PTHALIC ANHYDRIDE PLANT (PAN)

Raw materials: O-xylene and Air

Catalyst:

Vanadium pentaoxide

Product:

Pthalic anhydride

By-product:

Malic anhydride

Reaction:
V2O5

C8H10+3O2
Reaction Mechanism:

C8H10O2+2H2O

Flow sheet:

Process:
Air at 21000kg/hr passes through a preheater (N2 for compression).This
undergoes sublimation and temperature is reduced.
O-xylene is fed to two tanks (one tank is kept standby) and both air and o-xylene
are fed to the reactor.
In the reactor, air and o-xylene are at high temperature and in order to cool it salt
solution is continuously passed through it.
Note: if the T of the salt solution reaches 1deg the reactor trips and plant stops.
As salt solution passes through reactor, temperature of mixture decreases and
there might be a case when mixture and salt solution will be in equilibrium. In order
to prevent this, salt solution is recycled and fed to reactor via u-tube heat exchanger
where salt solution is passed through tubes and liquid (downtherm) through shell side.
Salt solution comprises of three salts i.e.NaNO3, NaNO2, KNO3.
From the reactor it passes through gas cooling system comprising of primary and
secondary gas cooling.
In the PGC, vapour mixture is passed through hollow tube with BFW surrounding
it. The temp of mixture reduces and this mixture is passed through SGC with
same principle as PGC.The temp is much lower than that of PGC.
In the course of cooling temp of BFW will also increase and steam is produced.
This steam is collected in HP and LP tank for PGC and SGC respectively.HP and
LP tank are half filled with water and steam .The steam is recycled and new BFW
is fed to gas cooling system.
The product from SGC is to 3 condensers with 2 working and 1 kept as a standby.
Freezing and melting process takes place in these condensers. In the condensers,
distilled water is passed through tubes provided with fins (to increase surface
area) due to which xylene freezes over tubes .this freezed produce is then
liquefied using steam passed through same tubes. This liquid mixture is collected
in CPT.
From CPT, The xylene goes to reboiler with coolant water through tube side and
xylene and other byproducts through shellside. The product from distillation
column is set to vacuum using steam type ejector and obtained product is divided
into three parts: purge cut (residue), fore cut (recycled), hut cut (pure PAN).
Fore cut contains PAN along with air and malic anhydride (MAN) which are
removed in scrubber and air is as exhaust and malic acid as byproduct.
From hut cut (3 tanks) pure PAN goes through flaking system .Flaking system
consists of hollow drum where PAN condenses and removed as flakes by slitter.

Phthalic Anhydride Applications:

In the production of
Plasticizers like DOP, DEP etc.
Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR), which are used to produce fibreglassreinforced
resins
Alkyd resins, used in solvent-based coatings, paints, varnishes and lacquers, and
printing inks
Plastics from vinyl chloride as a chemical intermediate
Phthalate esters, cellulose, resins & cellophane
Phthalonitrile Phthalimide for insecticides
Polyester resin
Dyes like Anthraquinone, Phthalocyanine, etc. in the manufacture of textile &
printing inks
Polyester Polyols

The primary use of TCCs Phthalic anhydride (PA) is as a chemical intermediate in the
production of plastics from vinyl chloride. Phthalate esters that function as plasticizers
are derived from Phthalic anhydride. Phthalic anhydride has another major use in the
production of polyester resins and other minor uses in the production of alkyd resins used
in paints and lacquers, certain guys, insect repellents, and urethane polyester Polyols.
Phthalic anhydride has also been used as a rubber scorch inhibitor and retarder. The
second largest outlet for PA is in unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) which are usually
blended with glass fibres to produce fibreglass-reinforced plastics. Principal markets are
construction, marine and transportation. The third largest outlet is PA-based alkyd resins
that are used in solvent-based coatings for architectural, machinery, furniture and fixture
applications.

Small volume uses for PA include the manufacture of dyes and pigments, detergents,
herbicides and insecticides, fire retardants, saccharin and polyester resin cross-linking
agents.