Ethylene Glycol Welcome to the University of South 乙二醇中南大学.docVIP

 Ethylene Glycol Process Analysis and Modeling Warm up Project September 5, 2001 Benjamin Alan Grayson Ethylene Glycol Ethylene glycol has many interesting properties and uses. At room temperature, ethylene glycol is clear, colorless and slightly viscous liquid. It has no smell, but has a sweet flavor to it. It is used as antifreeze and a deicing fluid for vehicles. Also, it is used to make polyester compounds and is used in the paint and plastic industries as a solvent. In addition, ethylene glycol is an active ingredient in photographic developing solutions, hydraulic brake fluids and in inks [1]. When analyzing ethylene glycol, one should begin with how ethylene glycol is produced, why it should be modeled, and what are some proposed alternatives to common production techniques. The major commercial production of ethylene glycol is by the hydration of ethylene oxide [2]. According to the assignment, the minimum requirements of an ethylene glycol production plant would be one reactor, two separators, and a distillation column. However, most ethylene glycol productions plants include ethylene oxide production plants as well. In order to fully discuss the production, one should look at how the raw material of ethylene oxide is produced [3]. Diagram 1 shows a common process flow diagram of an ethylene oxide production plant. Beginning with ethylene and oxygen flow, which includes methane as a dilutent, the mixture enters into the reactor. The reactor described was a shell and tube, recycled plug flow, kerosene cooled reactor. In the reactor, the oxygen and ethylene react to form ethylene oxide, carbon dioxide, and water. The hot effluent from the reactor passes through a heat exchanger and is cooled down. Small amounts of methane are added to the effluent stream at this time to dilute the mixture. The methane is mostly inert, but some does react during the ethylene oxide production process which reduces the inert’s concentration. The next unit o