Recovery Process Using

Pressure Swing Adsorption

Technology

Texas Technology 2003 Showcase -

Houston, Texas March 17 - 19, 2003
Philip Cook
Air Products & Chemicals, Inc
 Agenda
z Describe PE and PP Plant Off-gas source
z New recovery process using PSA
z Example Cases
– 320 MTA Polyethylene Plant
– Polypropylene Plants
z Conclusions
– “Best in class” technology development
– Great example of Industry – DOE cooperation
to commercialize technology advancements

3
 Degassing resin is a common
step in polyolefin plants

Monomer Polymerization Off-gas

Reactor
Additives Section
Solvent Purge
Column

Off-gas
Nitrogen

X Product
Pelletizing
or
Extrusion

4
 Degassing Costs for the
Producer
Off-gas Monomer $ NOx,CO2,
Flare
Recovery CO and VOC
Only Lost Emissions
Purge Monomer
Column $ $
Power
Fuel

X
Recovered
$ Monomer / HC
Nitrogen

5
 PSA Process Development
z Air Products works with industry to understand desired
separation
z Degassing generates low pressure N2 and hydrocarbon
off-gas
z Conventional processing used partial condensation only;
shortcomings
– incomplete recovery, emissions, equipment freezing
z Air Products recognized PSA utility
– required select development steps addressing
materials selection, data, and demonstration
z Award No. DE-FC02-00CH11022 “Development of New
Pressure Swing Adsorption Technology to Recover High
Valued Products from Chemical Plant and Refinery Waste
Streams (High Performance PSA)

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 POLYOLEFIN PLANT
RECOVERY SYSTEMS

The Process

Partial
CW Condensation PSA
Equipment

Product
N2

Feed Recovered
Hydrocarbons
(Vapor or Liquid)

7
 How PSA Works
On-stream REGNERATION Steps

HC
HC HC

Adsorption Depress / Purge Re-pressure

Provide
Purge
PSA materials selectively remove (adsorb) hydrocarbons from N2
Capacity to hold hydrocarbons influenced by operating pressure
Multiple beds deliver steady flow process

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 Example PE Plant Conventional
Recovery Process
Fuel added for
325 BTU/SCF mix.
N2: No Recovery
Dilute Hydrocarbons:
HHV: 250 to 320 BTU/SCF
EMISSIONS
CW NOx
Flare VOC
AC CO
CO2

External
Refrigeration

Feed Hydrocarbon
N2 & Product
Hydrocarbons 85 to 90% Recovery

9
 PE Plant Recovery Process Using PSA

HX-1
oil cooling
CW PSA
CW Product
PSA N2
AC
Feed
Separator

H2O
Phase HC
HC Phase
Product
Separator
Feed

Recovered
Hydrocarbons

10
 Recovery Process Using PSA
for 320 MTA PE Plant

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 Air Products Recovery
System using PSA - Benefits
z Processes and recovers off-gas components
valued at >$18 MM annually
z Provides Lowest Emissions…
improvement over conventional processing
– 20 MTPA VOC
– 1.7 MTPA NOx
– 15 MTPA CO
– 3750 MTPA CO2

12
 Air Products Recovery
System using PSA - Benefits
z Air Products Recovery System with PSA
evaluated to be “best in class”
z Benefits
– Lowest emissions
– Easier plant permitting
– Lowest polymer degassing costs
– Lowered Plant Investment

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 Retrofit Example for 250,000
MTPA PP Plant
N2: 2054 Kg/hr
Propylene: 528 Kg/hr EMISSIONS
HHV: 340 BTU/SCF NOx
Flare VOC
CO
CO2

PP Degassing
Reactor And
Section Downstream
Processing

Notes
Off-gas will burn; emissions highest
Lost Value > $2.4 MM per year
$9.6 / MT PP
Nitrogen
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 Example with Incomplete Recovery
System
Fuel added for
325 BTU/SCF mix.
N2: 2040 Kg/hr 19,710 SCFH Methane
Propylene: 158 Kg/hr
HHV: 115 BTU/SCF
EMISSIONS
CW NOx
Flare VOC
AC CO
CO2

External
Refrigeration

Hydrocarbon
Feed Product
2054 Kg/hr N2 14 Kg/hr N2
528 Kg/hr C3= 370 Kg/hr C3=

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 Polypropylene Plant Recovery
System
PSA
Nitrogen
Product
CW
HX-1 2044 Kg/hr N2
AC 1 Kg/hr C3=

Sep Flare

HX-2 Hydrocarbon
Feed
Product
2054 Kg/hr N2
10 Kg/hr N2
528 Kg/hr C3=
527 Kg/hr C3=

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 Lowering the cost of
degassing operations

$2,500,000
N2
$2,000,000
Power
Annual $1,500,000 C3= No Waste
Cost Fuel No Fuel
$/yr $1,000,000
N2
$500,000 Power
C3=
$0
No Recovery Incomplete Air Products
Recovery Recovery
System
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 Eliminating Emissions

55
CO mtpy
50
NOX mtpy
45 VOC's mtpy
40 CO2 mtpday

35
Emission 30

Rate 25
20
15
10
5

0
No Recovery Incomplete Recovery APCI

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 Air Products Polyolefin Plant
Recovery Systems provide:
z Lowest operating cost and emissions
– Easier permitting (Grassroots)
– Advances licensing efforts
– Can be retrofitted (existing plants)

z Simple paybacks of 12 to 18 months

z All of the vent gas as reusable
products – no emissions
z Savings between $600M to > $5MM
annually

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 Conclusions

z Best in class technology

commercialized
z Great example of Industry – DOE
cooperation to adapt and
advance new technology
– save energy
– reduce emissions

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Thank you
tell me more
www.airproducts.com
 Retrofitting an existing
facility
PSA Tailgas
Off-gas Monomer PSA
Recovery N2-Rich Waste
Only
Purge
Column Nitrogen for
Re-use

X Recovered
Monomer / HC

Make-up
Nitrogen

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