DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

ASSIGNMENT 1 for BKF3923

50,000 Metric Tonnes per Annum Production of Cumene from

Alkylation of Benzene
Instruction

The reaction stoichiometry undergoes as follows

1. C3H6 + C6H6  C9H12

propylene (P) benzene (B) cumene (C)

2. C3H6 + C9H12  C12H18

P C p-diisopropyl benzene (PDIPB)

and the reaction kinetics are based on the power law model

r 1=k 1 C P C B (i)

r 2=k 2 C P C C (ii)

where both reaction rates are in kmol kgcat -1 s-1, CP is concentration of propylene in kmol m -3,
CB is concentration of benzene in kmol m-3 and CC is concentration of cumene in kmol m-3.
The specific rate constants (m6 kgcat-1 kmol-1 s-1) are given by

∆ E1
k 1=A 1 exp ( ) RT
(iii)

k 2=A 2 exp ( ∆RTE )

2
(iv)

Subscript numbers denote the number of reaction and the values of the parameters can be
seen in Table 1

Table 1: parameters of the reaction between from 300 – 350 oC and 30 – 40 bar.

Reaction Ai Ei
 (m6 kgcat-1 kmol-1 s-1) (kJ kmol-1)
1 3.5 x 104 -1.04 x 105
6
2 2.9 x 10 -1.47 x 105
The reaction occurs in gas phase with the feed of pure benzene liquid at 28 oC and 1 bar and
the feed of propylene liquid at the same temperature and 12 bar (from the vapour pressure
graph, the gaseous propylene liquefied at 10.17 bar for the temperature of 28 oC). However,
propylene feed contains 4.8% propane (PA) which does not involve in any reaction with
components of the reaction. The catalyst is zeolite-base type costed $300/kg with void
fraction,  = 0.5, particle diameter, DP = 1 cm and bulk density, b = 2,500 kg m-3. The feed
flow is assumed similar to the air properties at 300 oC and 30 bar.

The unreacted propylene will be separated under cryogenic condition from the inert
propane. Although the separation is costly, propane cannot be recycled together
continuously as it will accumulate in the reactive unit. Thus, propylene will be recycled
internally and propane will be incinerated so as to generate steam for the process.

The prices of material involved in the components are as in Table 2.

Table 2: Physical property and prices of components

Components Purity (%) Boiling Points (oC) Price/ Cost

Propylene 95.2 -47.6 $167/kmol
Benzene 99.9 80.1 $267/kmol
Cumene 99.9 152.4 $1200/kmol
PDIPB Not necessary 203 $0.1/kWh fuel
Propane Not necessary -42 $0.1/kWh fuel

Synthesize process at level 2. The answer should contain following chapters:

1. Decision
2. Design
3. Evaluation
4. Conclusion

2
Prepared by Ir. Dr. Mohd Sabri Mahmud