CEV503/Project/Oct2021-Feb2022

Project of Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) plant

(PO3, CO2)

PROCESS

The process flow diagram for simulating a VCM manufacturing plant is shown below.

Figure: A flowsheet of Vinyl chloride monomer unit production

Pure ethylene, stored as a gas at 700F and 1000psia and flowing at a rate of 20 tonnes per hour, and
pure chlorine, kept as a liquid at 700F and 150psia and flowing at a rate of 50 tonnes per hour, enter the
mixer block B1 operating at 2 atm. The mixer outlet F1 is then connected to the reactor B2, which
operates at a temperature of 363 K and a pressure of 1.5 atm. The following chlorination reaction occurs
in this Rstoic, converting ethylene to 1,2-dichloroethane at 95% conversion:

C2H4 + Cl2 → C2H4Cl2

Ethylene chlorine dichloroethane

Following that, mixer B3 operating at 1.4 atm permits the recycling stream F12 to be mixed with reactor
product F2. After condensing the outlet stream F3 completely to liquid phase in block B4 at 298 K, it is
piped to an evaporator. The liquid was discharged from the pump B5 at a pressure of 26 atm. The phase
change operation is carried out by the evaporator B6, and the vapour temperature is then increased to
515K within the same unit. The following stage introduces stream F6 into the reactor B7 (RStoic), where
the following pyrolysis reaction occurs:

C2H4 Cl2 → C2H3 Cl2 + HCl

Dichloroethane VCM hydrogen chloride

The conversion of dichloroethane to VCM occurs spontaneously at 773K and a pressure of 25 atm with a
conversion of 65 %. To avoid carbon deposition in the heat exchanger, the hot vapour stream exiting the
reactor is quenched with B8, resulting in a saturated vapour stream at 443K. The quencher effluent
stream F8 is condensed to liquid phase in block B9 at 279K and then fed as stream F9 to DSTWU column
 CEV503/Project/Oct2021-Feb2022

B10. F10 is introduced in the following stream as column B11 of another DSTWU. The first column
primarily separates HCl from the remaining components, whereas the second column purifies VCM from
the remaining components. Both distillation columns comprise ten theoretical stages (including
condenser and reboiler) and a total condenser, as detailed in the following table:

Table: Parameters of DSTWU

% Recovery of LK/HK in distillate Pressure (atm)

Block Light key (LK) Heavy key (HK) Condenser Reboiler

B10 99.9% of HCl 0.1% of VCM 20 22

B11 99.9% of VCM 0.1% of dichloroethane 7.5 8

Finally, block B12 (FSplit) splits stream F11 to ensure that 99.99 % of F11 is recycled to mixer B3 as the
F12 stream. To prevent the accumulation of unreacted components, a purge stream is introduced.

HINT:

Using POLYSRK property method

Question

1. Simulate the flowsheet and determine the composition of all streams.

2. Design the RadFrac for DSTWU replacement. Then, perform the strategy for combining the
RadFrac in the flowsheet appropriately.

Note: Maintain the pressure of condenser and reboiler for both column distillations.

3. Design a heatX to integrate hot and cold stream available in the plant.

4. Evaluate the strategy to produce 635 kmol/hr VCM in stream D2.

RUBRIC PROJECT REPORT

Criteria Criteria Outcomes CO Bloom Weightage Unacceptable Marginal Acceptable Exceptional Points Full Marks Bloom
(0) (1 - 2) (3 - 4) (5-6) Marks Marks

Objective of the project
Able to identify the issues/problems Objective/s is not stated. Stated the objective/s but Stated some of the Clearly stated the 0
C1 100% unable to identify the objective objective/s
main issues/problems. that relate to the main that relate to the main
issues/problems. issues/problems. 0
2 P 0% 6 4

0
A1 0%

Set up simulation model
Discussion and evaluation of
simulation result
Ability to set up an Aspen simulation The simulation is The simulation is The simulation is The simulation is 0
model to C4 100% completed completed completed completed
generate heat and material balance of the with error with warning. The without warning or error. without warning or error.
process including utility consumption and equipments used in the Only the main blocks used All blocks and streams
0
design of equipments. 2 simulation model are not in the simulation model are are clearly labeled and 6 10
P 0%
properly identified. The labeled and identified. The identified. The
information entered in the informations entered in the informations entered in
0
A1 0% flowsheet also not flowsheet are accurate and the flowsheet are
accurate and appropriate. accurate and appropriate.
Able to provide the result ,evaluate, The discussion cannot be i
Evaluate i t
the problems Evaluate the problems Evaluate the problems 0
discuss and suggest an appropriate made due to simulation based based based
solutions or strategies on the issues or error. on the result. The on the result. The problems on the result. The
problems. discussion is made are critically discussed with problems/solution are
No result available. without any reference to reference to other critically discussed with
C6 100%
other recources. resources. No solution in reference to other
solving the problems is resources. The solution in
Result available with suggested solving the problems is
warning. also suggested.
2 Result available but some 6 10
of the result does not meet Result available and 0
P 0%
the required performance. meet required
performance. 0

A1 0%

Quality of technical report
Able to demostrate appropriate technical  Overall report is not Overall report is satisfied. Overall report is good. The Overall report is 0
report C2 100% satisfied. The sentences are easily to excellent. The
writing skill with proper grammar and  The sentence is hard to sentences are easily to understand and follow. The sentences are easily to
languages. understand which leads to understand and follow but writing is organized into understand and follow.
0
wrong intepretations and some are not linking to paragraphs that develop an The writing is organized
2 P 0% 6 6
have many grammatical each other. Acceptable idea. Acceptable into paragraphs which
error. grammatical error. grammatical error. linking sentences.
Minimal grammatical 0
A1 0% error.

Overall Performance Unacceptable Marginal Acceptable Exceptional 0

30