SOL

Raw benzene (Stream 1), containing approximately 2% toluene, is supplied to the

Benzene Feed Drum, V-301, from storage. Raw benzene and recycled benzene mix in
the feed drum and then are pumped by the benzene feed pump, P-301A/B, to the feed
heater, H-301, where the benzene is vaporized and heated to 400°C. The vaporized
benzene is mixed with feed ethylene (containing 7 mol% ethane) to produce a stream at
383°C that is fed to the first of three reactors in series, R-301. The effluent from this
reactor, depleted of ethylene, is mixed with additional feed ethylene, and cooled in
Reactor Intercooler, E-301, that raises high pressure steam. The cooled stream at 380°C
is then fed to the second reactor, R-302, where further reaction takes place. The effluent
from this reactor is mixed again with fresh ethylene feed and cooled to 380°C in
Reactor Intercooler, E-302, where more high-pressure steam is generated. The cooled
stream, Stream 11, is fed to the third reactor, R-303. The effluent from R-303,
containing
significant amounts of unreacted benzene, Steam 12, is mixed with a recycle stream,
Stream 13, and then fed to three heat exchangers, E-303 – 305, where the stream is
cooled. The energy extracted from the stream is used to generate high- and low-pressure
steam in E-303 and E-304, respectively. The final heat exchanger, E-305, cools the
stream to 80°C using cooling water.

The cooled reactor effluent is then throttled down to a pressure of 110 kPa and sent to
the Liquid Vapor Separator, V-302, where the vapor product is taken off and sent to the
fuel gas header and the liquid stream is sent to column, T-301. The top product from T-
301 consists of purified benzene that is recycled back to the benzene feed drum. The
bottom product containing the ethylbenzene product plus diethylbenzene formed in an
unwanted side reaction is fed to a second column, T-302. The top product from this
column contains the 99.8 mol% ethylbenzene product. The bottom stream contains
diethylbenzne and small amounts of ethylbenzene. This stream is recycled back through
the feed heater, H-301, and is mixed with a small amount of recycled benzene to
produce a stream at 500°C that is fed to a fourth reactor, R-304. This reactor converts
the diethylbenzene back into ethylbenzene. The effluent from this reactor, Stream 13, is
mixed with the effluent from reactor R-303.
ORIGINAL.
The PFD for the EB process is shown in Figure B.2.1. A refinery cut of benzene is fed
from storage to an on-site process vessel (V-301), where it is mixed with the recycled
benzene. From V-301, it is pumped to a reaction pressure of approximately 2,000 kPa
(20 atm) and sent to a fired heater (H-301) to bring it to reaction temperature
(approximately 400°C). The preheated benzene is mixed with feed ethylene just prior to
entering the first stage of a reactor system consisting of three adiabatic packed-bed
reactors (R- 301 to R-303), with interstage feed addition and cooling. Reaction occurs in
the gas phase and is exothermic. The hot, partially converted reactor effluent leaves the
first packed bed, is mixed with more feed ethylene, and is fed to E-301, where the
stream is cooled to 380°C prior to passing to the second reactor (R-302), where further
reaction takes place. High-pressure steam is produced in E-301, and this steam is
subsequently used in the styrene unit. The effluent stream from R-302 is similarly
mixed with feed ethylene and is cooled in E-302 (with generation of high-pressure
steam) prior to entering the third and final packed-bed reactor, R-303. The effluent
stream leaving the reactor contains products, byproducts, unreacted benzene, and small
amounts of unreacted ethylene and other noncondensable gases. The reactor effluent is
cooled in two waste-heat boilers (E-303 and E-304), in which high-pressure and low-
pressure steam, respectively, is generated. This steam is also consumed in the styrene
unit. The two phase mixture leaving E-304 is sent to a trim cooler (E-305), where the
stream is cooled to 80°C, and then to a two-phase separator (V-302), where the light
gases are separated and, because of the high ethylene conversion, are sent overhead as
fuel gas to be consumed in the fired heater. The condensed liquid is then sent to the
benzene tower, T-301, where the unreacted benzene is separated as the overhead
product and returned to the front end of the process. The bottoms product from the first
column is sent to T-302, where product EB (at 99.8 mol% and containing less than 2
ppm diethylbenzene [DEB]) is taken as the top product and is sent directly to the
styrene unit. The bottoms product from T-302 contains all the DEB and trace amounts
of higher ethylbenzenes. This stream is mixed with recycle benzene and passes through
the fired heater (H-301) prior to being sent to a fourth packed-bed reactor (R-304), in
which the excess benzene is reacted with the DEB to produce EB and unreacted
benzene. The effluent from this reactor is mixed with the liquid stream entering the
waste-heat boiler (E-303).