Team 16: The ChemiesTeam 16: The Chemies It’s not easy being greenIt’s not easy being green

Dave JankeDave Janke Mike HallMike Hall

Briley LambertBriley Lambert Laura HamiltonLaura Hamilton

OutlineOutline

Project OverviewProject Overview Process Flow DiagramProcess Flow Diagram Design DecisionsDesign Decisions ObstaclesObstacles Obstacles OvercomeObstacles Overcome Current StatusCurrent Status QuestionsQuestions

Project OverviewProject Overview

Design a pilot plant to produce poly(Design a pilot plant to produce poly(--hydroxybutyrate), a biodegradable hydroxybutyrate), a biodegradable polymer.polymer.

O

N

OO

NAl

+

Co(CO)4 -

O O

NZn

N

O Pr

+CO

Carbonylation beta-butyrolactoneepoxide Ring Opening Polymerization

O

O n

Poly(Beta-hydroxybutyrate)"PHB"

Process Flow DiagramProcess Flow Diagram

-butyrolactone

Condenser

Reboiler

Distillation Column

-BL

CO purge and recycle

Propylene Oxide (liq)Catalyst 1

PO recycle

Extruder

PHBpellets

Agitated Bubble Tank

Static Mixer

Membrane Separator

Carbon Monoxide (g)

Catalyst 2

Catalyst 1recycle

Design DecisionsDesign Decisions

Agitated bubble tank reactorAgitated bubble tank reactor Good mass transferGood mass transfer Long residence time possibleLong residence time possible Preliminary size – 210 litersPreliminary size – 210 liters Impeller and mixing equipment Impeller and mixing equipment

Picture from Chemineer, Inc.

Design DecisionsDesign Decisions

Membrane separatorMembrane separator Remove first catalystRemove first catalyst

Static MixerStatic Mixer CostCost Heat TransferHeat Transfer

Picture from Chemineer, Inc.

ObstaclesObstacles

Reactor sizingReactor sizing Gas hold-upGas hold-up MixingMixing SpargerSparger

Polymerization reactionPolymerization reaction Heat exchangeHeat exchange Residence timeResidence time

Obstacles OvercomeObstacles Overcome

Reaction KineticsReaction Kinetics Properties of Properties of ββ-butyrolactone-butyrolactone HYSYSHYSYS

Enthalpy of reactionEnthalpy of reaction DistillationDistillation

Current StatusCurrent Status

Request for mixing/gas dispersion bookRequest for mixing/gas dispersion book Reactor design estimatesReactor design estimates Distillation design in HYSYSDistillation design in HYSYS Commercially available equipmentCommercially available equipment

ExtruderExtruder Mixing EquipmentMixing Equipment Membrane SeparatorMembrane Separator

Questions?Questions?