Phenol Production Process Design

Team 10 – Tiffany Robinson, Daniel Harrell, Dillian Beechler

Organizational Problem Key Economic Results Safety Considerations

ABC Corporation’s resins production unit wants to carry out a study estimate of a plant Total cost per pound of product $0.857/lb
to produce phenol as a raw material at a cheaper cost than the current market price of Component Hazards Toxicity/Dangers
$0.64/lb. The production rate of concern is 190,000 metric tons per year. Total Capital Investment (TCI) $183 MM
Flammable, harmful if swallowed or contacted with skin,
Total annual operating costs $299 MM/yr Acetone
irritant
Basic Flow Diagram and Process Background
Process Economics Cumene
Flammable, toxic, harmful if swallowed or contacted
with skin, irritant, carcinogen, hazardous to
Capital Investment Summary environment

Flammable, toxic, harmful if swallowed or contacted

AMS
with skin, irritant, hazardous to environment

Oxidizing, toxic, corrosive, harmful if swallowed or

CHP
contacted with skin, irritant, hazardous to environment

Combustible, corrosive, harmful if swallowed or

Phenol
contacted with skin, irritant

The phenol production process is based on the oxidation and cleavage of cumene.
Oxidation of Cumene (Hock process)[1]: Major Hazards
C6 H5 CH CH3 2 + O2 → C6 H5 C CH3 2 OOH Equipment Installed Cost
1 • Oxygen concentration in oxidation reactor
C6 H5 CH CH3 2 + O2 → CH3 2 C6 H3 CH2 OH
2 • CHP distillation column reboiler
Cleavage reactions to produce phenol and acetone/AMS by-products[1]: • Cleavage reactor
CH3 2 C6 H3 CH2 OH → C6 H4 C2 H3 CH3 + H2 O
C6 H5 C CH3 2 OOH → C6 H5 OH + CH3 COCH3 General Safety
AMS and acetone are by-products of the reactions that are sold for credit. In addition to • Training
the credit received from by-products, there is also fuel credit obtained from the vent in • Proper PPE
the process. Finally, water is the only waste in the process and will be sent to a • Protective systems and alarms
wastewater treatment facility. • Routine inspection and monitoring of process

HYSYS Process Flow Diagram Environmental Considerations

Utilities Cost Summary
Environmental pollution is a major concern for all industrial plants, such as the phenol
production plant. Proper disposal is imperative for maintaining the wellbeing of the
surrounding environment.

For the phenol production process the streams of concern are:

• Vent from 2nd stage separator

• Vent from partial condenser
• Wastewater from acetone-water separation train

The process is comprised of six main steps that include the following:
References
[1] Ullman’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 5th ed., 1985.
[2] The Essential Chemical Industry: Online. 2015. Via http://www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/chemicals/phenol.html
• Cumene oxidation to hydroperoxide [3] Perry, R. H., & Green, D. W. (2008). Perry's chemical engineers' handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill. Table 2-2.
• Cumene hydroperoxide concentration Economic Conclusions [4] University, Safety Officer in Physical Chemistry at Oxford (2005). "Safety (MSDS) data for cumene hydroperoxide".
• Cumene hydroperoxide decomposition/cleavage Retrieved 2015-03-13.
• Cleavage effluent neutralization The production cost for the design process exceeds the current market price of $0.64/lb [5] Richard J. Lewis, Richard J. Lewis (Sr.), Hazardous chemicals desk reference, Publisher Wiley-Interscience, 2008, ISBN 0-
• Product fractionation/purification of phenol and makes the implementation of the design impractical. Unless new 470-18024-2, ISBN 978-0-470-18024-2, 1953 pages
[6] "Cumene".
• Effluent treatment alternative methods or adjustments to optimize the process are determined, executing National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 4 December 2014. Retrieved 24 February
2015.
the process design is not economically viable. Therefore, it is not recommended that
this design be implemented.