Styrene production plant

vinylbenzene production plantProject kneadProject DefinitionThe aim of this motif was to design a cinnamene plant that produces 30,000 kg/h of styrene using the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene (EB). This report determined whether the dehydrogenation of EB is an effective (both chemical substance substancely and economic altogethery) and viable method of producing styrene. The paper sought to determine this by analysing the production outgrowth, cost of the building and running a styrene plant, and the alchemy involved.Process DescriptionIncident ReviewMaterials Hazard DataRaw Materials, Intermediates, Products By-ProductsEthylbenzene is prejudicial, a combustible lucid and is a severe eye irritant. It is the reactant used in the main process of the plant. It dehydrogenates to signifier styrene as the main reaction, but other side reactions form toluene and benzene. This chemical would cause problems with conjures on locate. ethylbenzene should be unplowed asi de from the other inflammable materials in process, to avoid the risk of fire.Styrene is a flammable liquid, mildly toxic, bad when inhaled ( for example it may cause headache, nausea, dizziness, muscle weakness produces central nervous trunk depression irritates nose, lungs and throat.), and it moderates irritation to eyes and skin. Styrene is confirmed as a carcinogen. It should be produced by the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. This chemical cannister produce major injuries if a fire starts on site. The best condition for this chemical to be stored is on site for as short a time as possible, before be transported a stylus by the tanker. Due styrene is flammable liquid it should be stored away from both other flammable substances such as ethylbenzene, toluene and extra cargon should be taken to inform the fire go of the danger, to construe it is dealt with it promptly and properly. Pressure can build in component and they need to be look into for weakened points.Toluene is actually flammable, can cause irritation to skin and is harmful if inhaled. It is formed as one of the side reactions in the reactor, when styrene reacts with the hydrogen formed. dismission of containment would cause problems, due to the additional fire risk. The chemical should be kept away from flammable chemicals.Benzene can cause cancer, is toxic, very flammable, annoy to eyes and skin. It is harmful for example it can cause lung damage if swallowed. Benzene is formed in the process by the reaction of ethylbenzene and hydrogen. Benzene is the near(prenominal) violent chemical in this process. Loss of containment could pretend very serious off-site do. Cleaning up of each(prenominal) spills would be a problem, and extra care must(prenominal)(prenominal) be taken into account to ensure that people are trained to do so, as this chemical can destroy the purlieu.EffluentsSteam is used as a power in order to suffer the reaction going, and thus does not offendicipa te in whatsoever chemical reaction itself. It is not toxic, moreover large amount are required, and care must be taken that this water is taken from a suitable source. The water is reusable in this process. The risk of loss of containment depends greatly on the pressure of the steam, excluding the temperature, it should be relatively low risk.Emissions from other facilitiesThis would need to be completed when it is known what is being released by facilities lift by.Support MaterialsKOH is corrosive and harmful if swallowed. It catalysts the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene and reduces the energy required for this reaction.Fe2O3 is non toxic, has no risk to it and should not be considered as a precarious chemical. It is used as part of the catalyst for the main reaction of dehydration of ethylbenzene. Loss of containment shouldnt cause many problems, and neither should storage or transport. There are no special treatment problems with this chemical.Tertiary butyl catchol is toxic to aquatic organisms, can cause skin sensitisation and is an irritant. It lowers the amount of tars the styrene forms from polymerisation. tendency of this substance would be difficult, and care must be taken to dispose of it in a way that is unhurt for aquatic organisms. Relatively small amounts of it are needed, as it is just an addition to the styrene, and doesnt take part in any of the main reaction.ServicesThe services required for this chemical plant are strong water, electricity and gas. Some of the gas go out be provided in the plant itself by the combustion of the well-to-do reaction products, but gas will still be provided.Principal Materials of ConstructionMaterials encountered during construction/destructioni. Important physical and chemical propertiesii. Significant chemical reactionsiii. Materials toxic, reactive or severe environmental regardiv. Estimates of inventoryv. Off site cause of Loss of Containmentvi. Means of treatment and storagevii. Special handling problems environmental Aspectsenvironmental Impact StatementAs chemical engineers it is our duty to ensure that pollution is kept to a minimum where safety of the environment and natural habitats are key introductoryities by safe and abstract means of containment and disposal of all waste and effluents involved in the manufacture of styrene.Other environmental ConsiderationsThe interest identifies how the product (styrene) is going to be stored, controlled and monitoredProduct StyreneProblem/Harm to environment Mildly toxic, flammable, irritive to eye, consumption may cause headache, nausea and dizziness.Means of Containment As table 1 indicates styrene would be best stored in Ny nylon, PE polyethylene, SS stainless steel or TF- Teflon containers. A thick container of this material would be most withdraw to store styrene as it offers only slight changes in mass or dimensions of styrene. Hirst (2002, p.90). irresponsible and Monitoring when exposed to styrene, wear protectiv e clothing such as long overalls and thick appropriate gloves to avoid direct contact with the product.Additional safety precautionso solely clothes which have been in contact with product should be washed and rinsed immediately.o Air ventilates in all rooms to except any harmful dehydration.This table identifies all by products and wastes produced during the manufacture of styrene and offers reasonable solutions as to how they can be disposed ofHealth ToxicologyOccupational Health StatementStatutory mental picture limitsSpecific Requirements for functionTransport And SitingPossible Modes Of Transport For Styrene ProductionBy RoadBy RailBy FerryTransport StagesDue to the hazardous nature of the materials that we are going to be handling in order to produce styrene we have to undergo various safety precautions whilst transporting the materials.Because of the flammability hazard (in certain circumstances) and the sulfurous smell, all loading/unloading activities should preferab ly be carried out, having regard to the prevention of the ignition sources and styrene vapour emissions in the workings arena.An inspection of the transport equipment should be carried out by the loading terminal staff before, during and after loading. The inspection list detailed inAppendix 5is recommended for use.Previous Cargoes And CleanlinessA tank that carries Styrene Monomer should not have carried the following substances as any of the last two cargoes Caustic soda Pyrolysis gasoline Fuel oils lubricate oilsTanks to be loaded with Styrene Monomer should not be cleaned with materials which are reactive with Styrene Monomer or TBC, or cause increased colour, odour or a chloride problem. Salt water should never be the last wash because of possible chloride contamination.Because of the effect of the application of heat to styrene, steam cleaning of adjacent tanks to compartments which contain styrene or styrene residues is strictly not allowed.Facilities using styrene shoul d have developed and implemented a comprehensive spill prevention and emergency response plan.This plan should address1. Spill detection methods,2. touch notification procedures,3. Community contacts for notification and advice on evacuation needs,4. Fire prevention and protection,5. Provisions for spill containment/clean-up,6. Environmental protection,7. Compliance with applicable local regulations or laws. feeling of Loss of Containment on Occupied BuildingsPotential Effect From Existing PlantsIit is only slightly soluble in water (approx. 300 ppm at ambient conditions) and wherefore the acute hazard of spilled styrene will be very limited for most aquatic species. moreover styrene may cause tainting (unpleasant taste) in food from aquatic organisms exposed to low environmental concentrations. tally to the Standard European Behaviour Classification (Bonn Agreement) styrene is classified as a floater evaporator.Styrene is a monocyclic alkenyl aromatic compound with a molecular weight of 104. Being rather volatile and having a flash point of 32 oC, styrene is classified as a flammable substance, which in use may form flammable/explosive vapour-air mixtures. Despite its high boiling point, styrene will at last end up in the air.Short-term exposure to styrene in humans results in respiratory make, such as throat irritation and lung constriction, irritation to the eyes, and neurological effects such as dizziness (see Section 3 Health Aspects for more details). To date styrene is classified in the EU as harmful by inhalation, irritating to the eyes and to the skinVery low concentrations of styrene vapour will react with bromine and with chlorine in sunlight to form an extremely potent lachrymatory agent. (causes tear to form, irritation and can even lead to blindness)Conformance With Company PoliciesCompany policies concerning Health, condom and the Environment1. Smoking is prohibited in all heavenss of the premises both indoors and outdoors and in any ot her enclosed spaces. Smoking is only permitted in a specified location at a safe distance from the facility and all equipment.2. Food and drink should only be consumed in eat areas and all employees must thoroughly wash their hands prior to handling food.3. Fire extinguishers must be present in all parts of the premises. One should be in every room/corridor or other separated enclosure. It must be unobjectionablely visible and accessible. All Employees must be richly trained in their operation.4. Fire alarms must be present in all rooms/corridors and must be clearly signed and accessible at all times.5. All workers should not lift any objects which they are physically uncomfortable with lifting. They must ask for assistance during any moving process and move of chemicals/other hazardous materials should always be supervised.6. Where necessary, workers must wear suitable physical protection. This includes hard hat, coat, gloves, gape etc. Protection guidelines should be availabl e in all processing areas and must be clear and visible.7. All materials presenting potential health risks must be carefully and properly contained. This should be checked prior to and after moving, and at least once daily.8. All equipment must be maintained properly and on a regular basis to the manufacturers guidelines. This must be carried out by whatsoeverone qualified to do so and must be supervised.9. Equipment involving high temperatures and pressures must be located at a safe distance from all areas by and large populated by employees.10. Equipment conditions (temperature, pressure, flow rate etc) must be consistently monitored and alarms must be in place to detect loss of control.11. Controls must be capable of complete shutdown and isolation of any and all equipment and pipes.12. Emissions must be carefully controlled and must fall within limits set by the Environmental Health Agency.13. All the above policies must be reviewed monthly to ensure there are being upheld cons istently. This must be carried out by an external professional.The styrene plant will adhere to all the policies set out above and all the policies will be considered and incorporated into the design of the plant to ensure they can be consistently and efficiently met.Consent Levels And Safety, Health And Environmental Protection CriteriaEnvironment choose sizing of the plant is yet to be studied, but based on a plant in Somerville Rd Brooklyn in Melbourne owned by Huntsman Chemical Company of Australia Pty Ltd, it is likely to be approximately 40 hectares (400 km2). Depending on the proximity to civilisation, this area may increase to create a safe perimeter.Wildlife will be affected by this development and so study needs to be done into the location of the site and habitation. Some wildlife may equally be a potential hazard to the operation of the plant itself. to-doThe exposure limit values are a daily or weekly personal noise exposure of 87 dB and a peak sound pressure of 140 dB . Study thusly needs to be done to investigate the level of noise produced by the machines that will operate in this plant.Health EffectsAs described in section 2, many of the materials involved present risks to health. All outputs in the liquid phase are irritants and some are known carcinogens. Several of the gaseous outputs are asphyxiates and flammable. The following emission controls are enforced by law (time weighted average)Ethylbenzene TWA 100 STEL 125 (ppm) United terra firma (UK)Benzene TWA 1.6 (mg/m3) United Kingdom (UK)Styrene Long-term exposure limit (8-hour TWA limit reference period) 430 mg.m-38.4 Personal Safety CriteriaNoise workers should be provided with noise protection when noise levels exceed the noise exposure limit declared above.Emissions In places of the plant where there is gaseous output, workers should be provided with dust respirators or gas masks where necessary. All workers must be given training on identifying gas leaks and emergency procedures.Ma chinery persisters should be provided with personal protection when working with machinery or handling equipment. This includes gloves, hard hat, protective boots and visibility jackets. Workers should be trained not to lift any heavy or dangerous material.Organisational, Human Factors Emergency RequirementsSuitability and Availability of StaffNew systems of Work and ProceduresSite Emergency Facilities and Roles/ResponsibilitiesFacilities for peak construction staffingSustainabilityEnvironmental ResponsibilityThe EU authorities have conclude that styrene is not bio-accumulative and meets the ready biodegradation criteria of the 29th Adaptation to Technical Progress of the Dangerous Substances Directive. The European Environmental Risk Assessment of styrene has concluded that no classification is needed.Persistence of Styrene in the environment is very limited because of its volatility from soils and show up waters, its fast destruction in air and its biodegradation in soils, a nd surface and prime waters.Styrene is moderately toxic to aquatic organisms. Due to its high depletion rate from water the exposure rate may be very low.More details on Styrene environmental effects can be found in Section 4Environmental Aspects.What happens when styrene enters the environmentFor the most part, inert products such as plastic parts, packaging etc. introduce styrene into the environment done the manufacture and disposal processes with examine of styrene contamination being found in air, water and ground soils. However, in unlinked liquid form it enters the environment quickly and in larger quantities through evaporation and is to a fault further broken down by bacteria found in water and soils allowing further rapid entry. It is not expected to enter the food chain by grazing animals.How does it affect humansSurprisingly, for a fairly commonly used industrial product, little is known about the effects of styrene on us, what we do know to date is that although expo sure may not lead to any symptoms at all, alert high levels of styrene for short periods can lead to possible respiratory problems and nervous system effects such as depression, tiredness, nausea, muscle weakness, ENT irritation. There is currently no test data on the effects of breathing low levels for a long time, nor is any data available on the effects of use or absorption although animal studies revealed various symptoms such as damage to the brain, kidneys, liver and lung along with some reproductive effects.The International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Environmental Protection Agency has as well now determined that styrene could be a possible carcinogen to humans in airborne form and several studies of workers have shown that breathing styrene may cause leukemia. There is no current evidence to support any cancer or health risks for nal nished products containing styrene where skin contact or expenditure has occurred.Clearly, styrene is a toxic, dangerous produc t in its raw form. It nds its way into the market in either solid form e.g. plastic parts, packing etc. or in liquid form. It is not harmful to humans in its inert solid form although it is harmful to the environment if not disposed of correctly. It is harmful to humans in liquid form both as a nished product and during manufacture.WEALTH insane asylumThe process of producing styrene on a large scale has a major benefit particularily on the local population surrounding the styrene plant as there is a great trope of jobs that are created for people. The local lodge can therefore take advantage of this and unemployment levels in the local area should plummet. The general wealth of the community will in turn increase and so the plant is in effect responsible for the local area becoming more prosperous financially.Social Development win StudiesFurther Studies would have to be conducted in the following area to assure the construction of the plant is safe and feasibleWildlife in the l ocal area Affect any emissions/noise might have.Local community whether the local community would be content with a styrene production plant in the areaNoise produced by plant equipmentEmissions of Benzene, Ethylbenzene, and Methylbenzene produced by the plants after reduction methods are complete. These gases are hazardous and have exposure limits which must be met.Emergency procedures and effects of plant layout