MULTI-TUBULAR REACTOR DESIGN FOR

MALEIC ANHYDRIDE PRODUCTION

Middle East Technical University
Department of Chemical Engineering
Mammad Zeynallı, Fulya Erdem, Rovshan Babayev, Murad Aliyev

The aim of the project is to design a reactor system producing of 100,000 tons per year Maleic Anhydride (MA). This project is based on the
case studies that show the dependency of conversion and selectivity to the temperature and pressure of the streams; volume and length of the 2
reactors. As an equation of state, SRK-Twu is chosen which is appropriate regarding to the kinetics of the reaction. Finally, the desired conversion
and selectivity degrees are found as % 76.8 and %67.8 respectively.

Introduction Method of Attack

1. Understanding of Reaction Kinetic Model
Reaction Mechanisms [1]
- The Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism
1
Butane + Oxygen MA + Water
3 2
Total Oxidation Decomposition
Reaction Reaction
CO, CO2 ,H2O
2. Applying Model to our system
Rate Equations [1] Table 1.1: Parameters of rate eqn.s [1] 3. Working on ASPEN HYSYS Simulator
 
RXN-1 RXN-2 RXN-3 R-01
 
1.
(0.96±0.28) *10-6 (0.29±0.14) *10-5 (0.15±0.03) *10-6 4
2. k 2 6
Kmol/(kg*s*atm0.54) Kmol/(kg*s*atm) Kmol/(kg*s*atm0.54 1 Q-100

E (kJ/mol) 93100±5700 155000±35000 93100±5700 3 R-02 5

3.
α α 1=0.54 α 2=1 α 3=0.54
Q-101
• Reaction takes place in the presence of Vanadium-
Feed 4. Obtaining Optimum Conversion and Selectivity
Phosphorous Oxide (VPO) catalyst with a particle Total Volume-Tube Side(m3) 275

Molten Salt
diameter of 3 mm in the tube side. Length(m) 9
Out 5.09E-02
Diameter(m)
Number of Tubes 15000
Service Fluid of the Reactor
4.00E-03
- Highly exothermic system Wall Thickness(m)
Molten Salt
Molten Salt - Need of small temperature difference 5. By obtaining individual heat transfer coefficients to
in
get Heat Duty of the system
Effluent * As a molten salt HITEC® [NaNO3-NaNO2- - Tube Side Heat Transfer Coefficient hi = 490.3 W/m2*K by
Leva et.al (1948) [3]
Figure 1.1: Multi-tubular Reactor KNO3 => 0.07-0.49-0.44 mole percent [2] is
- Wall Side Heat Transfer coefficient ho = 10649.88 W/m2*K
decided to be used from heuristics by Donohue Correlation[3]

Results & Discussion

Selectivity&Conversion to Inlet Temperature Reactor Volume to Selectivity & Conversion Molar Flow Rates Along the Tube Lenght
CONVERSION SELECTIVITY CONVERSION SELECTIVITY MALEIC ANHYDRIDE BUTANE CO CO2

1.1 0.85 120

Molar flow rates (kgmole/hour)

1 0.8
Selectivity and Conversion

100
Conversion & Selectiviy

0.9 0.75
80
0.8
0.7
0.7 60
0.65
0.6 40
0.6
0.5
0.55 20
0.4
0.3 0.5 0
350 370 390 410 430 450 470 490 510 530 550 210 220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290 300 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Inlet Stream Temperature(0C) Reactor Volume (m^3) Tube Lenght (m)

Figure 3.1: Selectivity & Conversion vs Inlet Temperature Graph Figure 3.2: Selectivity & Conversion vs Reactor Volume Figure 3.3: Molar Flow Rates vs Tube Length
• Since Pressure drop is mainly dependent on tube length, tube diameter and volumetric flow rate of feed, the pressure drop
performance by Ergun Equation is observed for the selected value of reactor volume. It is seen the excess pressure drop was
Temperature Along the Tube Lenght
occurred. In addition, a volume of a one reactor based on the tube side was over 500 m3 which is unrealistic. Based on these
FLUID UTILITY FLUID
480
results, it is decided to operate the process in two equal reactors. The verification of this assumption is in Figure 3.5
460 • A case study has been done in ASPEN HYSYS to observe the relation between inlet temperature and selectivity & conversion. The result of
Temperature (0C)

440
study is in Figure 3.1. Moreover, as it is seen from figure, after 510 0C, selectivity decreases sharply and at high temperatures, catalyst life
420
400 decreases, so temperature should be below 500 0C for the safer region in order to prevent the runaway reaction and to keep
380
360
catalyst life longer. So, outlet stream temperature is decided to be around 470 0C.
340 • Reactor outer shell diameter is 6.8 m
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Length of Tube (m)
• Note that, besides 3 main reactions, there were other side reactions, which produces some little amount of acids( eg: Formic, Acrylic) and
etc. which were neglected.
Figure 3.4: Temperature of Fluid and Utility Fluid vs Length of Tube • Void fraction in tube packing is selected to be 0.44 and void volume is 121 m3.

Conclusion References Acknowledgement

- Conversion and selectivity found as %76.8 and %67.8 1. Sharma, R. K., & Cresswell, D. L. (n.d.). Kinetics and Fixed-Bed Reactor Modeling • Special thanks to Prof. Dr. Gürkan KARAKAŞ and
respectively. of Butane Oxidation to Maleic Anhydride. Retrieved May 12, 2016
- Asst. Atalay ÇALIŞAN for their guidance and support throughou
∆P throughout tube side is 113 kPa 2. Samuel, D. (n.d.). MOLTEN SALT COOLANTS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE REACTORS.
- Inlet and Outlet Temperatures are 400 0C and 468.3 0C, Retrieved May 12, 2016
whole the project.
respectively. 3. Balakrishnan, A. (n.d.). Heat Transfer in Gas-Solid Packed Bed Systems. Retrieved
- Final annual product calculated as 98554 ton/year May 12, 2016