MEGMonoethyleneGlycol

Ethylene glycol in its pure form, it is an odorless, colorless, syrupy liquid with a sweet taste.
Ethylene glycol is produced from ethylene, via the intermediate ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide
reacts with water to produce ethylene glycol according to the chemical equation. This reaction can
be catalyzed by either acids or bases, or can occur at neutral pH under elevated temperatures. The
highest yields of ethylene glycol occur at acidic or neutral pH with a large excess of water. Under
these conditions, ethylene glycol yields of 90% can be achieved. The major byproducts are the
ethylene glycol oligomers diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and tetraethylene glycol. Its
Molecular Weight is 62.07 g/mol and Normal Boiling Point is 197.1C. Mono-Ethylene Glycol (MEG)
is the other raw-material required for production of Polyester.
Ethylene glycol was first prepared in 1859 by the French chemist Charles-Adolphe Wurtz from
ethylene glycol diacetate via saponification with potassium hydroxide and, in 1860, from the
hydration of ethylene oxide. There appears to have been no commercial manufacture or
application of ethylene glycol prior to World War I, when it was synthesized from ethylene
dichloride in Germany and used as a substitute for glycerol in the explosives industry.
In the United States, semicommercial production of ethylene glycol via ethylene chlorohydrin
started in 1917. The first large-scale commercial glycol plant was erected in 1925 at South
Charleston, West Virginia, by Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Co. (now Union Carbide Corp.). By
1929, ethylene glycol was being used by almost all dynamite manufacturers. In 1937, Carbide
started up the first plant based on Lefort's process for vapor-phase oxidation of ethylene to
ethylene oxide. Carbide maintained a monopoly on the direct oxidation process until 1953, when
the Scientific Design process was commercialized and offered for licenses. Shell, Equistar SABIC,
INEOS, LyondellBasell, Reliance Industries Ltd, Akzo Nobel, BASF, Clariant, Dow Chemical,
Huntsman, LG Chem, Mitsubishi Chemical Corp, Mitsui Chemicals, Sasol, Shanghai Petrochemical,
Sinopec are some of the leading producers of MEG in the world.
Global demand for MEG is estimated to be 22 million tonnes with capacity of 28 million tonnes.
Based on demand for Polyester, demand for MEG continues to remain healthy and is likely to reach
29 million tonnes by 2015. MEG major use is as a raw material for polyester and it also finds usage
as anti freeze and other chemical applications. Reliance is one of the largest manufacturers of
Polyester. Globally MEG demand has seen phenomenal growth over the last five decades to reach a
level of 22 million tonnes. Overall global capacity has reached a level of 28 million tonnes out of
which nearly 70% is contributed by Top 10 producers. MEG Global demand witnessed a robust
growth of 11% in 2010 and is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 6% upto 2015 well above
the expected global GPD growth. Middle East having an advantage of cheap ethane feedstock is a
dominant player in the MEG Industry having built up large capacities of nearly 9 million tonnes.
China has emerged as a main consumption hub having building up large downstream Polyester
capacities to the tune of 30 million tonnes.
In 2006-07, MEG industry in India was at 950 KT and was a small player in the global market. In a
span of five years the industry has grown to 1300 KT. The growth momentum is expected to
continue with industry expected to cross 2 million tonnes mark by 2016-2017. Other major
producers of MEG are IOCL & India Glycol Ltd in addition to RIL.
The Current domestic capacity stands at 1.3 million tonnes in 2011-12, which is lower than current
consumption of 1.84 million Tonnes. The domestic shortfall in supply results in an import of MEG
mainly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore to the tune of 800 KTA/Annum. IGL producing the

MEG through alcohol route is able to export its MEG at a premium. In India with a series of new
Polyester expansion lined up, MEG will continue to be in shortfall even after commissioning. Total
MEG capacity is expected to touch 2.0 MT in 2016 and Reliance Industries Ltd has planned to raise
its capacity from 0.8 MT in 2011 to 1.5 MT in 2016. Nearly 85% of MEG produced by RIL goes for
captive polyester production.
The concept of Green MEG (MEG made from Agriculture based Alcohol) is slowly catching up in
the West with many PET bottle manufacturing marketing it as environmentally friendly less carbon
footprint products.
Mono-ethylene Glycol (MEG) can be used for applications that require chemical intermediates for
resins, solvent couplers, freezing point depression, solvents, humectants and chemical
intermediates. These applications are vital to the manufacture of a wide range of products,
including resins; deicing fluids; heat transfer fluids; automotive antifreeze and coolants; waterbased adhesives, latex paints and asphalt emulsions; electrolytic capacitors; textile fibers; paper
and leather. MEG applications include - Textiles, Packaging, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Film,
sheet and moulded containers for food packaging continue to grow in popularity. Lightweight soft
drink containers based on PTA & MEG are crystal clear and shatterproof. Boil-in-bag pouches use
polyester films, while retortable and microwave packages use coextruded films and containers,
Furnishings, Consumer Goods, Adhesives, Sealants and Coatings, Alkyd Resins for Paints and
Coatings, Antifreeze, Dyes & Inks, Humectants, Explosives, Suspending agents for eltrolytic
conductors etc.
Ethylene Glycol Scientific Design Process:
Scientific Design's Ethylene Oxide/Ethylene Glycol (EO/EG) technology provides the safest and
most efficient means for producing high purity EO and/or fiber-grade monoethylene glycol (MEG).
These products are used in many important derivative processes (several licensed by Scientific
Design) to make a wide variety of industrial and consumer goods such as polyester fibers,
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, and antifreeze
Process Description:
Ethylene and oxygen are combined to produce EO in a multi-tubular catalytic reactor. The highly
exothermic reaction is carefully controlled with proprietary and effective safety systems developed
by Scientific Design. EO produced in the reactor can be separated to high quality purified EO
and/or further processed to produce fiber-grade monoethylene glycol (MEG) as well as di- and
triethylene glycols (DEG, TEG).

Actual

Projected

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

RIL

800

800

800

800

1500

1500

IGL

150

150

150

150

150

150

IOC

350

350

350

350

350

Total

950

1300

1300

1300

2000

2000

Capacity (kt)

MEG: India Demand Supply

Producer

Actual

Projected

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

Capacity

1300

1300

1300

1300

2000

2000

Prod/Cons

1045

1105

1114

1114

1847

1847

Imports

876

1036

1274

1550

1126

1262

Exports

85

85

85

85

85

85

Consumption

1836

2056

2303

2579

2888

3024

12%

12%

12%

12%

5%

(kt)

Cons Growth (%)

The main uses of Antifreeze.

Wikimedia Commons. (21 January 2009)

Antifreeze (Ethylene glycol) is usually mixed with water and put in the
cooling systems of automobiles in order to protect the system from the
negative effects of ice(Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2014). However ethylene
glycol is not limited to the use as a coolant for automobiles, it is also used
as an ingredient of printing inks, paint solvents, as well as a reagent of
polyesters, explosives, alkyd resins, and synthetic waxes (Encyclopaedia
Britannica. 2014). Other fluids that are expected to work during cold
climates such as brake fluid, or shock absorber fluid also contain ethylene
glycol, in order to continue working even in the cold (Schlager, N. 2006).
Ethylene glycol (as an antifreeze) works by dissolving into the water of a
system and reduces the freezing point from 0C, to -37C (Encyclopaedia
Britannica. 2014) as well as raises the boiling point (Lerner, K. 2004). This
allows the water to perform its purpose without the worry of freezing during
cold. climates or boiling during hot climates.

The main uses of Antifreeze.

Wikimedia Commons. (21 January 2009)

Antifreeze (Ethylene glycol) is usually mixed with water and put in the
cooling systems of automobiles in order to protect the system from the

negative effects of ice(Encyclopaedia Britannica. 2014). However ethylene glycol

is not limited to the use as a coolant for automobiles, it is also used as an
ingredient of printing inks, paint solvents, as well as a reagent of
polyesters, explosives, alkyd resins, and synthetic waxes (Encyclopaedia
Britannica. 2014). Other fluids that are expected to work during cold
climates such as brake fluid, or shock absorber fluid also contain ethylene
glycol, in order to continue working even in the cold (Schlager, N. 2006).
Ethylene glycol (as an antifreeze) works by dissolving into the water of a
system and reduces the freezing point from 0C, to -37C (Encyclopaedia
Britannica. 2014) as well as raises the boiling point (Lerner, K. 2004). This allows
the water to perform its purpose without the worry of freezing during cold.
climates or boiling during hot climates.

Manufacturing Ethylene Glycol

(Antifreeze)

Figure 1: The manufacturing process of Ethylene Glycol plant (John J. Mcketta Jr. 1984)

General Manufacturing Process

In the Manufacturing of ethylene glycol, the raw materials are refined ethylene oxide and pure water. Ethylene
oxide (C2H4O) is the oxidation of ethylene (C2H4) so basically natural gas. Ethylene glycol is the hydration of
ethylene oxide so the formula is C2H6O2. The hydration of ethylene oxide is performed at about 195oC (383oF)
without a catalyst, or about 50C to 70C (122F to 158F) with a catalyst (Ethylene Glycol. 2006).

Ethylene Glycol Plant Process

Using the refined ethylene oxide and pure water, they are mixed with recycled waters and pumped to the
hydration reactor after being preheated with hot recycle water and steam. In the glycol reactor, enough time is
provided to react to all of the ethylene oxides. The operating pressure pf the reaction is at a level that
limits/avoids vaporization of the reaction from the aqueous solution.
*Commercial reactors operate at temperatures 190-200oC (374-392oF) at pressures of 14-22 atm depending on
the concentration of the oxide.
The reactor containing the new water-glycol mixture is reboiled using high-pressure steam in the first of multiple
stages of a multiple stage evaporator. The rest of the stages are operated in a sequence of lower pressures and
the final stage is under vacuum. The evaporated water is recovered as condensate (liquid formed by
condensation) and recycled back to the glycol reaction mixing tank. The water-free glycol mixture is then
separated into a series of vacuum distillation towers to produce purified monoethylene glycol and di and
triethylene glycol (bi-products) (John J. McKetta Jr. 1984).
Catalyst - a

substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing
any permanent chemical change.
Aqueous - a solution with water as the solvent.
Vacuum - absence of matter.
(Farlex. The Free Dictionary.)