ETHYLENE PRODUCTION

CLAUDINE MARIE CASTILLO BUGTONG

28 FEBRUARY 2018
 I. Introduction

The Philippines relied on ethylene imports for the country's consumption since

there was no production of ethylene since 1998. In the present, there are already existing

ethylene plants such as JG Summit Petrochemicals Group complex in Batangas City,

Philippines ("Our Plant", 2015). Ethylene is used in the manufacture of polymers that are

used in consumer markets such as packaging, transportation, textile, coatings, adhesives

and construction. The manufactured polymers include polyethylene (PE), polyethylene

terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) ("Ethylene Uses And

Market Data", 2007). Since the world increases the use of these mentioned products, the

demand for ethylene also increases. In the present, 140 million tons per year with a growth

rate of 3.5% per year of is the demand of ethylene globally (“Ethylene Production”, 2013).

II. Process flow diagram

The general steps of producing ethylene include steam cracking, gas compression,

and distillation as shown in the process flow diagram below:

 a. Feed

Major feedstocks used for ethylene production are naphtha and natural gas.

However, the feedstocks to be used vary depending on the availability of the

hydrocarbon gas in a particular country or region. For example, ethylene plants in

Middle East use natural gas due to its accessibility and low cost in the region.

Moreover, plants in Asia use naphtha since the region has large availability of this feed.

Therefore, ethylene plants are designed to be flexible with varying feedstocks to be

used ("Ethylene Production", 2010)

b. Furnace

When the natural gas or naphtha is fed to the furnace, it is preheated prior to the

cracking stage at 500 OC to 680 OC in the convection zone then cracked in the radiation

zone at temperature 750 OC to 875 OC. The cracking process requires a large amount of

heat, the coils used for the cracking tubes are designed in order to optimize temperature

and pressure regulation which can lead to maximum yield or the desired value. The

residence time of the gases in the furnace permits increase in the yield of ethylene. Long

residence time, however, results to secondary reactions. If the process proceeds to the

secondary reactions, the yield can decrease.

 Source: Emerson Process Management: Ethylene production. (2010)

Factors for maximum ethylene production:

• Highly saturated feedstock

• High coil outlet temperature

• Low hydrocarbon partial pressure

• Short residence time in the radiant coil

• Rapid quenching of the cracked gas

c. Quench towers

These cracked gases leave the furnace at 750 OC to 875 OC and are immediately cooled

down right away in the quench tower in order to avoid side reactions which may decrease

ethylene recovery. Quench towers are designed to cool down exhaust gases from

incinerators or furnaces to their saturation temperatures. Water vapor is used in cooling

these gases ("Quench Tower”, 1996).

 d. Compressor

After cooling down the cracked gases, they are compressed in a turbine driven

centrifugal compressor at 464 psi to 551 psi. A gas compressor is defined as a machine

which increases the pressure of gases through reduction of its volume. While liquids use

pumps to increase its pressure and for transport through pipes, gases use compressors with

similar mechanism. However, the main purpose of pumps is to transport since liquids are

usually incompressible unlike gases. The cracked gases are then bought to a desired

pressure and flow rate ("Types of Gas Compressors, 2017).

All the materials during processing in the ethylene plant will pass through the cracked

gas compressor so it is important to maintain the performance and reliability of this

instrument. Moreover, the compressor is expensive that takes up a large part of the capital

of the plant.
 e. Distillation column

The cracked gases leaving the compressor at 464 psi to 551 psi are, then, received by

the distillation column. In this stage, the gases are fractionated into products and fractions

at certain quality. The gases are separated into light-component and heavy-component

product streams. The mechanism of this stage relies on the relative volatility of the

components of the cracked gases. Through distillation, ethylene is recovered and stored for

marketing or industrial use ("Ethylene Production", 2010). Since ethylene is a light-

component product, it has lower boiling point and thus it is recovered as the top product.

f. Storage

The ethylene recovered is stored in tanks or shipped through pipelines for marketing

and industrial use.

g. Characteristics and handling

 Ethylene gas is colorless, has a faint sweet odor and insoluble in water. When in

moderate amount, it is not toxic when inhaled. However, high concentration of the

anesthetic or the person may experience asphyxiation. In contact with cryogenic

ethylene may cause frostbite.

Cold ethylene gas is considered heavier than air and may travel a significant

distance and may find a source of ignition. If this happens, violent explosion or rupture

of containers (if in a container) can occur (Handling and transportation guide for

ethylene, refrigerated liquid (cryogenic ethylene), 2004).

 REFERENCES

Air Pollution Control Technology in JAPAN Exhaust Gas Treatment Equipment. 1996.
Retrieved from http://nett21.gec.jp/AIR/data/Air-Appendix3.html

America Chemistry Council. 2004. Handling and transportation guide for ethylene,
refrigerated liquid (cryogenic ethylene). Retrieved from https://www.
americanchemistry.com

Cracking and related refinery processes. 2014. Retrieved from

www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/processes/cracking-isomerisation-and-
reforming html

Emerson Process Management. 2010. Ethylene production. Retrieved from

www.emerson.com

Ethylene uses and market data. 2007. Retrieved from

https://www.icis.com/resources/news/2007/11/05/9075777/ethylene-uses-and-
market-data/

JG Summit Petrochemicals Group. 2015. Our Plant. Retrieved from

jgspectrochemical.com/our-plant/#. WnhIAScRVDS

Technip. 2013. Ethylene Production. Retrieved from

http://www.technip.com/sites/default/files/technip/publications/attachments/Ethyle
ne_September_2013_Web_0.pdf

Types of gas compressors. 2017. Retrieved from www.piping-engineering.com/types-of-

gas-compressors.html