A case study for reactor network synthesis: the vinyl chloride process

Economic and Environmental Competitiveness of Ethane-Based Technologies for Vinyl Chloride Synthesis

The synthesis of the vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), employed to manufacture poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plastic, primarily relies on oil-derived ethylene, resulting in high costs and carbon footprint. Natural gas-derived ethane in VCM synthesis has long been considered a transformative feedstock to lower emissions and expenses. In this work, we evaluate the environmental potential and economics of recently developed catalytic ethane chlorination technologies for VCM synthesis. We consider the ethylene-based business-as-usual (BAU) route and two different ethane-based processes evaluated at their current development level and their full potential, i.e., ideal conversion and selectivity. All routes are assessed under two temporal scenarios: present (2020) and prospective (2050). Combining process simulation and life cycle assessment (LCA), we find that catalytic ethane chlorination technologies can lower the production cost by 32% at their current development state and by 56% when considering their full potential. Though environmentally disadvantageous in the 2020 scenario, they emerge as more sustainable alternatives to the BAU in the 2050 scenario, reducing the carbon footprint of VCM synthesis by up to 26% at their current state and up to 58% at their full potential. Going beyond VCM synthesis, our results highlight prospective LCA as a powerful tool for assessing the true environmental implications of emerging technologies under more decarbonized future energy scenarios.

Halogened hydrocarbons – current trends

Current trends in industrial synthesis of selected halogened hydrocarbons (HHCs) were presented in detail. Special emphasis was put on the most popular compounds, such as chloromethanes (CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl3, CCl4), chloroethene (vinyl chloride H2C = CHCl), chlorobenzene, 1-4-dichlorbenzene and epichlorohydrin. The possibility methods of modification technologies based on literature information were also reported. Presented simple schema, with production conditions, should be helpful in understanding the issues discussed.

Process simulation approach in computer aided industrial design

The work presents the process of design using simulation approach. The fundamental unit operations were described including chemical reaction, separation in distillation units and heat exchange process together with thermodynamics considerations. Detailed description of the available methods and procedure is provided. The design process is based on the use of Chemcad software.

Dehydrochlorination of 1,2-dichloroethane over Ba-modified Al2O3 catalysts

The dehydrochlorination of VC to form ethyne occurs on strong acid sites. Decreasing strong acidic sites, Ba/Al₂O₃ present high VC selectivity and stability in the presence of O₂.