Olefin and Alcohol Production From Wet Natural Gas Holdings
Olefin and Alcohol Production From Wet Natural Gas Holdings
Olefin and Alcohol Production From Wet Natural Gas Holdings
Background
Recently, a wet natural gas supply was acquired near a small pilot scale
productionandresearchfacility.Thisexistingfacilitybecameveryprofitablethroughthe
productionofsmallquantitiesofspecialtychemicals.Thisnewrawmaterialsupplyis
veryintriguingbecauseitcanbeusedasafeedstocktotheexistingplantitselforas
salableproductsviathedesignofnewunits.
ThemaingoalistodesignaplantfortheproductionofC4andC5olefinsand
alcoholsfromthefeedstockofwetnaturalgas.Thecompositionofthenaturalgasisas
follows:
Component
Methane
Ethane
Propane
Isobutane
nButane
Isopentane
CO2,N2,He
Volume%
78.00
4.75
6.50
1.60
3.45
4.75
0.95
Theyearlyfeedofthissupplyisapproximately5000metrictonsperyear.Thedesigned
processconsistsoffoursteps:
1. SeparationofC4andC5alkanesfromthewetnaturalgas.Also,includedisacolumn
designforthecryogenicseparationofpropanefromthemethaneandethane.This
propanemayeitherbesoldifthemarketisfavorable,orreturnedtothewellwiththe
methaneandethane.
2. DehydrogenationoftheC4andC5alkanestomonoolefins.
3. HydrationoftheC4andC5monoolefinstoalcohols.
Theblockflowdiagram(Figure1)showshowthenaturalgasplantwillbebuilt
aroundthealreadyexisting,SemiWorks,plant.Theoverallplantdesignconsistsofthree
sections:cryogenicseparationoftheC4andC5hydrocarbonsfromthelighter
hydrocarbons in the wet natural gas, production of monoolefins from these
hydrocarbons,andhydrationoftheseolefinstoalcohols.Thisplantisnotonlytobe
designedtoproducemarketableproducts,butalsotosupplytheSemiWorksplantwitha
small supply of heavy hydrocarbons, olefins, and alcohols. These processes are very
distinct and are more easily handled separately. The titles of the three processes are
CryogenicsSeparation,Olefins,andAlcohols.Theuniquenessofthisdesignisthetime
elementused.IntheOlefinandAlcoholunits,thesameequipmentisusedtoproduce
threedifferentproducts.Theplantissetuptomakeoneproductforacertainperiodof
timeandthennewrawmaterialsareaddedtomakedifferentproductsoverthecourseof
ayear.
Unit100CryogenicSeparation
Background
Thepurposeofthissectionistoseparatehigherhydrocarbonsfromthenatural
gasstream.ApreliminaryPFDfortheunitisshowninFigure2alongwiththePFDfor
therefrigerationsysteminFigure3.TheflowsummaryisgiveninTable1.Aflashis
usedtoseparatemostofthemethaneandethanefromthepropane,nbutane,ibutane,
andipentane.Thenextstepinvolvesthefurtherseparationofthepropaneandremaining
methaneandethanefromthehigherhydrocarbons.Anotherseparationtowerisusedto
separatethemethaneandethanefromthepropane.Themethaneandethanearereturned
to the well while the propane is sold for profit if desired. Most of the heavier
hydrocarbonsaresentontothenextunitforfurtherprocessing.Butsomearesuppliedto
theSemiWorksplantwhenneeded.
ProcessDescription
Thenaturalgas,whichisamixtureofC1C5hydrocarbons,isfedtothisprocess
at10Cand8bar(Figure2).Thegasispipedthroughtwoheatexchangers,E101&E
102,whichlowersStream6toatemperatureof23Cusingtheoutletsfromtheflash,V
101.Itisthensentthroughanotherheatexchanger,E103,coolingStream7to63C.
The natural gas is then flashed at 63C and 7.4 bar in V101. The top product,
predominatelymethaneandethane,issentbacktothewell.Thebottomproduct,mainly
C3andhigherhydrocarbons,issenttodistillationcolumn,T101,whereC1C3
hydrocarbonsareseparatedfromtheC4C5hydrocarbonswhichwillbefurtherprocessed
intheolefinsplant.Thetopproductissentbacktothewell.ThebottomsoutofT101,
Stream14consistsmostlyofnbutane,ibutane,andipentane.Itissenttoadistillation
tower,T102,wheretheC5isseparatedfromtheC4s.Thedistillate,Stream17,from
thistowerissenttoathirdcolumn,T104.HeretheiC4isseparatedfromthenC4.The
C5,iC4,andnC4streams(Stream18,Stream19,andStream20)arethensenttoholding
tanks.Fromhere,theseshigherhydrocarbonsaresenttotheSemiWorksplantortothe
olefinunitforfurtherprocessing.
Therefrigerationloopforthesystem(Figure3)compressesandexpandsethylene
forcryogeniccooling.Theethyleneiscompressedto100barinC102.Heatexchanger,
E104,coolsthestreamfrom167Cto45C.E105coolsStream28furtherto10Cwith
refrigeratedwater.Thepressureisthenreleasedto4bar.Byreleasingthepressure,the
ethylenecoolsto76.2C.Theflashvessel,V102,separatestheliquidandvaporof
Stream21.TheliquidisusedinthecondenserofT101.Stream23isvaporizedata
temperatureof75C.Stream24ismixedwiththevaporstreamfromflashvessel,V
102.Stream25,thecombinedstreamat75.7Cand4bar,isusedasthecoolantinheat
exchanger,E103.Stream26,49.6and3.7bar,issentbacktocompressor,C102.
[ThereareafewextrapiecesofequipmentonthePFD(Figure2).Compressor,
C101,anddistillationtower,T103,areonlytobeusedwhenthesaleofpropaneis
desirable.Propaneistypicallysoldatapressureof20bar.Thereforethesystemneedsto
berunatahigherpressure.Therefore,theprocessneedstobeadjustedfortheincreaseof
pressurethroughoutthesystem.Whensellingpropane,T103isneededtoseparatethe
lowercarbons,methane,ethane,andpropane.WiththeadditionofT103,thecryogenic
loopneedstobeadjustedforthelowtemperatureoftheheatexchanger,E110.]
NecessaryInformationandSimulationHints
When optimizing the separation towers, the number of stages, sequencing of
columns,andoperatingpressureneedtobevariedinordertominimizetheEAOC.The
majorcostofthecryogenicplantistherefrigerationloop(Figure3).Theelectricitycost
ofthecompressorishighduetothelargeamountofrefrigerantneededtocoolthefeed
from10Cto63C.Usingtwoheatexchangers,onewithcoolingwaterandonewith
refrigeratedwater,reducedtheutilitycosts.Thesignificantsavingscanalsobeobtained
byoptimizingtherefrigerationloop.Theuseofdifferentrefrigerantsinatemperature
cascadeshouldbeconsidered.
EquipmentDescription
E101
Cooler
E102
Cooler
E103
Cooler(Cryogenicloop)
E104
Cryogenicloopcooler(CW)
E105
Cryogenicloopcooler(RW)
E106
C1,C2,C3condenser(Cryogenicloop)
E107
C4,C5reboiler
E108
C4scondenser
E109
C5reboiler
E110
C1,C2condenser
E111
C3reboiler
E112
iC4condenser
E113
nC4reboiler
P101
Pump
P102
C1,C2,C3refluxpump
P103
C4srefluxpump
P104
C1,C2refluxpump
P105
iC4refluxpump
C101
Optionalcompressorifpropaneisdesiredforsale
C102
Cryogenicloopcompressor
V101
Flashvessel
V102
Cryogenicloopflashvessel
T101
C1C5distillationtower
T102
C4,C5distillationtower
T103
C1,C2,C3distillationtower
T104
C4sdistillationtower
Table1:StreamTableforUnit100
Stream
Temp.(C)
Press.(bar)
VaporFraction
TotalFlow(kg/h)
TotalFlow(kmol/h)
ComponentFlows(kmol/h)
Methane
Ethane
Propane
IButane
IPentane
NButane
2
10.0
8.0
1.0
593.75
25.41
10.0
8.0
1.0
359.70
15.39
19.76
1.20
1.64
0.41
1.20
0.88
11.97
0.73
1.00
0.25
0.73
0.53
4
10.0
8.0
1.0
234.05
10.02
21.0
7.7
0.9
359.70
15.39
25.0
7.7
0.9
234.05
10.02
22.6
7.7
0.9
593.75
25.41
7.79
0.47
0.65
0.16
0.47
0.35
11.97
0.73
1.00
0.25
0.73
0.53
7.79
0.47
0.65
0.16
0.47
0.35
19.76
1.20
1.64
0.41
1.20
0.88
Nitrogen
CarbonDioxide
Helium
Ethylene
Stream
Temp.(C)
Press.(bar)
VaporFraction
TotalFlow(kg/h)
TotalFlow(kmol/h)
ComponentFlows(kmol/h)
Methane
Ethane
Propane
IButane
IPentane
NButane
Nitrogen
CarbonDioxide
Helium
Ethylene
0.08
0.08
0.15
0.05
0.05
0.09
0.03
0.32
0.06
0.05
0.05
0.09
0.03
0.03
0.06
0.08
0.08
0.15
10
11
62.9
12.3
0.0
233.80
4.56
12
63.0
7.4
0.8
593.75
25.41
8
63.0
7.4
1.0
359.95
20.85
0.1
233.80
4.56
19.76
1.20
1.64
0.41
1.20
0.88
0.08
0.08
0.15
19.30
0.83
0.35
0.02
0.01
0.03
0.08
0.07
0.15
0.47
0.37
1.29
0.38
1.19
0.85
0.47
0.37
1.29
0.38
1.19
0.85
63.0
7.4
0.0
233.80
4.56
0.47
0.37
1.29
0.38
1.19
0.85
**
0.01
**
4.4
7.1
1.0
359.95
20.85
19.30
0.83
0.35
0.02
0.01
0.03
0.08
0.07
0.15
**
4.0
12.0
**
0.01
**
0.01
**
Stream
Temp.(C)
Press.(bar)
VaporFraction
TotalFlow(kg/h)
TotalFlow(kmol/h)
ComponentFlows(kmol/h)
Methane
Ethane
Propane
IButane
IPentane
NButane
Nitrogen
CarbonDioxide
13
74.7
12.0
0.0
76.01
0.17
0.47
0.37
1.29
**
**
14
100.5
12.0
1.0
157.80
2.43
**
0.47
0.35
0.02
0.38
1.19
0.85
0.01
15
106.3
12.0
0.0
19.24
0.84
**
0.01
16
17
32.3
12.0
82.7
12.0
0.0
56.77
1.29
0.0
71.41
1.23
**
0.02
1.27
**
0.38
**
0.84
18
124.1
12.0
0.0
86.39
1.20
**
1.19
0.01
Helium
Ethylene
**
**
Stream
Temp.(C)
Press.(bar)
VaporFraction
TotalFlow(kg/h)
TotalFlow(kmol/h)
ComponentFlows(kmol/h)
Methane
Ethane
Propane
IButane
IPentane
NButane
Nitrogen
CarbonDioxide
Helium
Ethylene
19
20
21
76.2
4.0
0.6
2358.40
84.01
22
76.2
4.0
1.0
1350.40
48.14
23
76.2
4.0
0.0
1008.00
35.93
24
75.0
4.0
1.0
1008.00
35.93
84.01
48.14
35.93
35.93
73.6
12.0
0.0
22.17
0.38
**
0.38
**
87.3
12.0
0.0
49.24
0.85
**
**
0.84
10
Stream
Temp.(C)
Press.(bar)
VaporFraction
TotalFlow(kg/h)
TotalFlow(kmol/h)
ComponentFlows(kmol/h)
Methane
Ethane
Propane
IButane
IPentane
NButane
Nitrogen
CarbonDioxide
Helium
Ethylene
**Verysmalltraces
25
75.7
4.0
1.0
2358.40
84.01
26
49.6
3.7
1.0
2358.40
84.01
27
166.9
100.0
1.0
2358.40
84.01
28
29
45.0
100.0
1.0
2358.40
84.01
10.0
100.0
1.0
2358.40
84.01
84.01
84.01
84.01
84.01
84.01
E201
Reactorinletheater
R201A/C
Reactor
E202
Reactoreffluentcooler
C201
Compressor
E203
Preflashcooler
E204
Preflashcooler
V201
Flash
E205
Heater(onlyusedintheproductionof1Butene)
T201
Hydrogendistillationtower
E206
Condenser
E207
Reboiler
V202
Refluxdrum
16
P201
Refluxpump
T202
Distillationtower
E208
Condenser
E209
Reboiler
P202
Refluxpump
T203
Distillationtower
E210
Condenser
E211
Reboiler
P203
Refluxpump
TK301
Mixingtank
P301
Pump
TK302
MixingTank
E301
Cooler
R301
PackedBedReactor
A301
AnionExchangeBed
E302
Heater
V301
FlashVessel
E303
Cooler
E304
Heater
V302
FlashVessel
V303
FlashVessel
T301
AlcoholPurificationTower
P302
RefluxPump
E305
Condenser
E306
Reboiler