO
CO
EGPurification
EO
Absorption
Removal Section
Section
Section
Section
2 Reaction
Feed
Prep
Purge
Flare
CO2
Absorber
Oxygen
OMS
EO
Reactor
CO2
EO
Absorber
CO2
Stripper
EO
Stripper
• EG
Ethylene
Carbon
Reactor
Dehydration
Dioxide
OxidePrep
Feed
Absorber
Absorber
• Oxygen
Ethylene
Carbon
EG
Purification
Dioxide
Mixing
Oxide Station
Stripper
Stripper
• Ethylene Oxide Reactor
EG
Reactor
EG
Dehydration
EG
Purification
EG
DEG
Section 100: EO Reaction
Feed Prep Turbine
Ethylene Pipeline
Reactor & Cooler
 150 MM Btu/hr to Oil
Recycle Compressor
System
55,000 lb/hr
Recycle Compressor
•8,600 Trim
cfmCooler
•2,900 HP
•2 Stages
Recycle
412, 000 lb/hr
EO Reactor
oCO2 Section
Tin ( F)
300
Oxygen Mixing Station
EO Reactor
•Safe Mixing of Oxygen
•Avoiding Flammability Range
Tout (oF)
570
Operating Pressure (psig)
210
Type
Shell & Tube
Oxygen
Catalyst
Silver Based
Tube Length
20
46, 000(ft)lb/hr
Tube Diameter (in.)
1.25 Station
Oxygen Mixing
Number of Tubes
14,000
2
Area (ft )
91,000
Hot Oil Coolant
Pre-Heater
Section 200: EO Absorption
Pre-Heater
Cooler
Trim Cooler
EO Stripper
 D = 10 ft
Trim
Gas
 20
Trays
Cooler
Cooler
 Feed @ 10
 Required EO/Water
Liquid
Concentration
10.9
4.3
10.4
EO
Trim Cooler
Stripper
Gas Cooler
EO
Absorber
Liquid Cooler
To Purge, Recycle, & CO2 Removal
EO Absorber
 D = 10 ft
Heat Duty
10
37
51
108
(MM
 Btu/hr)
Structured Packing
Number of
3
1 Reactor
5
 HETP = 124 in.
EO
Shells
Area
 (ft2)
Packing 13H = 32.7
40 ft 4.3 52
*1000 Hot Oil Coolant
Area Per Shell
13
(ft2) (*1000)
EO Rich Feed
Pre-Heater
Stripper PreHeater
Water Recycle
Section 300: CO2 Removal
Absorber Vapor
To Purge, Recycle, & CO2 Removal
Make Up
Water
EO
Absorber Purge to
Flare
CO2 Stripper
Gas  D = 4 ft Trim
Cooler
Cooler
 15 Trays
Ethylene
 Feed @ 1
Liquid
Cooler
Stripper PreHeater
Recycle to EO
Reactor Section
EO
CO
Stripper
2
Absorber
CO2 Absorber
CO2 to

Flare



CO to
2
D = 4 ft
Flare
Structured Packing
HETP = 24 in.
Packing H = 40 ft
CO2
Stripper
CO2
Stripper
Section 400: EG Reaction
Lights to
To Purge,
Recycle, & CO2 Removal
Compressor
EO
Absorber
EG Reactor
EO
Tin (oF)
Stripper
Tout
(oF)
PreCooler
Trim
Cooler
Gas
Cooler
EO/Water
Solution
Liquid
Cooler
Operating Pressure (psig)
Type
Catalyst
Flash
Tube Length (ft)
Tube Diameter (in.)
Number of Tubes
Area (ft2)
EG Solution
Trim
Cooler
Stripper PreHeater EG
Reactor
195
Stripper Distillate
195
120
Shell & Tube
Ion Exchange
20
1.25
1,200
7,900
Section 500: EG Purification
Lights to
Lights
to
Compressor
Compressor
EG Dehydrator EG Product
EG Product
110,000 lb/hr 110,000 lb/hr
– D = 10.5 ft
99.9 wt%
99.9 wt%
Flash
– D = 14 ft
– 38 Trays
– 35 Trays
– Feed @ 15
DEG ProductDEG Product
265 lb/hr
265 lb/hr
– Feed @ 14
wt%
99.9of
wt%.1 99.9
–
Max
Water
wt%
EG Solution
– Side Stream @ 26
PreEG Purification
Cooler
EO/Water
Solution
EG Trim
Cooler
Dehydrator
EG
Reactor
Water to EO
Absorber
DEG/TEG
DEG/TEG
25 lb/hr
25 lb/hr
EG
EG
PurificationPurification
Key Process Assumptions

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficients
 150 Btu/hr sqft oF



50 Btu/hr sqft oF Elsewhere




Boiling or Condensing
Liquid/Liquid
Gas/Liquid
Gas/Gas
EO Reactor
Pressure Drop
 15 psi in Packed Bed Reactors
 6 psi in Heat Exchangers
 < 3 psi in Vacuum Heat Exchangers
 Pressure Drop in Columns Estimated by Aspen
Key Process Assumptions

Purity of Raw Materials

Ambient Temperature & Humidity


Wet Bulb Temperature for Cooling Water
Operating Time

8,100 hrs/yr (~4 wks downtime)
Key Process Assumptions

EO Reaction Kinetics



EG Reaction Kinetics


Shell Catalyst is Proprietary
Conversion & Selectivity
Ion Exchange Resin only used in Lab Scale
Pilot Plant Required to test BOTH Catalysts
Economic Feasibility
Timre Segear
Economic Assumptions
Sales:
Ethylene Glycol Selling Price:
2008
224 MM lbs
2009
672 MM lbs
2010 & on
896 MM lbs
2008
38 c/lb (2 years contract)
2009
38 c/lb (2 years contract)
2010 & on
39 c/lb (then inc. 2%/yr)
Variable Cost :
18 c/lb
(2010 $, inflate @ 2% /yr)
Fixed Cost:
3.6 c/lb
(2010 $, inflate @ 2% /yr)
Administration & Sales:
3 % of sales
R&D:
3 % of sales
Economic Assumptions
Total Fixed Capital:
175 $MM
ISBL + OSBL (50% of ISBL)
131 $MM in 2007
75 % of Fixed Capital in 2007
43 $MM in 2008
25 % of Fixed Capital in 2008
15 $MM in 2007
12 % of Fixed Capital in 2007
7 $MM in 2008
6 % of Fixed Capital in 2008
5 $MM in 2009
4 % of Fixed Capital in 2009
Start - Up:
Federal and State Taxes:
39%
Working Capital:
18 % of sales
Depreciation:
16 $MM/yr
(Straight Line Depreciation over 11)
Fixed Costs
Labor (w/ Overhead)
Operating
- Board
- Field
Supervisor
Basis
$M/Shift
# Shifts
Total Cost
($M/yr)
Total Cost
(c/lb)
2 Operators/shift
1 Operators/shift
2 Operators/shift
300
125
400
3
3
3
900
375
1200
0.10
0.04
0.13
Total Cost
(c/lb)
Basis
$/hr
Total Hrs/yr
Total Cost
($M/yr)
2 Mechanical
1 Instrumentational
40
40
3840
1920
1200
600
0.13
0.07
2 Technicians
50
8100
800
0.09
Total Cost
($M/yr)
Total Cost
(c/lb)
460
460
460
460
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
6915
0.77
Maintenance
Quality Control
Engineer
Total Labor Cost
Basis
1 per major unit(s)
1 EO System
1 CO2 System
1 EG System
1 OSBL
Fixed Costs
Supplies
Basis
Total Cost
($M/yr)
Operating Supplies
Maintenance Supplies
10% Operating Labor
60% Maintenance Labor
127.5
1080
0.01
0.12
Total Supplies
1207.5
0.13
Indirect Costs
Basis
Total Cost
($M/yr)
Total Cost
(c/lb)
Depreciation
Taxes & Insurance
11 yr. straight line
2% of Fixed Capital
15907
2
1.78
0.00
15909
1.78
Total Indirect Costs
Total Fixed Costs
($M/yr)
24032
Total Cost
(c/lb)
2.68
Total Cost
(c/lb)
Other Capital Costs Assumptions
Five miles of piping uninstalled cost $1MM
Cost factor of 5 for a total of $5 MM
Oxygen Mixing Station uninstalled cost of
$1 MM
Cost factor of 4.44 for a total of $4.4 MM
Seader, Seider and Lewin








600 MM lbs/yr in 1995  $80 MM
896 MM lbs/yr in 2006  $123 MM
Reassuring our capital cost ($175 MM) is reasonable
Cost vs Revenue
40
Total = 38 c/lb
35
Supplies
Cents/lb Product
30
25
20
Total = 23.3 c/lb
Capital Cost
Indirect
Utilities
Labor
Product
15
10
Raw Material
5
0
Cost
Revenue
Ethylene Price Sensitivity
Ethylene Glycol - 896 MMlb/yr
25%
Design
Design CaseCase
= 19% 19%
20%
IRR %
15%
10%
Hurdle Rate 12%
5%
0%
0.28
0.33
0.38
Ethylene Price (c/lb)
0.43
0.48
Capital Cost
Cost Sensitivity
Capital
Sensitivity
Ethylene Glycol - 896 MMlb/yr
Capital Cost – 175 $MM
35%
30%
Design Case
25%
19%
Design Case = 19%
IRR %
20%
15%
10%
Hurdle Rate 12%
5%
0%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
+/- 50%
Capital Cost
110%
120%
130%
140%
150%
Reaction Selectivity
100
Design Case
After Tax Cash Flow (MM $ / yr)
90
88% EO
80
100% EG
98% EG
95% EG
70
90% EG
60
50
40
30
20
Increasing
EG
Selectivity
Increasing
EO
Selectivity
10
0
84%
86%
88%
90%
92%
94%
EO Reaction Selectivity
96%
98%
100%
Price/Capacity Sensitivity
Ethylene Glycol - 896 MMlb/yr
40%
Current Market Price
35%
1000 MM lb/yr
30%
896 MM lb/yr
DCF IRR, %
25%
Design Case 19%
20%
600 MM lb/yr
15%
10%
Hurdle Rate 12%
5%
0%
$0.30
$0.35
$0.40
Price (2006) $0.38, $/lb
$0.45
$0.50
After Tax Cash Flow Diagram
200
150
100
$MM
50
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
-50
-100
-150
-200
Year
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Cumulative Cash Flow Diagram
1400
1200
1000
$MM
800
600
400
200
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
-200
Year
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Economic Conclusions



Total Capital Costs  $175 MM
Raw Materials is major manufacturing cost
Anticipated Internal Rate of Return: 19%



Hurdle rate: 12%
Break even period: 3 years
Preliminary results lead us to believe this is
an economically feasible process
Safety & Environment
Conclusions & Recommendations
Suroor Manzoor
Safety

Safety Concerns

Ethylene


Oxygen mixing station



Highly Explosive and Hazardous
Potential Source of Explosion
Located in Bunker
Ethylene Oxide


Very Toxic
Human Carcinogen
Safety

Risk Management

Utilities Consideration




Fire Prevention



Shut off Oxygen & Ethylene Supply
Back up generator
Shut Down
Fire Suppression System
Shut off all gas streams
Wrong Feed Ratios
Safety

Risk Management

Leaks and Spills




Process Waste



Ventilate Area
Isolate Area
Spill Collected or Absorbed
Flare
Recycle and Blending
Plant Layout
MAIN ROAD
PREVAILING
WIND
MAIN GATE
C-501
C-101
E-101
E-401
E-402A
MACHINE
SHOP
PARKING
SHIPPING &
RECEIVING
V-401
R-101
E-402B
E-103
E-501A
T-501
E-501B
V-501
PIPE RACK
MAINTENANCE
BLDG
ROAD
WAREHOUSE
E-102
R-401
T-201
E-201
E-204C
E-202B
E-501C
E-204D
E-202C
E-502A
LAB
P-501
P-201
E-204A
P-503
V-502
T-502
E-503
P-502
P-504
P-505
P-506
TK-103
E-601
TK-104
P-203B
P-301A
P-601
P-301B
P-602
P-303
ETHYLENE
PREP
E-206
P-203A
V-601
TK-105
E-205
P-202B
T-301
TK-102
TK-101
V-202
P-202A
OXYGEN
PLANT
E-301
N2 TANKS
LOADING
STATIONS
GATE
ROAD
RAILROAD SIDING
UTILITIES
WASTE WATER PLANT
O2 MIXING
STATION
50 ft
FLARE
ROAD
E-504
V-201
T-202
PIPE RACK
CONTROL
E-204E
E-203
E-502B
OFFICE
E-204B
E-202A
Environmental



All raw materials/products biodegradable
DEG byproduct Sold
Waste Management





Streams recycled to optimize process
No process waste water
WWTP
Bottoms from EG Purification blended into MEG
product stream
Emissions
Issues

Economics

Ethylene price


Technical



1c/lb is a difference of $9 million/yr
Reaction kinetics of silver catalyst proprietary
Glycol resin catalyst only tested on lab-scale
Product

Purity of Ethylene Glycol

The final price drops by 25% if purity is in the range 98-99.8%
Conclusions



Capital investment: $175 million
Production rate: 896 million lb/year EG
Anticipated Internal Rate of Return: 19%



Break even period: 3 years
Hurdle rate: 12%
Economically Feasible Process
Recommendations

Lock Ethylene price

Process Optimization



Heating, Cooling
CO2
Catalyst
Acknowledgements




Dr. George Rowell
Mr. Steve Schon, P.E.
Dr. Richard Cairncross
Dr. Elihu Grossmann
Questions
Nick
Timre
vs
Chong
Suroor