1 reply to this topic

[rashidirfanshaikh]

hi,
i am a final year student of chemical Engineering.My project is production of ethylene and propylene from crude oil but i am confused from where should I start?
Can anybody provide me the necessary details.thanks

[kkala]

I assume this is a technical and economic project evaluation study. At first look I would start from the cracker unit, aiming at maximum ethylene and propylene production. Then proceed to ethylene / propylene purification (through distillations) downstream (and byproduct storage), as well as to specifications concerning the feed of the cracker. The latter could guide on the necessary upstream units and storage required, starting from the crude.
The extent is really big, which is not necessarily disadvantage, since you can get some broad experience on multiple units and avoid much detail (kinetic data, etc) that could not be found (or it is hard to find). Probably you work in a team to cover such an extensive project.
In student years (1971/2) we started a polyethylene plant without specifying the raw material, and ended up with just the plant (not even ethylene storage) due to time shortage. Next year team undertook the study of a petrochemical plant. Market research took a lot of time, but you may not have this activity, just ask about the ethylene and propylene purity required.
Good books at that time were Adam's "Chemicals from petroleum" http://www.bookfinde...m%2520petroleum, and W Nelson "Petroleum Refinery Engineering" (McGraw-Hill, 1958).
Other strategy specific to the case can be applied. Opinion of your instructor also has much weight

Edited by kkala, 12 January 2012 - 01:07 PM.