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MTP Plant
Process Description
MTP
Process Description
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Rev. Sheet
DrLB
04.07.2003
BaHe
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08.07.2003
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Process Description
1 The MTP Process
Lurgis MTP process is based on an efficient combination of the most suitable reactor system and a very selective and stable zeolite-based catalyst. Sd-Chemie AG manufactures the fixed-bed catalyst commercially. It provides maximum propylene selectivity, has a low coking tendency, a very low propane yield and also limited byproduct formation. This in turn leads to a simplified purification scheme that requires only a reduced cold box
system as compared to on-spec ethylene/propylene separation.
A MTP plant with a feed of 5000 t/d methanol produces 1410 t/d propylene, 540 t/d MTP-gasoline and 109 t/d
MTP-LPG. In addition, with an extension of the plant 60 t/d of ethylene can be recovered from the purge gas
which is otherwise used as fuel. Approximately 2800 t/d of process water are generated from the methanol.
Both the propylene and the ethylene are of polymer grade. The MTP-gasoline is an excellent blending stock for
refineries due to its total lack of sulfur, low benzene content and its high octane number.
The process can be described along the simplified process flow diagram in section 2 of the document.
The catalyst features high activity and high selectivity achieving an almost thermodynamic equilibrium. The reaction is exothermic and the reaction equilibrium is nearly independent of the operating pressure.
The DME Reactor is fed with fresh methanol and a recycle methanol stream. This stream is the overhead product of the Methanol Recovery Column, which recovers methanol and DME from aqueous streams.
The product of the DME Reactor is sent to the three MTP Reactors. Of the three MTP Reactors two are in operation and one is in regeneration or in stand-by. Having three MTP reactor trains, each with 50% of the plant capacity, ensures a continuous operation of the plant. To optimize reaction control each MTP Reactor has six beds.
The DME reactor product is split to feed the beds of each MTP Reactor in operation. The DME feed to the first
MTP Reactor bed is mixed with a hydrocarbon recycle stream and dilution steam from the Process Steam Vaporizer. The mixture is further heated and than fed to the MTP Reactors.
In the MTP Reactor the DME/MeOH mixture is converted to olefins on a zeolite-based catalyst. The reaction is
described by the following summary equation:
n CH3OCH3 (DME)
2 Cn H2n + n H2O
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About 85 % of the carbon from the fresh feed (DME or MeOH) reacts to olefins in the range of C2 to C8 with the
peak at propylene.
The above-mentioned high selectivity towards propylene requires operating temperatures around 450C over the
catalyst beds and an operating pressure of 0.15 MPa. Side products from the reactions in the MTP Reactors are
naphthenes, paraffins, aromatic components and light ends. The oxygen chemically bound in the methanol results in process water.
The intermediate reaction product from each catalyst bed is cooled and mixed with additional fresh DME / MeOH
feed before entering the next catalyst bed.
The quantity of fresh DME / MeOH feed to each catalyst bed is adjusted in such a way that the adiabatic temperature rise is almost the same for each bed. This guarantees similar reaction conditions resulting in maximum
overall yield of propylene.
During operation small amounts of heavy hydrocarbons are formed which partly block the active sites of the catalyst. In order to minimize carbonization, process steam is added to the feed of the first MTP catalyst bed. The
steam also serves as a heat sink for the exothermic reaction and thus supports the control of the temperature
rise over the catalyst.
The hydrocarbon recycle to the first MTP reaction stage increases the propylene yield by conversion of olefins
other than propylene to the same product range as the DME feed. In addition, the hydrocarbons serve as a heat
sink for the exothermic reaction, supporting temperature control over the catalyst bed.
The regeneration of the MTP Reactor is performed in situ by controlled combustion of coke with an air / nitrogen
mixture. The catalyst is regenerated at temperatures close to the normal operating temperature, thus keeping the
possible thermal stress to a minimum.
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Generic Information
Project Name
5000 t/d
Methanol
Project No.
H2O
Vaporizer
Dilution
Steam
Methanol
Recovery
Column
DME /
MeOH
Recycle
DME
Reactor
6th bed
5th bed
4th bed
3rd bed
2nd bed
1st bed
MTP
Reactor A
H2O
C4 / C5 / C6+
C2-Splitter
C7+
C5 / C6
Purge
C4
Purge
Propane
C3-Splitter
C5 / C6
Recycle
Dehexanizer
C4
Recycle
DME / MeOH
C4
DME
Removal
System
C4- /
DME
Debutanizer
HC
Liquid
incl. DME
C3
Deethanizer
H2O
Demethanizer
C2C3-
C2Recycle
(4 stages)
HC
Vapour
Compression incl. DME
Quench
System
HC Recycle
Optional
2800 t/d
Process
Water
540 t/d
MTPGasoline
109 t/d
MTP-LPG
(C3/C4)
1410 t/d
Propylene
C2- Purge
(Fuel Gas)
60 t/d
Ethylene
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