AROMATICS

AND

DERIVATIVES

MX SORBEXTM PROCESS
APPLICATION
World meta-xylene production was less than 40,000 metric tons per annum (MTA) in 1970, but increased to approximately 170,000 MTA in 1995. It is expected to be 500,000 MTA by 2000. The early productive capacity of metaxylene was based on an HF-BF3 extraction system. Units built in the USA, Italy and Japan in the late 1960s and early 1970s had an aggregate capacity of 200,000 MTA. The MX Sorbex process, UOPs latest commercial Sorbex application, recovers meta-xylene from mixed xylene feedstocks. Mixed xylenes refers to a mixture of C8 aromatic isomers including ethyl benzene, para-xylene, meta-xylene, and ortho-xylene, which boil so closely together that separating them by conventional distillation is not practical. The MX Sorbex process can be integrated into an existing UOP aromatics complex that includes the ParexTM process. The feed to the MX Sorbex process would, in that case, typically be the Parex unit raffinate product stream, which is depleted of para-xylene and thus rich in meta-xylene. However, the MX Sorbex process is quite flexible and can use a variety of C8 aromatic feeds, including mixed xylenes based on reformate, hydrogenated pyrolysis gasoline, or even mixed xylenes from the TatorayTM process. When processing a typical Parex unit raffinate, the MX Sorbex process can easily produce meta-xylene at 99.5 wt-% purity at 95 wt-% recovery per pass. The MX Sorbex technology has been developed to meet increased demand for purified isophthalic acid (PIA). The growth in demand for PIA is linked to the copolymer requirements for PET bottle resin applications, a market growing at up to 20% per year.

Aromatics Complex
Para-Xylene
Parex Mixed Xylenes MX Sorbex Meta-Xylene Light Ends

Xylene Splitter
Isomar A9+ Clay Treater

Deheptanizer Column

of a liquid feed over a solid bed of adsorbent. Feed and products enter and leave the adsorbent bed continuously, at nearly constant compositions. The number of adsorbent beds and bed lines varies with the Sorbex application. At any given time, only four of the bed lines are active, carrying the net streams into and out of the adsorbent chamber. The rotary valve is used to periodically switch the positions of the liquid feed and withdrawal points as the composition profile moves down the chamber. A pump provides the liquid circulation from the bottom of the first adsorbent chamber to the top of the second. A second pump provides circulation from the bottom of the second adsorbent chamber to the top of the first. In this way, the two adsorbent chambers function as a single continuous loop of adsorbent beds. The MX Sorbex process operates with an isothermal bed of a solid adsorbent. All process streams are in the liquid phase. Fresh feed is raised to the appropriate process temperature by conventional heat exchange, filtered, and pumped to the adsorbent chambers via the rotary valve. Meta-xylene is separated from the feed in the adsorbent chambers and leaves the adsorbent section in the extract line via the rotary valve. The dilute extract is then fractionated in the extract column to produce 99.5 wt-% meta-xylene as the bottoms product. The desorbent is taken overhead and recirculated back to the adsorbent section of the unit. All the other components present in the feed are rejected in the adsorbent chambers and leave in the raffinate line via the rotary valve. The dilute raffinate is then fractionated in the raffinate column to recover desorbent. As in the extract col-

PROCESS DESCRIPTION
The MX Sorbex process is part of UOPs family of Sorbex adsorptive separation processes. Sorbex technology is UOPs innovative adsorptive separation method for highly efficient and selective recovery, at high purity, of molecular species that cannot be separated by conventional means of fractionation. Unlike conventional chromatography, the continuous Sorbex process simulates the counter-current flow

MX Sorbex Process
Adsorbent Chambers

Economic Evaluation
Basis Meta-xylene product rate, KMTA Meta-xylene, $/MTa Total plant investment, $MMb Production Costs $/MT Meta-xylene Raw material less by-products Consumables Utilities Variable Cost of Production Labor Maintenance (1.5% of invest.) Overhead Interest on working capital Fixed Cost of Production Cash Cost of Production Capital charges Net Cost of Production Economic Parameters Gross profit, $MM/yr Pretax profit, $MM/yr Pretax ROI, % Payout period, yr 100 925 61.6

Rotary Valve

meta-Xylene Rich Feed

Line Flush Raffinate

Extract

220 negligible 15 235 5 8 14 18 45 280 55 335 64.5 59.0 96 1.04

Raffinate Column

Extract Column

Desorbent Raffinate to Storage or Isomerization

m-Xylene Product

umn, the desorbent is taken overhead and recirculated back to the adsorbent section.

ECONOMICS
Typical performance data for an MX Sorbex process unit producing 100,000 MTA of meta-xylene is shown at right. This example assumes the MX Sorbex unit is integrated within an existing UOP aromatics complex with a Parex unit. The feed to the MX Sorbex process is the Parex unit raffinate product. However, as noted, the MX Sorbex process can use a variety of C8 aromatic feeds.

a. The basis for product values reflects September, 1999 USGC spot prices for meta-xylene, with both para and meta depleted xylenes streams valued at $15/mt less than USGC mixed xylenes spot prices ($235/MT). b. Total plant investment includes ISBL erected costs, off-sites allowances at 30% ISBL costs, interest during construction at 10%/yr over two years, initial adsorbent inventory costs and process license fees.

MX Sorbex Feed Basis

C8 Aromatics Distribution Meta-xylene Ortho-xylene Ethylbenzene Para-xylene Wt-% 65.5 20.5 13.0 1.0

As of mid-1999 there are four MX Sorbex units in operation. These units represent an aggregate production of 263,000 MTA of meta-xylene, which exceeds the existing HF BF3 technology installed nameplate capacity.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information, contact your UOP representative or UOP at: Phone: 1-847-391-2000 Fax: 1-847-391-2253

The economic summary below gives a pretax ROI of 190% and a payback time of six months for an integrated plant.

uop
1999 UOP LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not to be taken as a warranty or representation for which UOP assumes legal responsibility nor as permission or recommendation to practice any patented invention without a license. It is offered solely for your consideration. UOP 2699C-19 899AD1T

TM

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