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PRODUCTION OF
ACETYLENE Page | 6
There are two basic conversion processes used to make acetylene. One is a
chemical reaction process, which occurs at normal temperatures. The other is a thermal
cracking process, which occurs at extremely high temperatures. Here are typical
sequences of operations used to convert various raw materials into acetylene by each of
the two basic processes.
To ensure a complete reaction, the solution of calcium carbide granules and water
is constantly agitated by a set of rotating paddles inside the reaction chamber. This also
prevents any granules from floating on the surface where they could over-heat and ignite
the acetylene. The acetylene gas bubbles to the surface and is drawn off under low
pressure. As it leaves the reaction chamber, the gas is cooled by a spray of water. This
water spray also adds water to the reaction chamber to keep the reaction going as new
calcium carbide is added. After the gas is cooled, it passes through a flash arrester, which
prevents any accidental ignition from equipment downstream of the chamber. As the
calcium carbide reacts with the water, it forms a slurry of calcium carbonate, which sinks
to the bottom of the chamber. Periodically the reaction must be stopped to remove the
built-up slurry. The Acetylene may be generated by the chemical reaction between
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calcium carbide and water. Acetylene may be generated by the chemical reaction between
calcium carbide and water. This reaction produces a considerable amount of heat, which
must be removed to prevent the acetylene gas from exploding.
Natural gas, which is mostly methane, is heated to about 1,200 F (650 C).
Preheating the gas will cause it to self-ignite once it reaches the burner and requires less
oxygen for combustion. The heated gas passes through a narrow pipe, called a venturi,
where oxygen is injected and mixed with the hot gas. The mixture of hot gas and oxygen
passes through a diffuser, which slows its velocity to the desired speed. This is critical. If
the velocity is too high, the incoming gas will blow out the flame in the burner. If the
velocity is too low, the flame can flash back and ignite the gas before it reaches the
burner. The gas mixture flows into the burner block, which contains more than 100
narrow channels. As the gas flows into each channel, it self-ignites and produces a flame
which raises the gas temperature to about 2,730 F (1,500 C). A small amount of oxygen
is added in the burner to stabilize the combustion.
The burning gas flows into the reaction space just beyond the burner where the
high temperature cause about one-third of the methane to be converted into acetylene,
while most of the rest of the methane is burned. The flaming gas is quickly quenched
with water sprays at the point where the conversion to acetylene is the greatest. The gas
passes through a water scrubber, which removes much of the carbon soot. The gas then
passes through a second scrubber where it is sprayed with solvent known as N-
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methylpyrrolidinone which absorbs the acetylene, but not the other gases. The solvent is
pumped into a separation tower where the acetylene is boiled out of the solvent and is
drawn off at the top of the tower as a gas, while the solvent is drawn out of the bottom.
SELECTED PROCESS
CKB20104-REACTION ENG. PRODUCTION OF
A C E T Y L E N E P a g e | 11
The chosen process for this design thesis is the thermal cracking process, because
this process produce Acetylene grade A which may not have not more than 0.5%
impurities compared to the acetylene grade B that been produce by chemical reaction
process. Acetylene may be produced from a variety of hydrocarbon feed stocks such as
natural gas, LPG, naphtha, fuel oil and even crude oil by high-temperature cracking in
this process. Heat for the cracking operation is developed by partial oxidation of the feed
stock with oxygen. The heat evolved cracks the excess hydrocarbon to acetylene. After
rapid quenching with water, the acetylene is separated from the gas stream by absorption-
desorption in a suitable solvent. The process is known as Sachasse process using natural
gas as raw material.
Besides that, the burning gas flows into the reaction space just beyond the burner
where the high temperature cause about one-third of the methane to be converted into
acetylene, while most of the rest of the methane is burned. The entire combustion process
takes only a few milliseconds in range of 0.001 to 0.01 seconds. This process also
produce other substance in form of gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen. The cooled effluent gases on the dry basis contain 8% acetylene,
54% H2, 26% CO, 5% CH4, 4% CO2 and 3% N2 and higher acetylenes. . The chemical
reaction for converting methane into acetylene and hydrogen may be written 2 CH 4 C
2 H 2 + 3 H 2 . The other gases are the products of combustion with oxygen. In order to
separate the acetylene, it is dissolved in a solvent such as water, anhydrous ammonia,
chilled methanol, or acetone, or several other solvents depending on the process.
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A C E T Y L E N E P a g e | 12
METHANE
PROPERTIES
Odor Odorless
PROPERTIES
Chemical formula O
Oxygen gas (O2)Ozone (O3)
Molar mass 16 g mol-1
WATER
The burning gas then will continue to flows into the reaction space just
beyond the burner where the high temperature cause about one-third of the
methane to be converted into acetylene, while most of the rest of the
methane is burned.The flaming gas is quickly quenched with water sprays at
the point where the conversion to acetylene is the greatest. The cooled gas
contains a large amount of carbon monoxide and hydrogen with lesser
amounts of carbon soot,plus carbon dioxide,methane,acetylene and other
gases.
PROPERTIES
Chemical formula H 2O
Odor Odorless
N-methylpyrrolidinone
Act as the the solvents which helps to differetiate and absorbs the
acetylene from the other gases.The solvent is pumped into a separation
tower where the acetylene is boiled out of the solvent and is drawn off at
the top of the tower as a gas, while the solvent is drawn out of the
bottom.
PROPERTIES
ACETYLENE
As the carbon move through the water srubber,which remove the carbon
soot.The gas then passes through a second scrubber where the gas passes
through a water scrubber, which removes much of the carbon soot. The gas
then passes through a second scrubber where it is sprayed with a solvent
known as N-methylpyrrolidinone which absorbs the acetylene, but not the
other gases.
PROPERTIES
ETHYLENE
From the thermal cracking process the side product that will be form is
the ethylene.This hydrocarbon has four hydroge atoms bound to a pair of
carbon atoms that are connected by a double bond.Ethylene widely used in
the plant biology,biosynthesis in plants,perception in plants nad the
environmental and biological triggers of ethylene.
PROPERTIES
PRODUCTION OF ACETYLENE
To produce acetylene, calcium carbide is first charged to a large tank containing water and
which is outfitted with slow moving stirring paddles. The carbide is dropped onto the surface
of the water where it is allowed to react spontaneously. Acetylene gas is withdrawn from the
top of the tank while calcium hydroxide and other impurities settle to the bottom of the tank.
The reactor is cooled by internal coils containing cooling water on the exterior of the tank or
both. The calcium hydroxide and impurities produced, is discharged. Acetylene is
compressed and stored in high pressure vessels.
The process of the invention consists of a two-stage reactor system in which calcium carbide
and water are reacted to form acetylene and calcium hydroxide The calcium hydroxide is
subsequently reacted with hydrogen chloride in a neutralizer to form calcium chloride.
The invention embodies a unique, dual reactor configuration in which water and calcium
carbide are mixed in an entrained flow-type reactor. The reaction is allowed to occur in a
dilute aqueous phase with residence times such that the reaction proceeds to 60-90%
completion while in the primary reactor. Entrained reaction products and unreacted feed
material are carried overhead to the secondary reactor which consists of a dense phase,
laminar plug-flow type reactor. Calcium hydroxide intermediate product is allowed to settle
and is removed from the bottom of the reactor. Unreacted water is separated from the calcium
hydroxide by use of an overflow wier and recycled to the primary reactor. The combination
of the Primary reactor and the secondary reactor are such that the majority of reaction occurs
in a stirred-tank reactor type configuration which undergoes a transition in the secondary
reactor to a plug-flow reactor configuration. The plug-flow reactor allows for the completion
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of the reaction of calcium carbide with water. In the presence of excess water, the reaction of
calcium carbide with water is effectively a first order, irreversible reaction.
Calcium carbide
water acetylene Calcium
hydroxide
OPERATING TEMPERATURE
The temperature must be high. It depends on the reaction rate. Generally, as the temperature increases
so does the rate at which the reaction occurs. Temperature control is through the vessel wall.
OPERATING PRESSURE
Plug flow reactor mostly operate at constant pressure. Any pressure drop will effect the performance
of plug flow reactor.
INLET REACTANT AND OUTLET PRODUCTS AND BY-PRODUCT COMPOSITIONS
Calcium carbide is charged into plug flow reactor vessel containing water. The entrained reaction
products and the unreacted feed material are carried over to a secondary reactor to complete the
reaction, and the acetylene gas is drawn off. Calcium hydroxide product is removed from the reactor
and reacted with hydrogen chloride to form calcium chloride. 1 mol of calcium carbide react with 2
mol of water and the product is 1 mol of acetylene and 1 mol of calcium hydroxide.
REACTOR CONVERSION
For irreversible reactions, maximum conversion is complete conversion, X = 1 (100%). The
conversion for this reaction is 60% - 90%.
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Question 1: Background study on the assigned reactor, Plug Flow Reactor (PFR)
i. Introduction of PFR
Plug Flow Reactor (PFR) is also known as continuous tubular reactors (CTR) or
piston flow reactor, consist of a cylindrical pipe with openings on each end for reactants and
products which are continually consumed and obtained, respectively as they flow down
through the length of reactor which the reactor is usually have plug flow, operated at steady-
state and constant density (reasonable for liquids but a 20% error for polymerizations, valid
for gases only if there is no pressure drop, no net change in the number of moles, or large
temperature change) and a single reaction occurring in the bulk of the fluid (homogeneously).
PFR has spatial variation in axial direction but not in radial direction (there is a changes in
reactor in terms of concentration and temperature along axis direction). PFR is an ideal
reactor which have real reactor that can be modeled as combinations of multiple of plug flow.
Real reactor of PFR are tubular, tubular exchanger, fixed bed, radial-flow, fired heater,
serpentine tubular and serpentine fluidized-bed reactor. A material balance on the differential
volume of a plug, on species i of axial length dx between x and x+dx gives: [in]-[out]+
[generation]-[consumption] = [accumulation]
where accumulation is 0 under steady state, therefore, above mass balance can be written as
follows: Fi(x) - Fi(x+dx) + (At.dx.vi.r) = 0
Plugs of reactants are continuously fed into the reactor from the left. As the plug flows
down the reactor the reaction takes place, resulting in an axial concentration gradient.
Products and unreacted reactants flow out of the reactor continuously. PFR in the form of a
tube wrapped around an acrylic mold which is encased in a tank and is configured as one
long tube or a number of shorter tubes. They range in diameter from a few centimeters to
several meters. The choice of diameter is based on construction, cost, pumping cost, the
desired residence time and heat transfer needs. A long small diameter tubes are used with
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high reaction rates and larger diameter tubes are used with slow reaction rates. The tube will
be a tube in a shell and tube heat exchanger.
The application of the reactors type Plug Flow Reactors (PFR) in industries are used
for large-production, slow reactions, homogeneous or heterogeneous reactions, continuous
production and high-temperature reactions and commonly used in industrial processing such
as pharmaceutical, oil and gas and food and drinks. The functions of reactors are to describe
chemical reactions in continuous, flowing systems and predict behavior chemical reactors of
such design so that key reactor variables such as dimensions can be estimated. PFR is
commonly used in industrial processing which works well for liquids, gases and slurries,
which is used more often for gas phase reaction and are used to carry out the process of
Suzuki reaction, Hoffmann reaction, Grignard reaction, Oxidation reaction, biocatalyst,
hydrogenation, Bourne reaction, emulsion polymerization, nano particle synthesis and
counter current extraction. PFR usually used in gasoline production, oil cracking, synthesis of
ammonia from its elements, and the oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide. PFR used
in research on the oxidation of nitrogen compounds.
In oil and gas industry of production of algae, PFR can also be used as bioreactors or
for small scale production. The PFR bioreactor shown below is used for the production of
algae. The algae is then compressed and dried and can be used as feed for a biodiesel reactor.
A portable system and method for producing biofuel from algae are disclosed. In the portable
system, a chemostat and a PFR formed from plastic bladders are interconnected. Further, an
algae separator is in fluid communication with the PFR for removing algae cells. Also, the
system includes a device for processing biofuel from the algae cells. Importantly, the system
includes a temperature controller to maintain desired temperatures in the chemostat and PFR
for algae growth and intracellular algae production.
In process oil refining cracker of high quality of gasoline in industry oil and gas, the
reactant and product flow regimes in the riser is modeled as plug flow assumptions. Plug flow
is that reactor regime in which fluid moves in form of plugs. And along the length of riser
there is variation in composition. That is there are axial variations. Fluid composition is
changing. However radial variations are not present. Along each cross section the
composition with respect to spatial and time domains is constant. Plug flow assumption is
very useful in modeling the riser since there is no back mixing. Back mixing is condition
where the reactor products catalyst etc is moved to rector influent. There they mix with
reactant. And also back mixing leads to condition of mixed flow reactor. And in mixed flow
reactor there is always a less conversion as compared to plug flow. And in our case we are
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requiring higher conversion. Back mixing with bring catalyst with the reactant and product to
influent. In our case of fluidized catalytic cracking the feed is vacuum gas oil and its cracked
products gasoline, coke and lights gases.
REFERENCES
1. Acetylene. (2014) Advameg, Inc. [Online]. [Accessed 13th February, 2016]. Available
from World Wide Web: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-
4/Acetylene.html#ixzz40PWEBw8S
4. Dr. Kelly Y.T.L., Chapter 1: Mole Balance of Types of Reactor in Industry Plug Flow
Reactor (PFR),UniKL MICET, Melaka, 2016, p12.
6. Lanny D.S., The Engineering of Chemical Reactions, Oxford University Press, New
York, 1998.
7. Plug Flow Reactor Model. (2005) Wikipedia. [Online]. [Accessed 13th February,
2016]. Available from World Wide Web:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug_flow_reactor_model
10. Process Flow Sheet of Acetylene Manufacturing from Methane.(2014) Process Flow
Sheet. [Online]. [Accessed 12th February, 2016]. Available from World Wide Web:
http://processflowsheet.com/acetylene-manufacturing-from-methane
CKB20104-REACTION ENG. P R O D U C T I O N O F A C E T Y L E N E P a g e | 25
11. The Production of Acetylene from Methane by Partial Oxidation. (1951) The
University of British Columbia. [Online]. [Accessed 12th February, 2016]. Available
from World Wide Web: https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/stream/pdf/831/1.0059187/1
APPENDICES
A material balance on the differential volume of a fluid element, or plug, on species i of axial
length dx between x and x + dx gives:
Accumulation is 0 under steady state; therefore, the above mass balance can be re-written as
follows:
where:
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