Process Description

Toluene L2 is pumped up via P-101 and Hydrogen L1 raw material streams are mixed mixer
MI-101 with the recycled stream of Toluene L36 and Hydrogen L15 respectively before they
are fed on a Heat exchanger F-101 where the temperature is increased and the stream leaving
the heater further heated in the furnace FI-101 then stream L7 into the reactor where toluene
and hydrogen react catalytically to produce benzene according to the following reaction:
7 8 + 2 6 6 + 4
26 6 12 10 + 2

The reactor effluent stream L8 which contains benzene and hydrogen produced from the
reaction altogether with unreacted toluene and hydrogen is quenched in a quencher QU-101
then the quenched reactor effluent stream L9 is recycled back to the heat exchanger where it
is then passed to a cooler CO-101 by stream L4 after being cooled stream L from a cooler is
passed to a flash drum FL-101 where most of hydrogen and methane is separated from
aromatics. Through stream L7 methane and hydrogen is then stream 12 is fed to a purge PU-
101 to avoid accumulation of methane that enters the process as an impurity of hydrogen,
large portion methane is purged out through stream L13 remaining hydrogen and methane is
then recycled back to the mixer. It is impossible to separate all hydrogen and methane from in
a flash drum most of the remaining amount is recovered in distillation columns therefore
stream L from the flash drum and stream L from the quencher are combine through stream L
containing benzene and toluene with trace metals of hydrogen and methane directed to the
stabilizer distillation column ST-101 where the process is being stabilized. Methane and
hydrogen gas is discharged through stream 19 then benzene and toluene though stream is
passed to the product distillation column where benzene is being purified and the pure
benzene is discharged through stream 26 remaining impure diphenyl and toluene is further
transferred to the recycle distillation where toluene is recycled back to the mixer through
stream L32 and diphenyl is discharged through streamL32.
 Stream table
Unit tags Equipment name Stream lines Description
MI-101 Mixer L1 Gas (2 ; 4 ) fed to the
mixer
L2 Fresh toluene fed to the
mixer
FU-101 Furnace L5 Furnace inlet
L6 Fuel feed
L3 Feed from the mixer
F-101 Heat Exchanger L9 Effluent from the
quencher as inlet in the
heat exchanger
L4 FEHE outlet
R-101 Reactor L7 Reactor inlet
L8 Reactor outlet
PU-101 Purge Stream L13 Methane discharged

CO-101 Compressor L14 Compressor inlet

FL-101 Flash Drum L4 Cooler inlet
ST-101 Stabilizer Distillation L19 Hydrogen and methane
column released
L23 Bottom product
BC-101 Product Benzene L26 Benzene produced
Distillation Column
L29 Bottom products
TC-101 Recycle Toluene L32 Diphenyl by-product
Distillation Column
L35 Toluene Recycled
Valves and action of all controllers
Automatic valves Action of controllers
AV1 Controls the pressure of the fresh fed gas
which is hydrogen and methane.
AV2 Controls the flow of fresh feed toluene.
AV3 Controls the temperature of fuel fed in the
furnace.
AV4 Controls the pressure of the recycled gas
which is hydrogen and methane that enters
through the compressor
AV5 Controls the concentration of the purged
methane discharged, for safety of the
environment.
AV6 Open valve that allows hydrogen and
methane from the flash drum to flow to the
purge
AV7 Controls the temperature of the cooler to its
set point
AV8 Controls the level of the flash drum
AV9 Controls the temperature of the quencher
AV10 Controls the pressure of gases hydrogen and
methane from the stabilizer
AV11 Open valve enables the flow from the flash
drum and the quencher to pass
AV12 Controls the temperature of the condenser.
AV13 Controls the level of the stabilizer
AV14 Controls the temperature of the Reboiler
AV15 Controls the temperature of the heat
exchanger that increases temperature of
pure benzene.
AV16 Controls the temperature of the condenser
AV17 Controls the level of product benzene
distillation column
AV18 Controls the temperature of the Reboiler
 AV19 Controls the level of recycle distillation
column
AV20 Controls the temperature of the condenser

The reason why the purge stream is needed.

Yes, the purge is necessary. In this process separation of unreacted feed and product is not
easily accomplished methane acts as an inert as it does not react with toluene. The process is
not limited by equilibrium considerations thus the undesired path the purge stream is
introduced in order to avoid the accumulation of products in the process as the products is
recycled with an unused reactant and the product does not react further be withdrawn in a
purge stream. The purge is fuel gas containing methane product and unused hydrogen.

INVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

The waste generated during the process of the hydrodealkylation of toluene when producing
benzene are methane that is discharged in stabilizer distillation column and by-products
diphenyl that separated from the excess toluene in the recycle column.

Impact of the waste product in the environment

During the process the methane is release as the waste product than it is deposited to the
atmosphere which is causing the greenhouse gases. If the methane is allowed to leak into the
air before being used form a leaky pipe for instance. Methane is more effective in the
atmosphere also creates ground level ozone and it also contributes to global warming.
Although level of methane in the environment are relatively low but its high global warming
potential. The methane has no much impact in humans health but its depends in the
concentration of methane. At extremely high concentration in an close space the reduction in
oxygen levels could lead to suffocation

The potential impact of by-product diphenyl is extremely flammable, the combustion is very
rapid oxidation
The location of the plant that will be operating the toluene
dehydrodealkylation process of producing benzene.
Benzene has been observed to be very toxic for both humans and experimental animals. In
halation of benzene potential exposure can lead to death by either inhalation, absorbing by
skin contact and ingestion. Benzene also causes depression of white and red blood cells
therefore its advisable that this plant be located in escalates away from communities.

For geological factors it is advisable that HDA process plant be located in green field and
brown field sites because its waste products are highly toxic they corrode the soil when they
are disposed in land and when spilled in water it is toxic for aquatic animals.

HDA plant should be located in a place where it will be easy to access raw materials,
availability of a suitable energy, where there existence of infrastructure such as water and
sewage supplies, where there will be availability of transport links and also where can access
to workforce with suitable skill levels.

Mitigation methods of waste products

Methane can be carbon captured instead of being disposed in atmosphere to prevent
greenhouse gas. Also it can be controlled to maintain low concentration by diluting the
concentration range.

For diphenyl
Module Sub-module Deviatio Causes Consequences 6Safeguards Recommen
n dations

FU-101 Fuel gas in No flow Burner control Less temperature

fails shut heated product out

More Burner control More temperature

flow fail open heated product out
Furnace tube Burner control
overheat. Furnace system
tube fail.
Burners fail to Release of Burner control Use
ignite flammable gas. system. explosion
Explosion risk. doors
Less flow Burner control Flame fails. Burner control
fail partly Explosive system.
open. Burners atmosphere
partially develops.
blocked.
Less Burners Less temperature Damper control
pressure partially
blocked
Hot product High Temperature More temperature
temperatu control fails heated product out
re high.
Low Temperature Less temperature
temperatu control fails heated product out
re low
P-101 Inlet No flow Pump fails. No flow from
upstream units of
C7H8
Furnace tubes
overheat. Possible
tube failure.
Flow control Full head pressure Kick back line.
valve fails developed. Pump
closed overheats. Seals
damaged.
More Spare pump More flow to Ensure
flow running in downstream unit maintenance
error. instructions
preclude
running
parallel
pumps
incorrectly.
Flow
controller.
 More flow from Flow
upstream units controller.
Pump seal fail Environmental Use canned
contamination. pumps if
necessary.
Consider
requirement
for remote
isolation
More flow upstream
units
Less flow to
downstream

Flow control More flow to

valve fails downstream
open. unit.
More flow
from
upstream
units
Less flow Flow control Less flow to
valve fails part downstream
open. units.
Less flow
from
upstream
units

Introduction

Benzene is an important organic chemical compound in a form of 6 6 one of the most

elementary petrochemical that is extracted naturally from crude oil and also can be
produced by various processes. In this project benzene is produced using toluene
hydrodealkylation process, operating to produce a desired rate of benzene at a purity of
99.98mol%. Toluene and hydrogen reacts to produce benzene and methane but then the
side reaction if formed by excessive benzene that produce undesired product diphenyl and
hydrogen environmental impact assessment is done and mitigation methods are provided
to ensure that during the manufacturing the environment is protected from all the potential
exposure in toxic emissions and waste disposal. The process was operated that the inlet
reactor pressure maintains approximately 500psig, the pressure drop approximately 35psi
between the feed stream and the flash drum and minimum and maximum temperatures
1150 and 1300 respectively. The reactor exit stream is quenched to 1150 in order to
minimize the side reaction. The process functioning and analysis is represented through
simulation.
Discussion
It was observed that during process of producing benzene the feed in the reactor is
substantially hotter than the rest of the process which is crucial to the operation of the
process
 Plant location
Greenfields

Brownfields