ABSTRACT
Plant design which is an iterative
procedure with a route of procession from the input or feed to the
stated objectives, amidst intervening constraints, requires a careful,
well- thought- out, comprehensive specifications of the defined or
desired requirements.
The stated objective in this case is the design of a 60,000 tons/year capacity of a 2- Ethyl Hexanol (C8H18O)
Plant. While many processes exist at producing 2-Ethyl Hexanol (2- EH),
such as the Acetaldehyde Route and others developed by Shell
Corporation etc., the Oxo Process route utilizing propylene and
synthesis gas as feed components was the selected route for this design
work. However, important modifications were implemented to the process
description for effective process optimization, such as to improve the
conversion of efficiencies of process equipment by aid of recycle
processes.
The oxo synthesis began by reacting propylene feed and synthesis gas (CO + H2) in a Rhodium triphenylphosphine catalyzed hydroformylation reaction.
An acceptable design must present a
process that is capable of operating under conditions which will yield a
profit. A simple costing procedure was carried out for the 2- EH Plant
to determine if the design is feasible economically or not based on
certain estimates.
Estimates were prepared using data and
Chemical Engineering plant cost index method in Literature, considering
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria as the location of the plant. Old
cost information was obtained and extrapolated using the Index Method to
the present 2016 costs. These costs were evaluated in U. S dollars. The
Purchased Cost of Equipment (PCE) was valued at $3,150,153.93, while
the Physical
Plant Costs (PPC) or direct costs was
obtained by the factorial costing method at 3.4 times PCE, and valued at
$10,62,544.69. Indirect costs were the expenses which are not directly
involved with material and labor which included design and engineering,
contractor’s fee etc, and were valued at $5,040,246.29. The Fixed
Capital Investment (FCI) was obtained by summing up the direct and
indirect costs, and valued at $16,002,790.98. The Working Capital was
12% of the FCI and both gave the Total Capital Investment of
$17,923,125.90. The start- up cost of plant for production was evaluated
at 10% of TCI.
With a selling price at $1.74/kg, the
60,000 tons/year of 2- Ethyl hexanol plant is expected to have a net
profit of $22,125,469.76 and a payback period of 2.8 years. However,
procedures for safe operation and start- up of the 60,000 tons/year
2-Ethylhexanol Plant was documented.