Project Title

Synthesis of Propionic acid from SyngasDate:22 January 2011Team Echo:Sabah BasrawiAlex GuerreroMrunal PatelKevin ThompsonClient Mentor: Shannon Brown1Project Outline1. Design Basis2. Block Flow Diagram3. Process Flow Diagram4. Material and Energy Balance5. Calculations6. Annotated Equipment List7. Economic Evaluation8. UtilitiesProject Outline Pt.29. Conceptual Control Scheme10. General Arrangement11. Distribution and End-use Issues Review12. Constraints Review13. Applicable Standards14. Project Communications File15. Information Sources and ReferencesFocal PointsFlowsheetMaterials and Energy BalancesHand CalculationsRough Economics

Project GoalThe goal of this project is to take the syngas from group Foxtrot ,and utilize it for the production of Propionic Acid to be used in industrial processes.The goal is to synthesize 33,000 ton/yearThe syngas feed will be reacted with Ethylene under a Nickel Carbonyl Catalyst to produce Propionaldehyde.This aldehyde will then be oxidized to become Propionic Acid.States the purpose of the project and establishes a need5Design BasisPropionicacid is a commonly used chemical in industry that will be synthesized fromsyngas (with a 1:1 ratio of CO and H2), ethylene and water catalyzed by metal ion in solutionPropionic acid:Naturally occurringMade from ethylene and carbon monoxideUses and advantages:AnalgesicIntermediate product for thermoplasticsPlastics are used in many daily processes and by creating an abundance of this resource it will increase affordability and stimulate the economy.***Must have tons/year that we are planning to makePut out a spec to gasifiers including how many impurities we can tolerateLook at what kinds of things would poison that catalyst-Rh is very difficult to be poisonedAffected byClear statement of commercial scale productionKnow we need Rh catalystUse a quartz flow reactor- quartz frit heated with furnace, regulated by mass flow controllersBASF 80,000 tonnes/year

Shows the purposes of the process design, indicating the feed stocks, products, reactions, etc.Has all the basic requirements for the design of entire plant, individual processes and related facilities.6Environmental ReviewIndustrially, the majority of propionic acid is used as a bactericide and fungicide to protect hay and grains that are being stored as well as an ingredient for pesticides.EPA determined it has low toxicity to fish, invertebrates, birds and mammals. Nickel Carbonyl catalyst:EPA classified as group 2B Probable Human CarcinogenOSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL): 0.001 ppm

What things we are going to have trouble withIndustry standardsCommercial gradesExpecting in the way of a feed stock, looking into economicsHow pure does the feedstock have to be? To tell gasifier Rh can be toxic7Competing ProcessesCoal based syngas is the major feed stock of our process and is available in great abundance.Industry standard Hydrocarboxylation of ethylene using nickel carbonyl or ruthenium as catalyst:H2C=CH2+ H2O + CO CH3CH2COOHHydroformylation involves addition of a formyl group (CHO) and a hydrogen atom to a carbon-carbon double bond.Most Hydroformylation relies on expensive rhodium based catalysts.

Competition for feed stock, who else wants this feed stock?Availability of source, source depletionWhy this source as opposed to another sourceVariations in fischer-tropsch technologyMethanol homologation to ethanol, followed by hydrationDimethyl ether crackingDirect synthesis from CO/H2 mixtures over alkaline iron oxide catalysts

Billion ton vision, first bullet point

8Competing Processes Pt. 2Syngas is chosen as the feed for the process because it is the most thermodynamically efficientThe Wacker process is similar to Hydroformylation, but Hydroformylation promotes chain extension and the Wacker process uses a Tetrachloropalladate catalyst.Our process involves the Carbonylation of ethylene to produce Propionaldehyde, which is then oxidized in the presence of cobalt ions to produce Propionic Acid.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propanoic_acidEthylene formation and propanoateRh vs Pd vs NiCO

9Block Flow Diagram

Rewrite block flow with new parameters

Ceramic beads that have the catalyst on them, check on slurry vs. sphere??? Know state catalyst needs to be inDouble check on autoclave, whether or not catalyst dissolvesNote pressure and temp of catalyst, make sure materials can handle that tempLook into possible minor products ie side reaction, and conversion rates

10Flowsheet

Get rid of syncompstored in spheres 10 lbs above vapor pressure at 100 F ethylene, VP will be very highEthylene vs ethane, some of the unsaturated of tend to polymerize and may be questions, and 11Equipment ListCompressorsExpanderCSTR ReactorsStorage TanksMixerWater ReservoirHeat ExchangersFlash Separator

Reciprocating Compressor: increase the pressure of the air by reducing its volume. available either as air-cooled or water-cooled in lubricated and non-lubricated configurations and provide a wide range of pressure and capacity selections. Can reach extremely high pressures.12Propionic Acid Consumption

The US is a major user of propionic acid and with rising demand the process will be economical in theory

blurry13Demand for Propionic Acidhttp://www.icis.com/Articles/2006/02/28/2012636/chemical-profile-propionic-acid.html

Make a new graph with 14Plant LocationWe have decided to base our plant operations in Morris, ILClose to Lyondellbasell Plant which produces ethylene.Also near rail line so team Foxtrot can obtain Illinois Basin #6 coal from southern Illinois.Chemical EconomicsEstimated Chemical CostEthylene $ 7.84 millionSyngas $23 millionEstimated Cost of Cooling Water - $ 22,000Catalyst Price $15 millionTotal Cost - $ 45.86 millionEstimated Propionic Acid Sales 62.4 millionPlant EconomicsProject Capital Cost: $15.4 millionEstimated Operating Cost: $3.74 millionEstimated Break Even Point: ~3 yearsTotal Year One Cost: $ 65 millionGross Revenue: 62.4 millionMust determine the amount needed to pay back INTEREST, getting loanNeed cost of catalyst as an initial chargeAldehyde .81 g/cm^3

17Preliminary Rough Economic AnalysisBecause of the Break-even point the process is estimated to be within a reasonable range to be economicalThe estimated revenue will be increasing with time as the demand for propionic acid increasesThe economy should not have a great effect on this business due to us selling to food companiesControl SchemeConceptual control scheme: Dual man/mechanically runPlans for plant to be operated 337 days per yearPlans to sell propionic acid to food companiesArbys and Taco bell use propionic acidFarmers use propionic acid19Chemical Information AnalysisReaction Mechanism(1) CO + H2 +C2H4 CH3CH2CHO(2) CH3CH2CHO + O2 CH3CH2COOHMaterial & Energy Balance: basic material and energy balances were done over all streams in the systemWeve decided not go forward with making ethylene, it was not cost effective since it was a process of making acetic acid and breaking it down to ethylene. We will be buying the ethylene instead.20Catalyst Information:Nickel CarbonylUsed in the formation of the PropionatePoisons:Sulfur Needs to be less than 5 ppm/6 hoursPrice:$14.06-17.23/lb

Catalyst InformationCobalt HalidesUsed in the oxidation of Propionate to Propionic acidReaction calls for Cobalt ionDissolve cobalt halide in water to obtain ionPoisons:Potassium CarbonateI finish here22Material Balance

Material Balance

Material Balance (Aspen)

Material Balance (Aspen 2)

Energy Balance

Contact InformationWiki link: http://seniorecho.wikispaces.com/Email: designecho@listserv.uic.eduReferences"Acetic Acid Production."Acetic Acid Production. 2009. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. .Boyaval, P., and C. Corre.Production of Propionic Acid. 1995. Print.Perlack, Robert D., Lynn L. Wright, Robin L. Graham, Bryce J. Stokes, and Donald C. Erbach.Biomass as a Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply. Print."Propanoic Acid."Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 22 Jan. 2011. .Registration Review Document for Propionic Acid and Salts. Mar. 2008. Print.Spivey, James J., Makarand R. Gogate, Ben W. Jang, Eric D. Middlemas, Joseph R. Zoeller, Gerald N. Choi, and Samuel S. Tam.Synthesis of Acrylates and Methacrylates from Coal-Derived Syngas. 1997. Print.References Pt. 2http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/air-compressor-types-d_441.html

30QUESTIONS