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Because EO reacts readily with many chemicals, it is one of the most versatile
intermediates in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most
notable of which is ethylene glycol. It is also used as a sterilant for medical
equipment. However, most of it is converted into products such as fibers,
foils, bottles, plasiticizers, solvents, antifreezes, cosmetics, sport articles,
CDs etc.
Modern EO/EG plants are highly integrated units where part or all of the
EO produced in the EO section can be recovered as glycols, if desired, in the
glycol section. Plant integration allows for significant savings in utilities
as well for the recovery of all bleed streams as high-grade-products instead
of lower grade products in the case of non-integrated plants.
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Ethylene Oxide and Ethylene Glycols
Mixer
Oxygen 8 6
EO purification
• Ethylene (acc. to IUPAC: Ethene) and
CO2 removal
CO2 removal
oxygen are mixed with recycle gas and, Plant
after adding a moderating substance 2 area
Crude EO
such as chloro-ethane, fed into a multi- Chloroethane
9
tubular reactor. There, ethylene oxide Natural gas
5
(EO) is selectively produced utilizing a 3
silver-based catalyst at 200 to 300 °C 8
and 10-20 bar. Along with ethylene
Stripper
EO absorber
oxide (80-85 %), CO2, H2O and heat are Steam Acqueous EO to
Reactor
generated. Reaction heat is recovered by glycol section
boiling water at elevated pressure on the Water
reactors shellside. It is used at different
locations of the plant. 4 + ½ O2 C 2H4O
• EO contained in the reactor product gas CH 2 = CH 2
enters the EO absorber section where EO Cycle gas + 3 O2 2 CO 2 + 2 H 2O
is scrubbed from the gas by water. The
EO-containing water is concentrated by
stripping producing crude EO which is Fig. 1: Ethylene oxide production process with measuring points (see details in table 1)
suitable for feeding directly to a glycol
producing plant. When pure EO is the
desired final product, the crude EO is fed Natural gas, however, is commonly CO2 and water will occur explosively.
to a purification column. contaminated with gaseous sulfur Process operation is desired under
• The cycle gas leaving the absorber is fed compounds that are known as poison to conditions which will maximize the
to the CO2 removal section, where CO2 the silver catalysts. conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide
(a by-product of the EO reaction) is • Catalyst selectivity is an important yet avoid safety problems. In order to find
recovered. Some of the CO2 remains in parameter in EO production and should such an optimum, gases such as nitrogen
the cycle gas and returns to the EO be as high as possible. Usually, during and methane are fed to the cycle gas and
reactor. catalytic processes, other competing mixed with the reaction by-product
reactions can take place, and reactants carbon dioxide, and argon, which enters as
Process constraints are converted into undesired products. an impurity in the oxygen feed. The goal is
The ratio between desired products and to find an optimum mixture which permits
Various constraints exist regarding safe the undesired products is called catalyst operation of the process at maximum
operation, product quality and plant selectivity. Catalyst selectivity is concentrations of oxygen and ethylene
efficiency in running and optimizing the optimized by adding moderating thus increasing the selectivity of the
EO production process: substances such as chloro-ethane. ethylene present to ethylene oxide and, on
the other side prevents from the danger of
• Oxygen is required as reactant to run Control of cycle gas composition explosion.
the process and added to the cycle gas.
However, at a certain concentration The desired product ethylene oxide Process analyzer are used to find this
level (known as flammable limit) in the represents only a relatively small optimum mixture and to keep the gas
gas mixture, oxygen will cause the percentage of the total effluent stream concentrations at the predetermined levels
danger of a gas explosion. Therefore, leaving the reactor. The remainder of the during the process. See table 1 for
the content of oxygen in the cycle gas reactor effluent comprises several diluents measuring details.
must be monitored continuously with and reaction by-products. The task of
high accuracy and reliability. the diluents is to prevent the gas mixture
• Methan is able to increase the to reach unwanted combustibility levels
flammable limit (which is treated as during the reaction. If the flammability
positive effect) and, hence, is added to limit is reached or exceeded,
the cycle gas in the form of natural gas. the complete oxidation of ethylene to
2
Ethylene glycol production Sampling Point Measuring Measuring Meas. Siemens
Sampling Stream Task Components Range Analyzer
The aqueous EO solution from the 1 Ethylene feed Ethylene purity to avoid C2H2 % MAXUM II
ethylene oxide production section is sent catalyst poisoning S compounds
to the gylcol section. There, ethylene
glycol (MEG, Monoethylene glycol) is
2 Cycle gas Process control CO2 0 ... 5 MAXUM II
produced from EO by reacting it with after mixer CH4 0 ... 80
water at a 10 to 1 ratio of water to EO. C2H4 0 ... 40
This excess of water helps to reduce C2H6 0 ... 2
by-product formation. Some higher glycols C2H4O 0 ... 3
are produced as co-products: diethylene N2 0 ... 20
glycol (DEG) and triethylene glycol (TEG). Ar/O2 0 ... 25
The reactor product is sent to a multi- H2O 0 ... 3
effect evaporation train for removal of the C2H4 0 ... 40 ULTRAMAT 6
water from the glycols in three successive CO2 0 ... 5
stages. The glycols are then sent to the Explosion protection O2 0 ... 12 OXYMAT 6
fractionation train where the MEG, DEG (LEL monitoring) O2 0 ... 12 OXYMAT 6
and TEG products are recovered and O2 0 ... 12 OXYMAT 6
purified. 3 Cycle gas Cycle gas composition Cl-HCs MAXUM II
at reactor inlet CI-Hcs
Final product samples are collected from
the overhead or side stream of the
4 Cycle gas at Process control CO2 0 ... 5 MAXUM II
purification towers (fractionators). A reactor outlet CH4 0 ... 80
variety of process analysis are performed, C2H4 0 ... 40
including water content, MEG, DEG or TEG C2H6 0 ... 2
(see table 2). Other measurements are C2H4O 0 ... 3
color, acidity, aldehyde impurity content N2 0 ... 20
and TOC (fig. 2). The product must meet Ar/O2 0 ... 25
sales specifications prior to being released H2O 0 ... 3
for shipment to customers. Otherwise the Explosion protection O2 0 ... 12 OXYMAT 6
product is normally reprocessed. (LEL monitoring) O2 0 ... 12 OXYMAT 6
O2 0 ... 12 OXYMAT 6
5 EO absorber Cycle gas composition: C2H4 0 ... 40 MAXUM II
overhead Process control C2H6 0 ... 2
C2H4O 0 ... 0,05
Ar/O2 0 ... 30
CO2 0 ... 30
H2O 0 ... 10
6 EO product Product quality Formaldehyde MAXUM II
Acetaldehyde
C2H4, CO2, H2O
Fig. 2: TOC system (ULTRAMAT 6 Table1: Ethylene oxide process, measuring points (TPA: Third Party Analyzer)
based third party analyzer)
3
Process Gas Chromatography
Fractionator
Fractionator
Fractionator
Fractionator
Evaporator
Evaporator
Evaporator
Reaktor
Reactor
4
water.
• Repeatable analysis by interference free
separation. Safe separation of trace
components is performed by elimination
1 2
of main components by heart-cut. Used
analyitcal tools: Siemens live switching
in combination with capillary columns. MEG/DEG/TEG: Monoethylene glycol / Diethylene glycol / Triethylene glycol
Verification of the results by additional
control parameter: cut-rest of main
component, GC oven and ambient
temperature. The excellent measuring
Fig. 3: Ethylene glycols production process
stability, caused by the outstanding
MAXUM hardware, is evident from fig. 4.
• Extended calibration cycles (typically Sampling Point Measuring Measuring Measuring Siemens
> 6 weeks) by on-line calibration using Sampling Stream Purpose Components Ranges Analyzer
closed cylinders. No enrichment with 1 MEG fractionator Quality control DEG, TEG Medium MAXUM
atmospheric moisture occurs in bottom MEG Water in MEG ppm level (Oven 1)
comparison to laboratory calibration 2 DEG fractionator Quality control MEG, TEG Medium MAXUM
principle. bottom DEG Water in DEG ppm level (Oven 2)
• Inert capillary column systems to 3 TEG fractionator Quality control DEG, TEG Medium to MAXUM
analyze traces of formalehydes and overhead TEG Water in TEG high ppm level
other highly reactive components.
4 Plant area Waste water and TOC in water TPA
condensate
High-precision O2/Ar measurement monitoring
through combined data processing with
OXYMAT analysis results; see next page. Table 2: Ethylene glycols process, measuring points
MEG = Monoethylene glycol DEG = Diethylene glycol TEG = Triethylene glycol
TEEG = Tetraethylene glycol TOC = Total Organic Carbon TPA = Third Party Analyzer
Fig. 4: Stability of MAXUM PGC system Fig. 5: Ethylene glycol plant (INEOS Worringen, Germany)
4
OXYMAT 6 Ensures Plant Safety
O2 concentration
Reference gas
of the process gas
channels
Gain in allowable
O2 concentration
Limiting Oxygen Value (LOV) by using OXYMAT 6
Microflow sensor
for measurement
Safety offset level OXYMAT 6 Other O2 analyzer
Sample gas inlet
Magnetic field
Sample cell
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Siemens Process Analytics at a Glance
Product overview
Our Products
Fig. 9 Series 6 gas analyzer (field design) Fig. 13 MicroSAM Process GC
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Siemens Process Analytics – Solutions
Analyzer System
Manager (ASM)
Industrial Ethernet
Gas Chromatographs
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Our Services
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competent and reliable partner
worldwide for Service, Support and Plant life cycle
Consulting.
Planning & Engineering & Installation & Operation &
Our rescources for that are Design Development Commissioning Maintenance
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Notes:
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