Mass balances

In this section, the various stages of mass balance are explained below. Some important values such
as the reactor’s reactivity and efficiencies of various separation units were obtained from literature.
[1]

I. Reaction stage

EtOH gas
S101 Furnace 1
S102
EtOH inlet stream
Fixed bed 1
Pump EtOH preheater

EtOH storage

EtOH evaporator
Furnace 2
U101
Steam make-up stream S103
Steam Fixed bed 2
U102

Steam generator Furnace 3

S104

Cooled ethylene Fixed bed 3

Water
S106

U101

Furnace 4

Hot ethylene Fixed bed 4

S105

Figure 1 Reaction stage

Streams S101 S102 S103 S104 S105 S106 U101

Pressure 1 5 5 5 5 1 5
(bar)
Temperature 20 121 425 425 425 90 310
( ͦC)
Total stream 189.7 189.7 189.7 189.7 189.7 189.7 115
(t/hr)
Water 0.3794 18.932 37.589 56.424 64.415 64.415 115
(t/hr)
Ethanol 189.3206 134.986 80.721 26.638 3.463 3.463 0
(t/hr)
Ethylene 0 35.318 70.589 105.744 120.807 120.8075 0
(t/hr)
Diethyl ether 0 0.010 0.017 0.021 0.022 0.022 0
(t/hr)
 Acetaldehyde 0 0.038 0.041 0.057 0.062 0.062 0
(t/hr)
Ethane 0 0.051 0.055 0.077 0.084 0.084 0
(t/hr)
Propylene 0 0.114 0.222 0.127 0.128 0.128 0
(t/hr)
Butadiene 0 0.047 0.114 0.154 0.168 0.168 0
(t/hr)
Carbon 0 0.208 0.357 0.446 0.475 0.475 0
dioxide
(t/hr)
Carbon 0 0.013 0.023 0.028 0.030 0.030 0
monoxide
(t/hr)
Table 1 Mass balance of reaction stage

The total conversion of ethanol was found to be 98.2 %

II. Recovery stage

S108 S109 S110

Compressor 1 Compressor 2 Compressor 3

Water
S107 Drum 1 Cooler 3 Cooler 4 Cooler 5

Cold water

S106

Drum 2 Drum 3 Drum 4

Quencher
Cooler 2
Water
Water Water
Hot Ethylene inlet
S111
Cooler 1
Ethylene outlet

NaOH solution
P-38 Water
CO2 free ethylene S113
Molecular sieve
S112
Cooler 6
Purified ethyelene
Caustic wash column Water wash column Drum 5 Water

Figure 2 Recovery stage

Streams S107 S108 S109 S110 S111 S112

Pressure 1 1 9 19 17 27
(bar)
Temperature 40 40 15 15 15 15
( ͦC)
Total stream 127.6179 124.1967 123.3900 122.5222 122.1433 121.2925
(t/hr)
Water 3.3496 0.5500 0.3667 0.1222 0.0204 0.0204
(t/hr)
 Ethanol 2.4933 1.8700 1.2467 0.6233 0.3463 0.0000
(t/hr)
Ethylene 120.8075 120.8075 120.8075 120.8075 120.8075 120.8075
(t/hr)
Diethyl ether 0.0224 0.0224 0.0224 0.0224 0.0224 0.0224
(t/hr)
Acetaldehyde 0.0620 0.0620 0.0620 0.0620 0.0620 0.0620
(t/hr)
Ethane 0.0837 0.0837 0.0837 0.0837 0.0837 0.0837
(t/hr)
Propylene 0.1281 0.1281 0.1281 0.1281 0.1281 0.1281
(t/hr)
Butadiene 0.1678 0.1678 0.1678 0.1678 0.1678 0.1678
(t/hr)
Carbon 0.4748 0.4748 0.4748 0.4748 0.4748 4.75E-04
dioxide
(t/hr)
Carbon 0.0302 0.0302 0.0302 0.0302 0.0302 3.02E-05
monoxide
(t/hr)
Table 2 Mass balance of Recovery stage

The removal of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide was achieved to a lower/required value for a
polymer grade ethylene.

III. Purification stage

Light products
S114

Ethylene + light products

Final ethyelene
P-16
Cooler 2
S116

S113
Drum
Dried ethylene
Heavy products
Valve

Heater
Ethylene column
S115

Stripper

Final ethylene

Figure 3 Purification stage

Streams S113 S114 S115 S116

Pressure 27 22 22 22
(bar)
 Temperature 15 -25.7 -25.6 10
( ͦC)
Total stream 121.2716 120.9506 120.9506 120.9506
(t/hr)
Water 0 0 0 0
(t/hr)
Ethanol 0 0 0 0
(t/hr)
Ethylene 120.8075 120.8075 120.8075 120.8075
(t/hr)
Diethyl ether 0.0224 0.0045 0.0045 0.0045
(t/hr)
Acetaldehyde 0.0620 0.0124 0.0124 0.0124
(t/hr)
Ethane 0.0837 0.0167 0.0167 0.0167
(t/hr)
Propylene 0.1281 0.0256 0.0256 0.0256
(t/hr)
Butadiene 0.1678 0.0839 0.0839 0.0839
(t/hr)
Carbon 4.75E-06 4.75E-06 4.75E-06 4.75E-06
dioxide
(t/hr)
Carbon 3.02E-06 3.02E-06 3.02E-06 3.02E-06
monoxide
(t/hr)
Table 3 Mass balance of purification stage

The final ethylene product obtained had a purity of 99.88 %.

Energy balances

Cost estimation
I. Capital costs
The cost curves for the equipments were obtained using the formula obtained from [2]. This formula
is given as follows,

Where,

Ce = the cost of the equipment, a and b = constants, S = size parameter and n = specific equipment’s
exponent.

Ce=a+b∗Sn

Equipments Size Price euro * 1000

1) Reaction stage
3.5
T1101 Ktonnes 176.70 [3]
3166.7
P1101 l/s 14.45
1041.5
H1101 m2 288.90
1041.5
H1102 m2 288.90
86.2
H1103 m2 41.57
48.02
F1101 MW 2225.28
9.086
F1102 MW 615.58
9.194
F1103 MW 621.07
9.262
F1104 MW 624.51
13
R1101 m3 279.86
13
R1102 m3 279.86
13
R1103 m3 279.86
13
R1104 m3 279.86

2) Recovery Stage
C1101 3166.7
l/s 2083.00
C1102 3131.9
l/s 2064.10
C1103 3048
l/s 2018.18
C1104 3048
l/s 2018.18
C1105 3048
l/s 2018.18
D1101 10
m2 102.40
D1102 10
m2 102.40
D1103 10
m2 102.40
D1104 10
m2 102.40
D1105 10
m2 102.40
 17670
CP1101 kW 6954.00
41850
CP1102 kW 11308.20
2232
CP1103 kW 2384.50

II. Cost of chemicals and utilities

Bulk Chemicals Cost euro/ton Amount required Total (euros)
(Tonne/ batch)

Ethanol 43.80952381 189.7 8.311E+03

Ethylene 44.44444444 115 5111.11111111

Catalyst 711 17164.2 12203746.2 [4]

Utilities (Tonne/hour)

Electricity/ kW 0.17 142244 24181.48 [5]

Water 1.39 38735 53841.65 [6]

Steam 41.66 50 2083 [7]

References
1. Mohsenzadeh, A., Zamani, A., & Taherzadeh, M. J. (2017). Bioethylene Production from
Ethanol: A Review and Techno‐economical Evaluation. ChemBioEng Reviews, 4(2), 75-91.
2. Towler, G., & Sinnott, R. (2012). Chemical engineering design: principles, practice and
economics of plant and process design. Elsevier.
3. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Large-capacity-carbon-steel-vertical-
water_62009500810.html?spm=a2700.details.maylikeexp.3.491b5b61ApdhBK
4. https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Titania-TiO2-Catalyst-Support_371866156.html?
spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.2.72e5d76bDwzpeQ
5. https://www.statista.com/statistics/418106/electricity-prices-for-households-in-
netherlands/
6. https://www.processindustryinformer.com/editorial/process-industry-water-cost/
7. http://www.hamadaboiler.com/catalogue/page-5-steam-cost-all-countries.html