Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd.

Implant Training
Report

Arjun Anto
Ajin K Boban
Anjana S
Shayista Saleem
Dept. of Chemical Engineering,
Government Engineering College, Kozhikode
8/21/2015
Propylene Recovery Unit (PRU)

Raw Material: LPG

LPG is stored in 4 Horton spheres, with a capacity of 2572m3 and 2 return spheres of
750m3 each.

 Safety Precautions
 A Dike wall is constructed to hold the leaked LPG since LPG is denser than air.
 A pressure safety valve (max.14kg/cm2)
 Hydrocarbon detector
 Deluge system, were air is maintained at a pressure of 3Kg/cm2.
 Radial centrifugal pump is used to pump LPG to column
 LPG from the sphere is preheated using Shell & Tube heat exchanger, LPG on shell
side and bottom product from the distillation column on tube side. LPG from the outlet
is heated to a temperature of 60oC. The bottom product of distillation column after heat
transfer is fed to a trim condenser and is stored in return sphere.
 Distillation Column: It consist of 44 valve trays, feed entering at 20th tray at 60oC;
operating at a pressure of 15.5Kg/cm2. Control tray is 34th tray, operating at 44oC. The
top product is condensed in a 6pass condenser using cool water in tube side and
product in shell side. The condensed product is collected in a reflux drum, draining
water content via boot. One part is refluxed back to the column and the other to the
COS settler.
 COS Settler: MEA(Methyl Ethyl Acetate) is used to remove the sulphur content, water
washed thereafter to remove the caustic. Followed by a coalescer to remove the
moisture content and it is drained through boot. Lean propylene from the coalescer is
stored in the bullet. Here 3 bullets used for storing propylene and 1 for propane. From
the bullets propylene is pumped to the Cumene plant using Sundyne pump.

Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP)

 Effluent stream from Cumene, cumox and frac are fed to into REET (Raw Effluent
Equalisation Tank) of capacity 1000m3
 Effluent from peroxide plant is collected in mixing tank and from PRU into another
tank.
 The effluent streams are mixed well and is fed to a API Oil Separator
 From API, fed to flash mixer. Were a pH analyser is fixed to limit the pH to 8
 The effluent from flash mixer is fed to a clarifloculator, were a conitnous agitation is
provided. Remaining oil is separated out and urea is added to feed bacteria in trickling
bed filters in the absence of plant operation.
 Then it is fed to a trickling bed filter, filled with Pectoria Pseudomona, Nicordia
Corolina, Nicordia Restrica,which consume phenol and other organic compound to a
large extent.
 The treated effluent is sent to TFUF (Trickling Filter Underflow pump) and the
discharge is collected, were one part is recycled back to the filter and other is sent to
the aerator.
 In aerator, continuous agitation is provided for aerobic digestion
 It is then fed to a final clarifier, were its underflow is sent back to the aerator.
 Treated effluent is collected in final discharge, where pH is analysed continuously to
limit the phenol to 1ppm.

Hot Oil Furnace

 Hot oil is used to supply heat in reboilers, heat exchangers etc.

 Here we use Therminol-66 having high specific heat, thermal stability, and corrosion
resistance.
 The furnace used is Dual Fuel Fired Furnace, consisting 9 burners each having a pilot
burner running with LPG, and a main burner running with LSFO (Low sulphur Fuel
Oil) or R-LNG (Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas). Maximum attainable temperature
is 320oC.
 The feed to burner consist of LPG, LSFO, Atomising steam (100.5Kg/cm2) and
controlled air.
 Because of high viscosity, it is pumped using gear pump.
 LSFO and air is preheated before pumping.
 Furnace is insulated with Special grade refractory brick
 The temperature of furnace is controlled by movement of Damper which controls the
natural draft.
 Sootblower is used to remove soot from the tubes in order to increase the heat transfer
rate; steam at 18.5Kg/cm2 is used for the purpose.
 Downstream form the reboiler is mixed with hot oil from the furnace to attain a
intermediate temperature called tempered hot oil.

CUMENE

 Propylene from PRU is water washed in a settler having 20 trays to attain a pH of 6.5
and then is washed with a MSP of 1N solution having pH 4.5-5
 MSP react with basic nitrogen producing Ammonium Phosphate salt. When salt
content increases to 80%, level control valve open to ETP.
 Washed propylene is fed to a mesh type coalescer where water content gets removed
and the outlet is feed propylene.
 The reactor used contains 80 tonnes of catalyst which is divided into 4 beds. Ceramic
balls of height 0.9m are used as a support. Catalyst is filled to a height of 3m. Catalyst
 used is Solid Phosphoric acid i.e. phosphoric acid coated on Kisulgur. A void space of
1.5m is provided between each bed to prevent channelling.
 Process variables in the reactor are:
o Feed composition : 1:2:8 (Propylene: Propane : Benzene respectively)
o Temperature : 185-195oC
o Pressure 34Kg/cm2
o LHSV : 0.8hr-1
o Moisture Content : 100-150ppm
 Feed composition is achieved by control valves, temperature is attained by preheating
the combined feed and combined feed is fed to a charged heater( hot oil) to attain
185oC. Pressure is achieved using pressure control valves. Moisutre is maintained
using water injection pumps (for catalyst activation)
 Reactor outlet is filtered to separate catalyst particles and is fed to Effluent Rectifier.
 In effluent rectifier the inlet flash outs and pressure gets reduced to 18Kg/cm2
 Bottom product is benzene and Cumene and overhead is benzene and propane.
 The overhead is heat exchanged with combined feed and fed to depropaniser (DP).
 DP operates at a 125oC bottom temperature and top temperature of 52 oC and pressure
17.4Kg/cm2. The bottom product is Propane.
 DP is heated using Stabin reboiler( Internal reboiler). The overhead of DP is sent to
partial condenser.
 Pressure in DP is controlled by floating control system
 A corrosion inhibitor – Unicor is pumped to propane tank.
 The bottom of the effluent rectification column is fed to recycle column
 Recycle column: consist of 50 sieve trays, 1-14 are single pass & 14-49 are double
pass to prevent flooding and weeping.
 Overhead benzene in condensed in a kettle type condenser. Heat is recovered using
boiler feed water to generate steam at the rate of 8Kg/h at a pressure of 1.75Kg/cm2.
Steam generated is sent to steam mainstream.
 Overhead benzene is recycled to combined feed stream
 The bottom product is fed to Cumene column
 Cumene column have 80trays operating at 0.8Kg/cm2. The overhead product pure
Cumene is condensed using boiler feed water so as to generate steam at the rate of
4Kg/h at 4.5Kg/cm2.
 Bottom product is hydrocarbons( Turpentine)

CUMOX

Main steps in cumox section are

 Oxidation
 Concentration
 Cleavage
 DNET(Direct neutralization effluent treatment)
 For oxidation purpose, 2 oxidisers are there which is filled with Cumene .
 Air at a pressure of 4.5-5kg/cm2 is supplied through the bottom using a 3stage
centrifugal compressor for controlled oxidation.
 In the first oxidiser 15% of Cumene is concentrated and in the second oxidiser 25%
Cumene is concentrated. Inside the oxidiser a pressure of 3.5kg/cm2is maintained.
 Oxidation rate is determined by analysing the air coming out from the oxidiser.
 In the scrubbing section hydrocarbons are scrubbed out from air and this air is used for
blanketing.
 CHP (Cumene hydro peroxide) produced from the oxidation column is sent to wash
water settler.
 For concentration purpose, CHP from the oxidiser is water washed and then fed to a
preflashing drum where 25% of CHP is concentrated to 45%.The preflasher is working
at vaccum.
 Then it is fed to an evaporator (2 thin film evaporator) where CHP is concentrated to
80%.
 Cumene from the top of the preflasher and evaporator are condensed and recycled
back.
 The concentrated CHP is stored in 2 metallic vessels in a concrete bunker.
 From the storage section it is sent to cleavage, here in the presence of 98% H2SO4
CHP break down to phenol and acetone. Temperature is controlled here (50-55oc) in
order to avoid thermal cleavage.
 Then it is sent to DNET section, in the presence of excess H2SO4 , is neutralised with
sodium phoenate.
 Aqueous layer from the neutralisation settler is fed to a oil extractor which is filled
with Cumene, where phenol get absorbed. This mixture is fed to another tank where it
is treated with NaOH, sodium phoenate is formed and can be recycled back to
neutralisation settler. This tank is EOCSC (Extraction Oil Cumene Scrubbing
Column). The organic layer is fed to 2 wash water settler; aqueous layer is separated
out and recycled back. Top product from the wash water settler is the required product
and is stored in FFT (Fractionation Feed Column).

FRACTIONATION

 Separation of acetone and phenol

 Crude acetone column (CAC): Feed coming from the FFT is preheated and given to
the CAC. CAC consist of 54 sieve trays out of which 20th is the normal feed tray. Feed
is analysed and if acetone content is more, the feed is admitted in 16th tray and if low,
fed to 24th tray.
 Overhead product is acetone along with Cumene and phenol, and bottom product is
heavier hydrocarbons.
 CAC bottom is mainly phenol, Cumene & tar, fed to Tar Column (TC)
 Finished Acetone Column (FAC): Overhead of the CAC is fed to FAC. NaOH (5%) is
given to the FAC for condensation of aldehydes (crotonization).
 FAC consist of 60 trays, feed to the 46th tray and product withdrawn from the 5th tray
and operates at 0.6Kg/cm2 absolute. Temperature is maintained at 68OC. From the
FAC overhead, Acetone is obtained(99.85% min. purity)
 FAC bottom is Cumene and water and is separated to FAC organic & FAC aqueous
 FAC organic is fed to FFT/AMSand FAC aqueous is fed to condenser drum
 Tar Column (TC) : Consist of 40 trays, and 25th is the feed tray.
 Overhead of TC are phenol, AMS, cumene and acetophenon
 Bottom product is tar.
 AMS (Alpha Methyl Stearate): The overhead of the TC is fed to AMS
 Consist of 100 trays, 62nd is the feed tray. Depending on Cumene concentration, feed is
also admitted at 54th and 70th trays.
 Bottom temperature is maintained at 172oC.Control trays is 15th tray.
 Bottom of the AMS is pure phenol, given to the rundown tank followed by a
condenser.
 Overhead of AMS is fed to CCWC
 15% of NaOH is fed to the top of CCWC. Caustic and phenol react to form sodium
phoenate, which is fed to storage feed tank.
 AMS top product is fed to hydrogenation feed tank, where palladium catalyst is used,
to produce Cumene.
 Cumene is heat exchanged with combined feed inlet and is condensed.
 Then fed to high pressure separator. The overhead of HPS is unreacted Hydrogen and
bottom is Cumene.
 HPS bottom is given to LPS.
 LPS overhead is non-condensable and are given out through flare and bottom is
cumox.

Hydrogen Peroxide

 Ethyl Anthraquinone (EAQ) is mixed with SC-150 & sextate . This mixture is known
as working solution.
 It is heated through a economizer and steam heaters.
 Fed to hydrogenator containing palladium catalyst. Hydrogen gas is admitted at the
bottom and working solution is fed to the top of hydrogenator, causing a fluidised bed.
 Hydrogenator level is maintained using nucleonic level detector.
 The product from the hydrogenator is hydrogenated working solution (H2EAQ),
passed through 6 primary micro porous filters (40µm) to filter out the catalyst
particles.
 H2EAQ is fed to oxidiser feed tank, following secondary filters (2 µm) and a safety
filter to separate the remaining catalyst particles.
 H2EAQ + O2  H2O2 + EAQ
 Then to extractor , where water is used for extraction, where aqueous and organic layer
is separated. Aqueous is H2O2 and water.
 The product is scrubbed using SC-150, which can absorb all organic compounds from
H2O2
 Scrubbed product is 35% H2O2
 It is concentrated to 50% by evaporation.
 The product is fed to storage tank is blended with DM water.