CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 1

Cost Effective Solutions for High-Grade Cyclohexane

Production

Jean-Luc NoccaAxens, IFP Group Technologies

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 2

RSI

ProcatalyseEurecat

IFP School Prosernat

IFPLicensing

AxensFully Integrated Services

July 1, 2001

Axens Core Business: Licensing, Catalysts, Services

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 3

Cyclohexane (CyHex) Market

• CyHex Capacity: 4.5 MMTA

• 90% driven by Nylon 6 or Nylon 66 applications

• 2-3% growth per year

Adipic AcidOthers

Caprolactam

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 4

Cyclohexane Production Routes

• Separation• Benzene Hydrogenation

- Heterogeneous Vapor Phase Catalysis- Homogeneous Liquid Phase Catalysis

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 5

Chemical Reactions

+ H2

Main reaction

Side reactions

Ring opening

Isomerization

+ 3 H2• Highly exothermic

• Favored by low T° & high ppH2

• Impacts final product quality

• Favored by high T°

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 6

Axens Cyclohexane Process

• 99% Bz conversion• Homogeneous

catalysis• Bubble point • Low T°• Reaction heat

produces vapor CyHexand steam

• Polishing reactor

• Guard bed

• Function of H2 make-up quality

StabilizationStabilizationStabilizationBenzene CyHexMain ReactorMain ReactorMain ReactorFixed BedReactor

Fixed BedFixed BedReactorReactor

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 7

Main Reactor Features

• Homogeneous catalysis- Limited initial catalyst inventory- Continuous traces (ppm) of catalyst injection

¤ Constant activity- Tolerant to feed impurities- Simple reactor internals

• Bubble point reactor- Constant reactor temperature- Safety (liquid inventory)

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 8

Finishing Reactor

• Polishing reactor- Fixed bed heterogeneous catalysis- Vapor phase, low temperature- Completes benzene conversion- Probe for main reactor operation

• Extremely long catalyst life- > 10 years

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 9

Off Gas

H2

Catalyst

Main Reactor

Finishing reactor

HP Sep. LP

Sep.

Cyclohexane

BFW

SteamCW

Optional

CyHex - PSA Hydrogen

Benzene

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 10

Benzene

Off Gas

Hydrogen

CatalystHP

Sep.Stabilizer

Cyclohexane

BFW

SteamCW

CyHex - Reformer Hydrogen

Main Reactor

Finishing reactor

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 11

CyHex Characteristics Industrial Results

• Cyclohexane product purity, wt % 99.97 - 99.994

• Total impurities, ppm 60-300

• Methylcyclopentane, ppm 20-100

• Benzene, ppm 5

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 12

Axens CyHex Advantages

• Very high CyHex product quality - Perfect reactor(s) temperature control- Complete benzene conversion (< 5 ppm)- Minimum (no) side reactions

• Low utility consumption- Use of reaction heat to produce steam- No distillation requirement (if PSA H2)

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 13

Axens CyHex Advantages (Cont’d)

• 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 14

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 15

Axens CyHex - Recent Achievements

• Europe- MoGas Benzene reduction project

Morphylane Extractive Distillation + CyHex combination

• Middle East- Existing unit upgrading: >50% capacity increase

• Undisclosed: new unit 400+ kTA

CyHex, Aiche Spring Meeting April 2003 16

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