Ethylene (H2C=CH2 )

History and introduction

Ethylene discovered by Johann Joachim Becher, who obtained it by heating

ethanol with sulfuric acid . Ethylene (IUPAC name: ethene ) is a gaseous
organic compound with the formula C2H4. It is the simplest alkenes (older
name: olefin from its oil-forming property). Because it contains a carbon-carbon
double bond, ethylene is classified as an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Largest
volume hydrocarbon used in the petrochemical industry and is also a plant
hormone.[2] Ethylene is the most produced organic compound in the world;
global production of ethylene exceeded 107 million tonnes in 2005. Ethylene
is a plant hormone that differs from other plant hormones in being a gas. Ethylene
promotes the ripening of the fruit. Ethylene, also known as the 'death' or 'ripening
hormone' plays a regulatory role in many processes of plant growth, development
and eventually death.

Processing methods

Ethylene produced mainly by thermal cracking of hydrocarbons in the

presence of steam, and by recovery from rtefinery cracked gas.

1.from hydrocarbons by steam cracking

*The hydrocarbon stream is heated and then diluted by mixing with steam,
before entering a tubular reactor.

*Depending on the feed stock used cracking takes place at atemperature of 750-
870 ◦c under partial pressure with a residence time of up to 1
seconds.Reaction is endothermic.

*The exit gases are rapidly quenched to 550-600 ͦc to prevent secondary

reactions the heat is used to generate high-pressure steam.

*After each stage liquid is removed and the remaining gases are treated with
an aqueous caustic alcohol-amine mixture to remove any sulphurous gases
and carbon dioxide.
*Hydrogen and methane are removed in demethanizer .Bottoms from the
demethanizer, containing c2 and heavier products, are fed to the deethanizer,
where acetylene, ethylene and ethane are separated overhead.

*Effluent from the base of the deethanizer passes to the depropanizer and c3
fractions are separated overhead from c4 and higher carbon fractions.
Propylene is separated from propane by fractionation.

Reaction

C2H6 → C2H4 + H2

2. From propylene by disproportionation

*A demethanized propylene-propane stream is fed into a reactor operating at

7 bar and a temperature of 366-450 ◦c and containing a catalyst.

*Catalyst used :-oxides of molybdenum, cobalt , tungsten or rhenium on an

alumina or silica support.

*The effluent gases are fractioned and ethylene is recovered overhead.Any

unconverted propane is recycled to the reactor.

*Bottoms from the fractionator pass into a butene purifier where high purity
butenes are collected overhead. Propylene conversion per pass is around
40%.

Reaction

2 C3H6 →C2H4 + C4H8

3.From ethyl alcohol by dehydrogenation

*Ethyl alcohol is vaporized by preheating with high-pressure steam before

passing over a fixed bed of activated alumina and phosphoric acid .

*The reactors can be either isothermal or adiabatic.The temperature is

maintained at 296-315 ͦ C
*Accurate temperature control is required to minimize the formation of by-
product acetaldehyde or ether. The catalyst is regenerated by passing air and
steam over it to ramove carbon deposits .

* Gases from the top of the reactor are quenched and water washed to
remove any unreacted ethyl alcohol and acetaldehydes. This is followed by
scrubbing with dilute caustic soda which absorbs any carbon dioxide.

*A fluid bed process has been developed which provides a more efficient
means of temperature control and conversion rates of up to 99 %.

Reactions

2 C2H5OH → (C2H5)2O +H2O

(C2H5)2O → 2 C2H4 + H2O

Other processes:-

1.from crude or residual oil

2.from coal

Properties
Molar mass 28.05 g/mol

Density 1.178 kg/m3 at 15 °C, gas [1]

Melting point

−169.2 °C (104.0 K, -272.6 °F)

Boiling point

−103.7 °C (169.5 K, -154.7 °F)

Solubility in water 3.5 mg/100 ml (17 °C)

Acidity (pKa) 44

*Colourless gas with faintly pleasant odour

*Highly flammable and forms explosive mixtures with air.

*Slightly soluble in water. Soluble in liquid hydrocarbons.
 Major hazard : Fire and High Pressure
 Toxicity : Simple Asphyxiant
 Flammability limits in air (STP conditions) : 2.7-34 vol%
 Odour : Sweet

Applications

 Chemicals

In term of quantity produced, ethylene is the most important organic chemical. Ethylene is the
feedstock in the manufacture of the most important polymer: polyethylene.

 Food and Beverage

Ethylene is used to ripen various fruits (largely bananas).

Reference

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene
 http://www.catalyticgenerators.com/whatisethylene.html
 http://encyclopedia.airliquide.com/Encyclopedia.asp?
GasID=29#MajorApplications
 Handbook of petrochemicals and processes,G Margaret wells.