Cost Effective Solutions for High-Grade Cyclohexane Production

Jean-Luc Nocca Axens, IFP Group Technologies

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Axens Fully Integrated Services

RSI

July 1, 2001

Eurecat

Procatalyse

IFP
Licensing

IFP School

Prosernat

Axens Core Business: Licensing, Catalysts, Services

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Cyclohexane (CyHex) Market

Others

Adipic Acid

CyHex Capacity: 4.5 MMTA 90% driven by Nylon 6 or Nylon 66 applications 2-3% growth per year

Caprolactam

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Cyclohexane Production Routes

Separation Benzene Hydrogenation

Heterogeneous Vapor Phase Catalysis Homogeneous Liquid Phase Catalysis

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Chemical Reactions

Main reaction
+ 3 H2

Highly exothermic Favored by low T & high ppH2 Impacts final product quality Favored by high T
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Side reactions
Isomerization

Ring opening

H2

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Axens Cyclohexane Process

Benzene Main Reactor Main Reactor

Fixed Bed Fixed Bed Reactor Reactor

Stabilization CyHex Stabilization

99% Bz conversion Polishing reactor Homogeneous catalysis Guard bed Bubble point Low T Reaction heat produces vapor CyHex and steam

Function of H2 make-up quality

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Main Reactor Features

Homogeneous catalysis

Limited initial catalyst inventory Continuous traces (ppm) of catalyst injection

Constant activity

Tolerant to feed impurities Simple reactor internals Constant reactor temperature Safety (liquid inventory)
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Bubble point reactor

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

Finishing Reactor

Polishing reactor

Fixed bed heterogeneous catalysis Vapor phase, low temperature Completes benzene conversion Probe for main reactor operation > 10 years

Extremely long catalyst life

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

CyHex - PSA Hydrogen

Main Reactor Catalyst Benzene Finishing reactor HP Sep.

Off Gas

LP Sep. Cyclohexane

H2 BFW

CW Steam

Optional
CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

CyHex - Reformer Hydrogen

Main Reactor

Finishing reactor

Off Gas

Catalyst Benzene Hydrogen Steam

BFW HP Sep.

Stabilizer
CW

Cyclohexane
CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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CyHex Characteristics Industrial Results

Cyclohexane product purity, wt % 99.97 - 99.994 Total impurities, ppm Methylcyclopentane, ppm Benzene, ppm 60-300 20-100 5

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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Axens CyHex Advantages

Very high CyHex product quality

Perfect reactor(s) temperature control Complete benzene conversion (< 5 ppm) Minimum (no) side reactions Use of reaction heat to produce steam No distillation requirement (if PSA H2)

Low utility consumption

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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Axens CyHex Advantages (Contd)

Safety

Reaction heat removed at constant temperature 2nd generation catalyst for main reactor
easy to handle, non-pyrophoric liquid catalyst

Low investment
No proprietary equipment No fired heater or HP steam heater Carbon steel equipment

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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CyHex Capacity Increase

Reactor residence time is not limiting! Simple increase in homogeneous catalyst addition rate Increased heat removal by operating conditions adjustment Over 10 units operating at 110-150% design capacity

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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Axens CyHex - Recent Achievements

Europe

MoGas Benzene reduction project Morphylane Extractive Distillation + CyHex combination Existing unit upgrading: >50% capacity increase

Middle East

Undisclosed: new unit 400+ kTA

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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Axens CyHex Process - Conclusions

Original & performing Low cost Versatile and flexible Industry benchmark for over 40 years (> 50% of worldwide capacity)

Thank You For Your Attention

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003

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