7 replies to this topic

[CTPAX]

Hi there.
We have an issue of too much phenols in sour water at the ethylene plant. One of possible sources is pygas contacting with water in SW stripper.
How do you think, can it be the reason? What is approximate yield of phenols from steam cracking? Our feedstocks are naphtha, LPG and ethane.
I appreciate any articles and links. Thanks for advance.

[Qalander (Chem)]

Hi there.
We have an issue of too much phenols in sour water at the ethylene plant. One of possible sources is pygas contacting with water in SW stripper.
How do you think, can it be the reason? What is approximate yield of phenols from steam cracking? Our feedstocks are naphtha, LPG and ethane.
I appreciate any articles and links. Thanks for advance.

Kindly see very useful info at below link(Great Resource)
http://en.citizendiu.../Petrochemicals

[Qalander (Chem)]

Hi there.
We have an issue of too much phenols in sour water at the ethylene plant. One of possible sources is pygas contacting with water in SW stripper.
How do you think, can it be the reason? What is approximate yield of phenols from steam cracking? Our feedstocks are naphtha, LPG and ethane.
I appreciate any articles and links. Thanks for advance.

Kindly see very useful info at below link(Great Resource)
http://en.citizendiu.../Petrochemicals

Another link may be found useful
http://www.ilo.org/s...nt&nd=857170961

[CTPAX]

Thank you, Qualander, but I meant the articles about phenols yield in steam cracking not about the industry in whole =)

[abhi_agrawa]

CTPAX,

Are you adding any additives in your Water Quench Tower? Is this a new problem or it has been there for quite some time? What additives you have in your feed? Are you recycling C4's to the cracking heater?

-abhishek

Edited by abhi_agrawa, 06 October 2010 - 08:07 AM.

[CTPAX]

abhi_agrawa,

Yes, we add base solution and special anti-corrosion additive to sour water circuit. Nothing special is added to feed yet. The problem is new. We make everyday analyses of waste water, but hadn't troubles with phenols before. There weren't any important changes in technology that could lead to this. At least, I don't see any.
And I didn't get you about C4: you are asking if we send it to fuel gas? Then no, we don't.

Edited by CTPAX, 08 October 2010 - 05:11 AM.

[abhi_agrawa]

CTPAX,

Actually it is known that TBC, if present in the feed to the cracking heater, will crack to Phenol and Cresol. Is it possible that you are adding TBC to the C4's to inhibit polymerization and you are then cracking these C4's to extinction? The other possible source of Phenols would be some oxygenated additives, either in any of the feeds or some of the recycles.

I'd strongly suggest that you have a look at various additives that you are adding and then see if it is possible for some of them to be recycled to the cracking heater.

-abhishek

[CTPAX]

abhi_agrawa,

Ah, you mean recycling C4 back to the furnaces? No, we recycle C5, and C4 is by-product. I will ask about additives, thank you for suggestion.