Part 1 Sustainable production of Ethylene Glycol Group MM

Week 2
Meeting
Minutes
Project Name: Sustainable production of Ethylene Glycol
Group Name: Group MM
Date of Meeting: 5/2/2018 Time: 2.00 P.M
Minutes being prepared by: Ng Heng Joo Location: James Chadwick Building
Meeting being chaired by: Yosif Gouta Supervisor: Claudio Fonte
1. Meeting Objective

 To explain to Claudio how much we have progressed in the past week (Synthesis routes, choice of
the best routes, plant location and production capacity)
 To brief to Claudio what will we be progressing on this week (Mass and energy balance, process
flowsheet and dividing of subsection to all individuals)
 To let Claudio, know that we chose the Shell OMEGA process to produce ethylene glycol
 Get Claudio feedback on our work in the past week

2. Attendance
Name: Present/Absent Remarks
Euan Oliver Present
Yosif Gouta Present
Chloe Reihill Present
Adman Mukhritz Bin Mansor Present
Weronika Kras Present
Hansraj Rahul Chanda Kumar
Singh Present
Ng Heng Joo Present
3. Agenda and Comments
Agenda Discussed Comments
 Progress of work  Claudio asked how far the group has progressed
and has the group decided on the best route to
produce ethylene glycol
 Yosif briefed Claudio that the group chose to
produce ethylene glycol using the Shell OMEGA
process

 Synthesis routes
 Claudio asked every member of the group to
present about the synthesis routes that they have
been assigned and what are the pros and cons of
the process.
 Euan presented the Johnson Mathew synthesis
route and explained that the group did not agree
Part 1 Sustainable production of Ethylene Glycol Group MM

with this route due to the complexity to produce

syngas.
 Yosif presented the synthesis route that was chosen
which is the Shell OMEGA process. Yosif explained
that the Shell OMEGA process has high selectivity
relative to the raw materials and that was the
concrete reason why did the group select the Shell
OMEGA process to synthesise ethylene glycol.
 Adman presented the Bio process to produce
ethylene glycol. Adman presented pointed out that
the Bio process to produce ethylene glycol is very
dependent on the feedstock available. The difficulty
in sourcing this feedstock is the reason the group
rejected the bio process.
 Weronika presented the Dow method to produce
ethylene glycol (direct synthesis). Due to the lack of
information in the process, this process was
rejected.
 Heng presented the MTO process to produce
ethylene glycol. Heng pointed out that the series of
reaction in the MTO process are to complex and no
current factory in the world is using this method.
Therefore, this method was not pursued due to the
complex reactions.
 Hansraj and Chloe presented the Ube Process.
Hansraj explained that this process of producing
ethylene glycol is unsustainable to the environment
due to heavy usage of coal.
 Part 1 Sustainable production of Ethylene Glycol
 The plant location
 Shell OMEGA process efficiency
Comments from Claudio
 Marketing of ethylene glycol to which
industry should be considered and
potential ethylene supply problems
that may occur should be further
discussed in the group.
 Conversion of the 1st reaction in the
Shell OMEGA process is too low
 Check for availability of reaction
kinetics information
Group MM
 Claudio asked who was tasked to choose the
location and has the group chosen the location to
build the plant.
 Yosif pointed out that Weronika and Heng are
responsible for that topic.
 Weronika explained there were 6 factors that were
considered when choosing the plant. Weronika and
Heng concluded that China is the best place to build
the ethylene glycol plant after considering the 6
factors
 Claudio gave advice that marketing of ethylene
glycol to which industry should be considered and
potential ethylene supply problems that may occur
should be further discussed in the group.
 Claudio asked Yosif to explain the Shell OMEGA
process efficiency
 Yosif said that by using the Shell OMEGA process to
synthesis ethylene glycol, a selectivity of 97% can
be achieved.
 Yosif also gave information that the 1st process in
the ethylene glycol production using Shell OMEGA
process have a conversion of 87%.
 Claudio pointed that the conversion is relatively low
and different catalyst needs to be considered to
increase conversion
 Claudio also pointed out that when choosing the
best route to produce a chemical product, the
availability of reaction kinetics information should
be considered to ensure no barrier to proceed to
part 2 of the design project
Action to be taken
 Heng and Weronika to investigate the
market of ethylene glycol further and
research for the deficit of ethylene
glycol in the local region.
 Yosif to research on the current catalyst
used in the Shell OMEGA process
further. Besides, more research would
be done on other catalysts to know if
they are able to reach a higher
conversion in the 1st process.
 Group members handling the reactions
of the process are given till this
weekend to find data on the reaction
 Part 1 Sustainable production of Ethylene Glycol Group MM

kinetics and report back in the next

meeting on 12/2/2018

Signature of approval of supervisor

Signature of approval of Chairperson Yosif Gouta
Signature of secretary of meeting Ng Heng Joo