6 replies to this topic

[Ron J]

Hello everyone,

Im a final year student. My group and I are doing a design project to design an ethylene plant, however we are producing it from the dehydration of ethanol. The first part of the design is to produce ethanol from fermentation of molasses and banana mash, and we are fine up to the point where we produce 99.5% pure ethanol from molecular sieves.

The next part of the plant however, is to produce ethylene from this ethanol by dehydration process. We have tried finding infomation for the dehydration process in industries but cannot find anything online. We only found bits and pieces of information that we've tried to put together.

We would greatly appreciate it if anyone can tell us where we can find information on this process, like a process description, process flow diagram (PFD), and kinetic data, temperatures and pressures.

Also...just out of curiousity, is there any particular reason why there is no information on this process...other than ethanol is worth more, or ethylene from natural gas is cheaper.

[gvdlans]

Also...just out of curiousity, is there any particular reason why there is no information on this process...other than ethanol is worth more, or ethylene from natural gas is cheaper.

Well, isn´t this enough justification? Industrial plants are built to make highest profits, not for fun...

By the way, in most cases ethylene is produced by thermal cracking of feedstocks such as naphtha. Naphtha is produced in refineries by distillation of crude oils.

So, when crude oil would become very expensive, and ethanol production would become very cheap (e.g. when it is made by fermentation of waste i.s.o. fermentation of valuable grains), your process may become attractive. Until that time, it will be merely studied by academics and not by industrial companies...

Good luck!

[ankur2061]

Hello everyone,

Im a final year student. My group and I are doing a design project to design an ethylene plant, however we are producing it from the dehydration of ethanol. The first part of the design is to produce ethanol from fermentation of molasses and banana mash, and we are fine up to the point where we produce 99.5% pure ethanol from molecular sieves.

The next part of the plant however, is to produce ethylene from this ethanol by dehydration process. We have tried finding infomation for the dehydration process in industries but cannot find anything online. We only found bits and pieces of information that we've tried to put together.

We would greatly appreciate it if anyone can tell us where we can find information on this process, like a process description, process flow diagram (PFD), and kinetic data, temperatures and pressures.

Also...just out of curiousity, is there any particular reason why there is no information on this process...other than ethanol is worth more, or ethylene from natural gas is cheaper.

Hi Ron,

There is indeed a commercial process which involves production of mono ethylene glycol from molasses. The process is licensed by a company called 'Scientific Design'.

Following are the generalized steps for production of ethylene glycol:

Molasses - Ethanol - Ethylene - Ethylene Oxide - Ethylene Glycol.

I don't know the detailed stoichiometric reactions but I do know that two companies in India use the 'Scientific Design' process to produce ethylene glycol from the molasses route. One of the companies is 'India Glycols Ltd.', Kashipur and the other is S.M Glycols, Daund, Pune (now defunct).

If my memory serves me right, the process licensor 'Scientific Design' is a U.S. based company and particularly active in specialty chemicals and petrochemicals.

The ethylene glycol production from ethylene is licensed by other companies as well such as 'Shell' and Shreve's book on Chemical Process Industries describes it.

Maybe googling for 'Scientific Design' can help.

Hope, I could be of some assistance.

Regards,
Ankur.

[Ron J]

Thank you so much. I found PFD's and everything else I might need.

Much appreciated, and happy new year!!

[prem raj]

Hi Ron,

My name is Prem Raj and I am from Malaysia. I experience a similar kind of problem like as a final year student in the plant design subject. My group topic is same as you which is production of ethylene from ethanol. The problem is there are plenty of information on the production of ethylene but very little information on production of ethylene from ethanol. I believe you have already completed your plant design task and i would really appreciate if you could help me and give some suggestion on the regarding matter. If possible could you email me your plant design report as a reference for my group. My email address is per_rem@yahoo.com. Do hope to receive positive reply fro you.

Thanks

[Padmakar Katre]

So, when crude oil would become very expensive, and ethanol production would become very cheap (e.g. when it is made by fermentation of waste i.s.o. fermentation of valuable grains), your process may become attractive. Until that time, it will be merely studied by academics and not by industrial companies...

Good luck!

Dear,
I operated the Unit i.e. ethanol dehydration to get ethylene for couple of years (Pre-commissioning, Comissioning and Revamp). So its a viable option no doubt. Actualy its an integrated unit to produce EO-EG(Ethylene Oxide and Ethylene Glycol with its oligomers like MEG,DEG,TEG,TetraEG and PEG). The dydration of ethanol is an adiabtic and endothermic reaction over an alumina catalyst. Vapor-ethanol is mixed with superheated steam and passed through a packed bed reactor which gives 99.99% conversion and almost >99% selectivity. Please find below the threads discussed here in Cheresources.
http://www.cheresour...nol dehydration
http://www.cheresour...nol dehydration
http://www.cheresour...nol dehydration
The licensor to this technology is Petron Inc USA as well Scientifc Design is also a licensor to MEG Units from Molasses routes. If you need further detailed information please let me know.

[talkan2001]

Hi my friend.

My name is Tolga, I'm coming from Germany and studying Chemical Engineering in the last year.

I've read that you had the same project as mine: production of ethylene by ethanol.

Do you have some informations (e.g. PFD's, pictures, reactions..) for me?


Yours faithfully,

Tolga.