Hydrogenator in Purification of Terephthalic acid:

The Reactor type for this reaction is a fixed bed reactor with two layers of regenerative bed, for
Purification of Terephthalic acid, parameter such as velocity space, bed size, metal loading, volume ratio
of first layer of catalyst to second layer of catalyst and mole ratio of metal catalysts. The catalysts
mentioned in this patent are rhodium in carbon and palladium that is activated in the carbon catalyst.
Using the given parameters, the volume, height and width of the responder can be calculated.

Calculation for reactor dimension

Provided data (various source)

No. Particular Value

1 Space velocity, hours-1 5.000
2 Rhodium catalyst loading, wt% 0.500
3 Palladium catalyst loading, wt% 1.500
4 Volume ratio of first catalyst layer to second catalyst layer 0.100
5 Minimum first layer catalyst thickness, m 0.025
6 Catalyst density (average), g/cm3 0.100
7 Mass flow rate of the inlet, kg/h 8247.63
8 Safety factor 1.750

Space velocity Equation:

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡

Space velocity=
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡

Re-arranging above

Mass of Catalyst:
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑡
Mass of catalyst= 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

8247.63𝑘𝑔/ℎ
Mass of catalyst= 5/ℎ
 =1649.53 kg catalyst required

Volume of the Catalyst bed and Hydrogenator reactor:

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
Density, ρ= ;
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒

rearranging above equation

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑑
Volume of catalyst bed=𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑑

1649.53𝑘𝑔 1000𝑔 1𝑚 3
Volume of catalyst bed= 0.5𝑔/𝑐𝑚3 × 1𝑘𝑔
× 1×106 𝑐𝑚3

=16.5𝑚 3

For safety, fitting-factor, and remaining design consideration, the volume is multiplied with safety factor,
1.75 to obtain vessel volume.

Volume of the vessel=16.5×1.75=28.8m3≈29m3

Consider the diameter of the vessel to be = 2.5m;

Height of the Hydrogenator reactor and Catalyst bed:

𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑙 29

The height of the vessel= 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 𝜋×(1.25)2 = 5.91𝑚 ≈ 6 𝑚

𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑑 16.5

The height of overall catalyst layer= = = 3.36 𝑚
𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝜋×(1.25)2

𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟

The height of the first catalyst layer= 𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎

From the volume ratio of the first catalyst layer to second catalyst layer (1:10), the volume of the first
catalyst layer can be calculated as:
𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡 16.5
Volume of the first catalyst layer= = = 1.5 𝑚 3 equation 8
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 11
 1.5
Hence, the height of the fist catalyst bed= = 0.30𝑚 ≥ 0.025𝑚
𝜋×1.252

Diameter selection and validation of Hydrogenator:

Hence the diameter of vessel 2.5m is acceptable with the height to diameter ratio of 2.4.

Table:1 Design Specification of the Hydrogenator reactor:

No. Particular Value

1 Mass of catalysts, kg 1649.53
2 Volume of catalyst bed, m3 16.5
3 Volume of vessel, m3 29.00
4 Volume of first catalyst layer, m3 1.50
5 Diameter of vessel, m 2.5
6 Height of vessel, m 6.00
7 Overall height of catalyst bed, m 3.36
8 Height of first catalyst bed, m 0.30
9 Height to diameter ratio 2.4

Mechanical Design of Hydrogenator

The aims of this section are to get the thickness of the vessel wall, thickness of the skirt and also the
thickness of flat end for man way and the domed end thickness, The thicknesses of vessel also have to
be keenly resolute in order to ensure safety of Hydrogenator vessel and also the lasting operation of the
vessel life-span.

Table:2 Data obtained from ASME standards and guidelines for Mechanical design:

No Particular Value
1 Material of construction (carbon steel), tensile strength, N/mm 2 360
2 Material of construction (carbon steel), design stress at 200 oC, N/mm2 105
3 Material of construction (carbon steel), design stress at 25 oC, N/mm2 135
4 Joint efficiency of shell, J,(double welded butt, 100% radiography) 1
5 Internal pressure, N/mm2 2
6 Internal diameter of vessel, mm 3000
7 Cp (man way) 0.4
8 Diameter of bolt circle (man way),mm 700
9 Cv (vessel weight) 1.08
10 Insulation (mineral wool),density,kg/m3 130
11 Wind pressure (160 kmph),N/m2 1280
12 Thickness of support skirt (assumption),mm 34
13 Carbon steel’s Young Modulus, N/mm2 200000
14 Support skirt angle (conical skirt),o 80
15 Diameter of skirt, mm 2700

Calculation for vessel wall thickness.

Thickness of Hydrogenator vessel can be obtained by equation given below (British standard PD 5500):

𝑃𝑖 𝐷𝑖
𝑒=
2𝑓 − 𝑃𝑖

e= minimum wall thickness.

𝐷𝑖 =Internal diameter of vessel, mm = 3000

𝑃𝑖 =Internal pressure, N/mm2 = 2 N/mm2

𝑓= Material of construction (carbon steel), design stress at 200oC, N/mm2

Meanwhile, as standards minimum practical wall-thickness for vessel is coated as 11mm.

By substituting all required values,

2 × 3000
𝑒=
2 × 105 − 2

𝑒 = 28.84 ≈ 29 𝑚𝑚

The value 29mm is minimum wall-thickness for the hydrogenator vessel. The value is increase for the
bottom of the vessel so 5mm added, the bottom thickness of vessel is 34mm.

For dome end of the hydrogenator vessel, ellipsoidal-type is chosen and equation used is as follows

𝑃𝑖 𝐷𝑖
𝑒=
2𝐽𝑓 − 0.2𝑃𝑖

𝐽 = Joint efficiency of shell, (double welded butt, 100% radiography) = 1

Putting the required values form Table-2,

2 × 3000
𝑒= = 28.62 ≈ 29
2 × 1 × 105 − 0.2 × 2

For flat end thickness, (man way), equation below is used:

 𝑃𝑖
𝑒 = 𝐶𝑝𝐷𝑒√
𝑓

Cp = (man way) factor = 0.4

𝐷𝑒 = Diameter of bolt circle (man way),mm = 700

putting the value,

2
𝑒 = 0.4 × 700 × √ = 38.64 ≈ 39𝑚𝑚
105

Weight of Hydrogenator Vessel:

For weight of vessel, below equation is used (steel vessel):

𝑊𝑣 = 240𝐶𝑣𝐷𝑚 (𝐻𝑣 + 0.8𝐷𝑚 )𝑡

𝐶𝑣 =Cv (vessel weight) = 1.08

Putting values,

𝑊𝑣 = 240 × 1.08 × (3 + 0.029) × (7 + 0.8(3 + 0.029)) × 29 = 214551𝑁

Weight of the insulation:

Weight of insulation=volume of insulation X density of insulation X gravity X 2

Volume of insulation=𝜋 × 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 × ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑙 × 2

=𝜋 × 0.075 × 7 × 2 = 6.597𝑚 2

Weight of insulation=6.597 × 130 × 9.81 × 2 = 16826𝑁

Weight of catalyst,

Weight of catalyst=mass of catalyst X gravity

=14106.7 × 9.81 = 138387𝑁

Summarized calculation
No. Criteria Value
1 Cylindrical wall thickness (top 3.5 meter),mm 29
2 Cylindrical wall thickness (bottom 3.5 meter),mm 34
3 Top ellipsoidal end dome thickness, mm 29
4 Bottom ellipsoidal end dome thickness, mm 34
5 Flat end thickness (man way, bolted cover full face gasket),mm 39
6 Thickness of support skirt (conical shape 80o),mm 34