SulzerSulzer ChemtechChemtech Separation Technology for the Chemical Process Industry 0699 2531-5 Technology Leadership The chemical process industry has always been the driving force for Sulzer Chemtech’s innovations. In the early 1960’s, the stringent requirements for the purification of heat-sensitive fragrances led to the development of the Sulzer Packing BX, which set a new standard for vacuum distillation and led to the development of many other unique products. Sulzer Chemtech Achievements: 1964 BX gauze packing for distillation of heat- sensitive fragrances 1977 Mellapak for styrene/ethylbenzene towers 1980 Nutter SVG tray for ethanol separation 1986 Safety concept for hydrogen peroxide Industrial Applications from A to Z purification Acetates 21 1988 Heat pump system for styrene/ethylbenzene towers Acetic Acid 14 1992 Crystallization plant for acrylic acid Air Separation 17 1998 Vapor Permeation Membranes to break Alcohols 3 solvent azeotropes economically Aromatics 4-5 1999 Katapak for the reactive distillation of acetates Caprolactam 10-11 1999 MellapakPlus for styrene towers Diisocyanates 8-9 2000 Shell HiFi tray for xylene splitters Divided Wall Columns 22 Flavours, Fragrances 15 For classical column operations like distillation, ab- Hydrogen Peroxide 18-19 sorption and extraction, and for alternatives such as crystallization, membrane permeation and reactive Oleochemicals 12-13 distillation, we are continuously developing new pro- Pharmaceutical Solvents 20 duct ideas to meet the economical and technical ob- jectives of our customers. For numerous applications Styrene 6-7 Sulzer Chemtech provides superior plant performance, Tall Oil 16 improved product quality, increased capacity, and reduced energy demand. Terephtalic Acid 14 Vitamins 15 Sulzer Chemtech offers a full range of column internals with trays, structured packing, and random packing embedded in column simulation, process design, basic engineering and field services. Color index of the diagrams Sulzer Chemtech is a worldwide leading supplier for • Structured packing separation technology, thanks to our customers and • Trays the confidence they instill into our products and our capabilities. • Random packing From the very first to the very last of our more than • Catalyst 30.000 columns in operation, we have never stopped listening to our customers about their needs. At Sulzer • Mixers Chemtech, we are eager to learn how we can develop • Membrane a successful application for your needs. 2 Alcohols Bioethanol: A source of alternative fuels. Bioethanol, which can be used as Ethanol an automotive fuel by itself or mix- ed with conventional fuels, is made of agricultural products, including Rectifier waste water. The use of this renewable energy Yeast / Sugar / Water source as fuel has the benefits Draw of cleaner combustion and lower emissions of carbon dioxide. Bioethanol is produced through a biological fermentation process, Fermentation Beer still Side stripper followed by distillation/rectification and dehydration. Due to the presence of solids this process is known as a fouling Steam service. Sulzer Chemtech has ex- tensive experience in the use of Water trays for fouling services. Solids / Water SVGTM Trays for Fouling Services The SVG fixed valve is perfect in fouling services: • The lateral vapour release from the SVG allows for a cleaning action on the tray deck, which minimizes fouling • The SVG has a flexible opera- ting range due to the different valve lifts available • The fixed valve trays are very stable from a mechanical point of view • The valve is situated such that it operates parallel to flow, therefore no inlet bars or inlet 0602 2512 weirs are required • The position of the valve is such that the liquid will have no vapour obstructions as the liquid flows across the tray 3 Aromatics Benzene- Toluene- Xylene (BTX) Aromatics Solvent Raffinate Light Ends Extraction Aromatics are produced in large Benzene quantities in catalytic reforming. They can be converted and reco- Toluene vered by extraction, crystallization CCR and distillation in order to maximize yields of desirable products such CH3 as benzene, toluene and xylene. In a complete aromatic unit, a Xylene p-Xylenes variety of columns with trays are Separation Light present. Sulzer has experience in Ends applications with columns with a Isomerization diameter of 0.7 up to 10 meters. o-Xylene Shell Calming SectionTM and Shell CH3 HiFiTM trays are successfully being CH used in aromatic duties like the 3 BTX recovery section. C9+ Xylene Separation P-xylene can be economically se- parated from m-xylene through crystallization. With Sulzer Chemtech’s static crystallization process, it is pos- sible to produce p-xylene with a purity of 99.9% and m-xylene with SMVP Extraction Packing: a purity of 99.5%. For revamping existing columns for capacity/efficiency increase: • Increase of viscosity index • Increase of thermal/chemical Shell Calming Section Trays stability of the lube oil • Maximizes bubbling area • Highest jet flood and vapor handling capacity • Long flow path length • High efficiency • Available in boltless construction • Minimum installation time • Can use many types of bubblers (sieves, valves, fixed 0602 2513-1 valves, etc.) • Small tray spacing to provide maximum stages 0682 2064 0682 • Several hundred columns in operation 4 Nitrochlorobenzene-Isomers (NCB) p-NCB 95% Similar to other isomer separation m-, p-NCB processes, the separation of NCB- LB o-NCB 95% isomers requires multiple theo- retical stages. In addition the heat sensitivity of these substances creates further difficulties in the design of distillation columns, m-,o-, p-NCB thereby necessitating the use of +LB +HB structured packing like the Sulzer BX and Mellapak. Cristallizer HB p-NCB 95% The low pressure drop of our The combination of distillation with structured packing offers a strong a melt crystallization create further advantage to avoid the temperature advantages for the product purity. 0602 2510 limits of the explosive mixtures. Mellapak 250.Y Dichlorobenzene-Isomers (DCB) The separation of DCB is maxi- >99% m-DCB mized by the use of extractive dis- tillation. With the optimal entrainer, the relative volatility (α-value) can be increased, resulting in more econo- mical columns. Sulzer Chemtech has extensive m-, o-, DCB experience in the design of trays, m-, o-, p-DCB packing and internals for extractive Entrainer distillation columns such as for dichlorobenzene, dichlorotoluene, and for the separation of aromatics from non aromatics. Extractive dist. column Stripper 5 Styrene - Leadership in Distillation and Mixing Technology Styrene Monomer Purification Alkylation Benzene Recovery Ethylbenzene Recovery Dehydrogenation Structured sheet metal packings have been in commercial use since the mid 70’s with ever growing Inhibiter BE Inhibiter areas of application due to high separation performance and low pressure drop. Today more than Ethylene 100 columns for styrene monomer Lights distillation have been equipped by Sulzer Chemtech with structured Ethylene Steam packing (representing 70% of the world capacity). Ethylene Drivers for structured packing to- wards mass transfer trays Benzene Flux Oil • Prevention of polymer formation because of reduced pressure PEB drop leading to low bottom Ethylene temperatures BE • Reduction of inhibitor consump- tion because of reduced mean residence time and smaller residence time distribution SM • Increase in capacity, yield and storage purity TO/BE BE SM SM • Energy savings by increasing the number of theoretical stages and Sulzer heat pump technology Inhibiter Inhibiter TO SM finishing system EB/SM Inhibiter EB/SM splitter with vapor TAR recompression Styrene Purification MellapakPlus - A New • Lower fouling risk by smooth Generation and steady change of gas flow • MellapakPlus represents the direction and reduced local newest, high-capacity struc- liquid holdup accumulation at tured packing generation. In ad- the intersection between two dition to the above mentioned layers advantages MellapakPlus offers The performance of MellapakPlus the following benefits for styrene is confirmed by Fractionation Re- search, Inc. (FRI) and more than 15 distillation: 0691 2522-3 0691 2522-4 • Additional 30 - 50% capacity columns for styrene purification are Mellapak MellapakPlus • Remarkable lower pressure in operation with MellapakPlus drop compared to conventional around the world. structured packing 6 Dehydrogenation Offgas treatment Sulzer / Shell Tray Technology Offgas Steam 0602 2512 Steam Steam Flux Oil Condensate EB SM 0602 2513-2 Offgas Separation Trays for your Monomers Ethylbenzene Recovery SM storage Conventional trays • Sieve tray • Valve tray Oligomers • Sulzer SVG / MVG tray • Bubble cap tray • Dualflow tray • Baffle tray High performance trays for revamps Polymers • Sulzer Vortex tray • Sulzer MVGT tray • Shell Calming Section / Additives HiFi tray Polymerisation • Shell Consep tray Sulzer SMR Static Mixer Reactors They are installed in more than 15 styrene polymerisation plants, 0691 2724-3 where they provide: • High heat transfer in small Sulzer Static Mixers SMV volume are installed in the ethylbenzene • Narrow residence time dehydrogenation reactor section distribution of more than 50 plants. They • Low pressure drop reduce the temperature difference 0699 2706-3 down to +/- 2 °C at reactor inlet with minimum pressure drop. 7 Diiscoyanates - Purification Technology for all Demands Diisocyanates MDI & TDI MDI Process Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and methylene diphenyl