Amine activators of CO2 absorption in industrial conditions

Twenty-eight two-, three-, four-, and five-component amine mixtures have been evaluated as possible activators of CO2 absorption into aqueous carbonate/bicarbonate solutions. Measurements were per- formed using a pressure autoclave with a sparger at conditions close to industrial ones. On the basis of these results, a formula for a new, more efficient amine activator named INS13 was developed. The activator was tested both in a pilot plant and on an industrial scale in an ammonia plant producing 300 tons/day of ammonia. Activator INS13 was applied in a number of ammonia plants in Poland and abroad

Optimization of a Complex Industrial Process – Role of Process Modelling

Oxidation of cyclohexane in the liquid phase is an important step in production of caprolactam, subsequently converted into polyamide plastics (Nylon 6, Nylon 66). One of the processes commercially employed to oxidize cyclohexane is the Polish CYCLOPOL process. In order to keep pace with other leading companies, the owners of the CYCLOPOL process continue to carry on research and development work, aimed at increasing productivity and selectivity of the process. A model of the process of the catalytic cyclohexane oxidation in the liquid phase, including both reaction kinetics and mass transfer, is presented. The reaction rate constant as well as the activation energies were determined on the basis of the experimental results obtained in a laboratory reactor. The model of the hydrodynamics of gas bubbling through a liquid layer is also presented. This model has been verified experimentally for different organic liquids and columns of different scale. The model has been subsequently used to establish a theoretically based correlation for the bubble diameter by means of a numerical experiment using “virtual liquids”. The two models (of chemical kinetics on the system hydrodynamics) have been integrated to give a comprehensive model of the whole process of cyclohexane oxidation in industrial reactors. Numerical simulation of industrial rectors gave good agreement with the operating data. 2. Keywords: process modelling, cyclohexane oxidation, chemical kinetics, hydrodynamics of gas bubblin