OIP-2023 (Chemical Process Technology) by IIChE

Assignment – 3
By Jainam Gala [[email protected]]

Question 1(a): What is the use of Caustic Tower in Ethylene Plant? What is
the use of acetylene converter and MAPD converter reactor in steam reactor
plant?
Answer:
Caustic Tower: A Caustic Tower is a crucial unit in an Ethylene Plant that is used
to purify and dehydrate ethylene. The primary function of the Caustic Tower is to
remove any impurities that may be present in the ethylene stream, such as water,
carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulphide. It operates on the principle of selective
absorption, which involves passing the ethylene stream through a bed of caustic
soda, which absorbs the impurities selectively. The caustic soda reacts with the
impurities and removes them from the ethylene stream, leaving behind a purified
and dehydrated ethylene product.
After the Caustic Tower, the purified ethylene stream may then be further
processed to produce a range of useful products, such as plastics, solvents, and
other chemicals. Overall, the Caustic Tower plays a critical role in ensuring the
purity and quality of the ethylene produced in an Ethylene Plant.
Acetylene and MAPD reactors: In a stream reformer plant, the acetylene
converter and methylacetylene-propadiene (MAPD) converter reactor are
important units in the purification process of the synthesis gas produced.
The acetylene converter is used to convert any acetylene present in the synthesis
gas into ethylene, which is a more desirable product. Acetylene can cause issues
during downstream processing, such as polymerization and fouling, so it is crucial
to remove it from the gas stream. The acetylene converter uses a palladium
catalyst to catalyse the reaction of acetylene with hydrogen to form ethylene. The
following reaction takes place in an acetylene converter:
𝐶2 𝐻2 + 2𝐻2 → 𝐶2 𝐻4 + 𝐻2 𝑂 [𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑑 − 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡]

The MAPD converter reactor is used to remove any remaining methylacetylene

and propadiene, which are also undesirable impurities, from the synthesis gas.
These impurities can also cause polymerization and fouling issues during
downstream processing. The MAPD converter uses a copper chromite catalyst to
catalyse the reaction of methylacetylene and propadiene with hydrogen to form
butadiene, which is a more desirable product. The following reaction takes place
in an MAPD converter:
𝐶3 𝐻4 + 𝐻2 → 𝐶3 𝐻6 [𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑢 − 𝐶𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡]
𝐶4 𝐻6 + 2𝐻2 → 𝐶4 𝐻8 [𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑢 − 𝐶𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑠𝑡]

Question 1(b): What is Joule Thomson effect? How J-T effect is used in
chilling train to chill the charge gas? Which component in charge gas shows
reverse J-T effect? Explain Thermodynamics of reverse J-T effect.
Answer:
J-T effect: The Joule-Thomson effect is a thermodynamic phenomenon where a
gas or a liquid experience a change in temperature and pressure as it flows through
a restriction, such as an orifice or a valve. The Joule-Thomson effect has practical
applications in a range of fields, such as in the production and liquefaction of
gases, refrigeration, and air conditioning.
Chilling train: The J-T effect is used in a chilling train to cool down the charge
gas (a mix of hydrocarbons) by passing it through a series of heat exchangers and
throttling valves. The chilled gas is then sent to the distillation column where it
is separated into its individual components.
The process starts with the gas being compressed to a high pressure in a
compressor. The compressed gas is then passed through a series f heat exchangers
where it is cooled down by exchanging heat with the already cooled product gas
leaving the distillation column. The heat exchangers are typically cooled by
refrigerants like propane or ethylene, which are themselves cooled by the J-T
effect in a separate refrigeration circuit.
After passing through the heat exchangers, the charge gas is then passed through
a series of throttling valves. These valves act as restrictions that cause the pressure
of the gas to drop rapidly, resulting in a temperature drop due to the J-T effect.
The cooled gas is then passed through additional heat exchangers to remove any
remaining heat, and then sent to the distillation column where it is separated into
its individual components.
The use of J-T effect is advantageous because it does not require any external
cooling sources like refrigerants or cooling towers, making it a more energy-
efficient and cost-effective method for chilling the charge gas.
Reverse J-T effect: In a chilling train in a gas processing plant, carbon dioxide
(CO2) is a component which shows a reverse J-T effect. This occurs because the
inversion temperature of CO2 [-56oC] is below the temperature of the expansion
valve.
The thermodynamics behind the J-T effect can be explained by considering the
change in enthalpy and entropy of the gas during the expansion process. The
enthalpy of the gas is the sum of its internal energy and the product of pressure
and volume, while the entropy is a measure of the disorder or a randomness of
the gas molecules.
When a gas expands through a valve, it does work against the external
environment, which leads to a decrease in its enthalpy. However, the gas also
experiences a decrease in entropy due to the restriction imposed by the valve,
which causes the gas molecules to become more ordered.
For most gases, the decrease in enthalpy dominates over the decrease in entropy,
leading to a cooling effect during J-T expansion. However, for gases with an
inversion temperature, the decrease in entropy dominates over the decrease in
enthalpy once the temperature falls below the inversion temperature, leading to
warming effect during J-T expansion.
In summary, the reverse J-T effect occurs when a gas containing components with
an inversion temperature below the temperature of the expansion valve expands
through the valve, causing the gas to warm up instead of cooling down due to a
change in the sign of the J-T coefficient.

Question 2(a): A polydisperse sample of polystyrene is prepared by mixing

three monodisperse samples of 1gm (MW = 10000), 2gm (MW = 50000) and
2gm (MW = 100000) respectively. Using this information, calculate the Poly
Dispersity Index of the mixture.
Answer:
The Poly Dispersity Index (PDI) of a polymer sample is defined as the ratio of
the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) to the number-average molecular
weight (Mn):
𝑀𝑤
𝑃𝐷𝐼 =
𝑀𝑛
To calculate the PDI of the given mixture of polystyrene, we need to calculate the
‘Mw’ and ‘Mn’ of the mixture. The ‘Mw’ and ‘Mn’ of the mixture is calculated
as follows:
∑ 𝑤𝑖 𝑀𝑖2 ∑ 𝑊𝑖 𝑀𝑖
𝑀𝑤 = =
∑ 𝑤𝑖 𝑀𝑖 ∑ 𝑊𝑖
10,000 + (2 ∗ 50,000) + (2 ∗ 1,00,000)
𝑀𝑤 = = 62,000
5

∑ 𝑤𝑖 𝑀𝑖 ∑ 𝑊𝑖
𝑀𝑛 = =
∑ 𝑤𝑖 𝑊
∑ ( 𝑖)
𝑀𝑖
1+2+2
𝑀𝑛 = = 31,250
1 2 2
(10,000) + ( ) + (1,00,000)
50,000
Therefore,
𝑀𝑤 62,000
𝑃𝐷𝐼 = = = 1.98
𝑀𝑛 31,250
Therefore, the Poly Dispersity Index for the given problem is 1.98.

Question 3: Write the following key quality parameters of Impact Co-

Polymer for Polypropylene.
a) Izod Impact
b) Flexural Modulus
c) Melt Flow Index
Answer:
Impact Co-Polymer is a type of polypropylene that is specifically designed for
high impact resistance applications.
a) Izod Impact: This is a measure of the material’s ability to absorb energy
hen struck by a sharp object. For Impact Co-Polymer, the Izod Impact
strength is typically in the range of 20-30 ft-lbs/in.
b) Flexural Modulus: This is a measure of the material’s stiffness and
resistance to deformation when subjected to bending or flexing. For Impact
 Co-Polymer, the flexural modulus is typically in the range of 1,300-1,600
MPa.
c) Melt Flow Index (MFI): This is a measure of the rate at which the material
melts and flows when subjected to heat and pressure. For Impact Co-
Polymer, the MFI is typically in the range of 1.5-3.0 g/10 min at 230oC and
2.16kg load.
Overall, Impact Co-Polymer is a high-performance material that offers excellent
impact resistance, good stiffness, and easy processability, making it well-suited
for a range of applications in industries such as automotive, packaging, and
consumer goods.