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UOPS PAREX: MODELING, SIMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION

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 2nd Mercosur Congress on Chemical Engineering
4th Mercosur Congress on Process Systems Engineering

UOP´S PAREX: MODELING, SIMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION

Mirjana Minceva, Alírio E. Rodrigues*
Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering (LSRE) - Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto

Abstract. UOP (Universal Oil Products)´s PAREX process is Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) based process
for p-xylene recovery from mixed xylenes. The industrial SMB units operate in liquid phase (T=180ºC and
P=9 bar) and present high p-xylene purity and recovery, high on-stream efficiency, and extended adsorbent
life. In this work the PAREX process is investigated from modeling, simulation and optimization point of
view. The liquid phase xylenes adsorption on ion exchanged fuajasite type of zeolite was measured in a batch
mode. The Langmuir model was used to describe the experimental adsorption isotherm data. The
kineticsstudy has shown that the macropore diffusion is the rate controlling mechanism. The PAREX unit
operation was modeled with True Moving Bed (TMB) modeling strategy. The “separation volume”
methodology is applied for the SMB unit design in presence of mass transfer resistances. The influence of the
switching time and p-xylene purity and recovery requirements on the unit productivity was investigated. The
optimum operating conditions that lead to maximum p-xylene productivity and minimum desorbent
consumption were also determined. The proposed model, simulation package and optimization procedure are
useful tools for training of the PAREX unit operators and for choice of the best operating conditions.

Keywords: Simulated Moving Bed, xylenes and PAREX.

1. Introduction

Xylene isomers are used on large scale as industrial solvents or intermediates for many derivatives. The most
important isomer in the modern polyester industry is p-xylene. The worldwide p-xylene capacity at the end of
2001 was around 21.4 million metric tons per year. The expected global average annual p-xylene growth
between the year 2000 and 2005 is 5.5% and is going to decline slightly to around 4.3 % between 2005 and
2010.
The sources used for xylene production (catalytic reformate, pyrolysis gasoline and toluene
disproportionation) contain a mixture of xylene isomers. The separation of the xylene isomers is a classical
problem in the petrochemical industry, because of their close boiling points. The first separation processes were
based on solvent extraction or crystallization. Since 1971, when UOP commercialized the first Parex unit,
Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) chromatography has emerged as a superior technology for continuous
countercurrent separation of a p-xylene from C8 aromatics mixture. Typical p-xylene recovery per pass is over
95% for simulated moving bed technology, compared to only 60-65% for crystallization.
The PAREX (SMB) unit consists of a set of columns connected in series; the countercurrent flow of solid
and liquid phases is simulated by the periodic shifting of inlet (feed and desorbent) and outlet streams (extract
and raffinate) in the direction of the fluid flow (Fig. 1). Separation is accomplished by exploiting the differences
in affinity of the adsorbent for p-xylene relative to the other C8-isomers on faujasite-type zeolites, among which
prehydrated KY, BaKX and BaX zeolite hold an important place. The adsorbed p-xylene is removed from the
adsorbent by displacement with a desorbent. 99.9% pure p-xylene and mixture of the o-, mxylene and
ethylbenzene depleted in p-xylene are withdrawn in the extract and raffinate, respectively. There are three main

*
To whom all correspondence should be addressed.
Address: LSRE-FEUP, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto– Portugal
E-mail: arodrig@fe.up.pt Phone: 351 22 5081671. Fax: 351 22 5081674
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industrial processes for p-xylene separation from mixed xylenes based on SMB technology: UOP´s Parex
(Broughton and Gerhold, 1961), Toray´s Aromax (Otani et al., 1973) and IFP´Eluxyl (Pavone and Hotier,
2000).

Fig. 1. PAREX process (AC=adsorbent chamber; RV=rotary valve; EC=extract column; RC=raffinate column; Lines: 2-
desorbent; 5-extract; 9-feed; 12-raffinate).

Despite the commercial importance of xylene isomers, the available information in literature concerning the
equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption is fragmentary and often contradictory. Among the numerous new
applications of SMB in the pharmaceuticals and fine chemistry, the p-xylene separation as one of the oldest is
less explored in terms of modelling, simulation and optimization. One of the reasons, beyond the license
property, is the industrial scale capacity of this unit that can reach 750,000 metric tons per year. The objective of
this work is to address these two issues, namely: (i) experimental determination of xylene adsorption parameters
on ion exchanged fuajasite type at industrial operating conditions and (ii) contribution to a better understanding
of the PAREX unit operation based on modeling, simulation and optimization.

2. Experimental Section

2.1. Adsorbent and Reagents

The reference adsorbent is Ba exchanged faujasite-type of zeolite. The adsorbent is in form of spherical
pellets with an average pellet diameter 0.062cm (pellets between 0.03-0.1cm) and crystal size 1-2µm. The ion
exchanged faujasite zeolites selectivity to p-xylene depends on the pre-adsorbed water in the zeolite, 2-6 wt%
(Furlan et al., 1992; Neves, 1995; Tournier et al., 2001). The procedure described in Minceva and Rodrigues
(2004) was used to adjust the quantity of the pre-adsorbed water in the adsorbent to 3 wt%.
The p-xylene, o-xylene and ethylbenzene were used as adsorbates. According to the literature data m-xylene
has very similar adsorption equilibrium on faujasite type zeolites as o-xylene (Santacesaria et al., 1982; Neves,
1995); therefore, it was not considered in the adsorption study. The 98% pure i-octane was used as a not
adsorbable solvent.

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2.1. Equilibrium and Kinetics of Adsorption

The adsorption equilibrium and kinetics experiments were carried out in a glass jacketed 1dm3 autoclave
(Büchi, Switzerland), operating in a batch mode. For each experiment (adsorption equilibrium or kinetics) a
volume of 0.35-0.4 dm3 of single xylene solution in i-octane with an initial concentration between 1 and 10wt%
was introduced in the adsorber; around 30g of the pre-treated adsorbent is placed in a basket at the top of the
stirrer shaft and the adsorber is closed and pressurized with He. When the operation conditions (T=180ºC and
P=9 bar) are reached the mixing is started; the basket falls down along the stirrer shaft and gets in contact with
the xylene/i-octane solution (time zero in the kinetics experiments). More details about the experimental set-up
and experimental procedure can be found elsewhere (Minceva, 2004)
The p-xylene, o-xylene and ethylbenzene adsorption equilibrium data at 180ºC were fitted with the Langmuir
isotherm (see Fig.2):

q m bc *
q* = (1)
1 + bc *

0.14

0.12

0.1
q*, g/g

0.08

0.06

0.04
p-xylene
0.02 ethylbenzene
o-xylene
0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05
3
c*, g/cm

Fig. 2. Adsorption equilibrium isotherms of p-xylene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene at 180ºC and 8 bar
(symbols-experimental and lines-predicted with Langmuir model)

The calculated Langmuir parameters for p-xylene, o-xylene and ethylbenzene are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Langmuir isotherm parameters at 180ºC and 9bar.

component b,cm3/g qm, g/g

p-xylene 1940.9 0.1024
ethylbenzene 1026.3 0.0966
o-xylene 888.4 0.0917

The Ba exchanged faujazite saturation capacity for p-xylene slightly higher than that for ethylbenzene and
saturation capacity for ethylbenzene slightly higher than that of o-xylene.
The macropore diffusion model was used to describe the kinetics of adsorption of p-xylene, o-xylene and
ethylbezene onto Ba exchanged faujazite adsorbent. The mathematical model is based on following
assumptions: (i) spherical bidisperse adsorbent particle with homogeneous size; (ii) negligible external mass

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transfer; (iii) diffusion in the macropores is rate controlling; (iv) instantaneous equilibrium between the liquid
phase in the macropore and the crystals of Langmuir type; (v) constant temperature. The mathematical model
describes well the xylene uptake curves (see Fig. 3). The results of the complete adsorption kinetics study are
presented in Minceva and Rodrigues (2004)
0.07
p-xylene
0.06 ethylbenzene
o-xylene
0.05
c, mol/dm3

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
t, min
Fig. 3. p-xylene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene uptake curves at 180ºC and 8 bar
(symbols-experimental and lines-simulated with macropore diffusion model)

3. Modelling and Simulation of the PAREX process

The SMB (Fig. 4a) principle of operation can be easily understood in reference to equivalent True Moving
Bed (TMB). In a TMB (Fig. 4b), the liquid and solid phases flow in opposite directions.

Fig. 4. Schematic diagram of (a) SMB and (b) TMB unit

The inlet (feed and eluent) and outlet (extract and raffinate) ports are fixed along the unit. According to the
position of the inlet and outlet streams, four different operation zones can be distinguished: zone 1, 2, 3 and 4
(see Fig. 4b). The net flow rate has to be selected in each zone in order to ensure the regeneration of adsorbent in
zone 1, the desorption of the less strongly adsorbed component in zone 2, the adsorption of the more strongly
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adsorbed component in zone 3, and the regeneration of the eluent in zone 4. These conditions will guarantee the
success of the separation, as the more retained component moves to the extract port with the solid phase and the
less retained component moves to the raffinate port with the liquid phase. The major problem in TMB operation
associated with the movement of the solid phase was overcome by the introduction of SMB technology. An
SMB unit consists of a set of interconnected columns in series; countercurrent flow of the solid and liquid
phases is simulated by the periodic shifting of the inlets and outlets in the direction of the fluid flow.
The TMB process is a limiting case of a SMB process with an infinite number of columns and an infinitely
small switching time as well as column length. In a previous work (Minceva and Rodrigues, 2002) it was
confirmed that the performance of an industrial scale SMB units (24 columns) for p-xylene separation can be
reasonably predicted with the equivalent TMB modeling strategy. The main reason for modeling of an
equivalent TMB unit instead of the real SMB unit lies into different level of difficulty involved in the solution of
the two models and the required time for their computation. TMB operates in steady state and its stationary
behavior could be described by a set of ordinary differential and algebraic equations.
The steady state equivalent TMB model considers axial dispersion flow for the liquid phase and plug flow
for the solid phase, linear driving force (LDF) for the intraparticle mass transfer rate and multicomponent
adsorption equilibria described by the Langmuir isotherm. The model equations are:
Mass balance in a volume element of zone j

εDL j
d 2cij
dz 2
− εv j
dcij
dz
( )
− (1 − ε ) k L i cij − c pij = 0 (2)

Particle mass balance

⎛ d c pij dqij ⎞⎟
us ⎜ ε p
⎜ dz
+ ρp
dz
+ k c − c pij = 0
⎟ L i ij
( ) (3)
⎝ ⎠

1 1 1
= + (4)
k Li k f ε p k p

5 Dm τ
where: k p =
rp
and kf =
Sh p d p
Dm
Sh p =
1.09
ε
(Re p Sc )0.33 (5)

Adsorption equilibrium isotherm

qmi K i c pij
qij = (6)
Nc
1 + ∑ K i c pij
i =1

Boundary conditions
D L j dc ij dc ij
z = 0; c ijin = c ij − and z=L =0 (7)
vj dz dz

c pij , L j = c pij +1, 0 for j = 1....23 c pij , L j = c pi1, 0 for j = 24 (8)

where i is the number of the components i = p − x, m − x, o − x, eb, p − DEB , j is the number of the zones
j = 1, 2, 3, 4 , cij and c pij are the bulk fluid phase and average pore concentrations, qij is the adsorbed phase

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concentration in equilibrium with c pij , k Li is the global mass transfer coefficient, DL j is the axial dispersion
coefficient, ε is the bed porosity, ε p is the particle porosity, v j and u s are the liquid phase and solid phase
interstitial velocities and z is the axial coordinate. The mass balances at the nodes of the inlet and outlet lines of
the TMB are:
Desorbent node:

Q4 + QD = Q1 , 4 Q4 + ci , D QD = ci ,1Q1
ciout in
(9)

Extract node:

Q1 − QX = Q2 ,1 = ci , 2 = ci , X
ciout in
(10)

Feed node:

Q2 + QF = Q3 , 2 Q2 + ci , F QF = ci ,3Q3
ciout in
(11)

Raffinate node:

Q3 − QR = Q4 ,3 = ci , 4 = ci , R
ciout in
(12)

The model equations were numerically solved by gPROMS (gPROMS V2.3.1 User Guide, 2004).
The PAREX operating conditions and model parameters are presented in Table 2. The feed is 23.6 wt% p-
xylene, 49.7 wt% m-xylene, 12.7 wt% o-xylene and 14 wt% ethylbenzene. The p-diethylbenzene was
considered as desorbent. According to data from the literature (Tournier et al., 2001) the p-x/p-DEB selectivity
on Ba exchanged faujasite zeolite is around 1. The p-DEB Langmuir parameters used in the simulation are
b=1902.8cm3/g and qm=0.1045 g/g

Table 2. PAREX geometry, operating conditions and model parameters.

PAREX unit geometry PAREX operating conditions Model parameters

Lc =1 m t * =1.1 min Pe = v j L j / D L j = 1200
dc =4 m Q FSMB =80.00 m3/h ε =0.29

Number of columns: 24 Q XSMB =87.00 m3/h ε p =0.37

Configuration: 5-9-7-3 Q RSMB =241.65 m3/h ρ p =1.48 g/cm3

Q DSMB =248.65 m3/h d p =0.062 cm

Q1SMB =546.81 m3/h

Influence of the switching time. The influence of the switching time on p-xylene purity and recovery was
studied.

c XPX
PUX =
p-xylene putiry (%)
(c PX
X + c XMX + c OX
X + cX
EB
) ×100 (13)

c XPX Q D
p-xylene recovery (%) REX = × 100 (14)
c XPX Q F

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The p-xylene purity and recovery calculated for switching time between 1.06 and 1.13 min for two different
feed flow rates, (i) low-QF=10 m3/h and (ii) high-QF=80 m3/h feed flow rate (see Fig. 5). For both cases the
operating conditions and model parameters used are those presented in Table 2. When low feed flow rate is used
the p-xylene purity above 99.7% and recovery above 97% can be obtained in large window of switching time (t*
between 0.6 and 1.12 min). This is not the case when high feed flow rate is used; the same performances can be
obtained just for t*=1.11. The reason for this behavior is the location of the operating points in the ( γ 2 , γ 3 )

separation region, where γ j = v j u s (see Fig 5b).

100 100 1.9

1.8
95 90 QF=80 m3/h
1.7

90 80 1.6
Recovery, %
Purity, %

γ3 1.5
85 70
1.4
QF=10 m3/h
80 60 1.3

1.2
75 50
1.1

70 40 1
1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9
t*, min γ2
(a) (b)
Fig. 5. (a) Influence of switching time on p-xylene purity and recovery QF=10 m3/h (bold lines) and QF=80 m3/h
(thin lines); (b) operating points in ( γ 2 , γ 3 ) plane for QF=10 m3/h and QF=80 m3/h.

The influence of the switching time on the size and positions of the separation regions with PUXmin=99.7%
and REXmin=90% is presented in Fig. 6a.

1.85 100 0.030

1.75 95
Desorbent consumption, m 3/kg

90 0.025
Productivity, kg/m h

1.65
3.

85
1.55
γ3 80 0.020
1.45
75
t*
1.35 0.6 min 70 0.015
0.7 min
1.25 0.9 min
1.1 min 65
1.3 min
1.15 60 0.010
1.15 1.25 1.35 1.45 1.55 1.65 1.75 1.85 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3
γ2 t*, min
(a) (b)
Fig. 6. Influence of switching time on the (a) separation regions and (b) p-xylene productivity and desorbent consumption in
the vertex of the separation regions.

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The separation regions become smaller with decrease of the switching time. For switching times lower than
0.5 min the separation is not possible. The reason for this behavior is the contact time; the contact time is not
sufficiently long to ensure the mass transfer of the components from the liquid to the solid phase.
The p-xylene productivity (Eq. 15) and desorbent consumption (Eq.16) in the vertex of the separation region
for each switching time are presented in Fig. 6b. The maximum productivity with a minimum desorbent
consumption is obtained for a switching time between 0.7 and 0.8 min.

QF c p − x, F
productivity PR = (15)
Vads

QD
desorbent consumption DC = (16)
QF c p − x, F

Influence of the p-xylene recovery. The influence of the p-xylene recovery on separation region for t*=0.9 min
is presented in Fig. 7a. The separation regions shrink from the right side; the left side border remains unchanged
since the p-xylene purity requirement is kept unchanged, PUXmin=99.7 %. The p-xylene productivity and
desorbent consumption were calculated in the vertexes of the separation regions for p-xylene recovery 90%,
94% and 98% (see Fig 7b). The p-xylene productivity decreases around 40% and desorbent consumption
increases around 40% when the required p-xylene recovery increases from 90% to 98%. It is advantageous to
operate the PAREX unit with 90% p-xylene recovery, since the p-xylene lost in the raffinate is anyhow recycled
in the process by passing through an isomerization reaction (ISOMAR) before entering again in the PAREX
through the feed stream.
1.85 95 0.022

1.75 Desorbent consumption, m3/kg

0.020
85
Productivity, kg/m h

1.65
3.

0.018
1.55
γ3 75 0.016
1.45

0.014
1.35
REX 65
90% 0.012
1.25
94%
98%
1.15 55 0.010
1.15 1.25 1.35 1.45 1.55 1.65 1.75 1.85 90 92 94 96 98
γ2 Recovery, %
(a) (b)
Fig. 7. Influence of the required p-xylene recovery on (a) the separation region for t*=0.9 min and (b) p-xylene productivity
and desorbent consumption in the vertex of the separation regions for REXmin=90%; 94% and 98%:.

Separation volumes. The optimization of the existing PAREX unit considers optimization of the operating
parameters in order to obtain the maximum productivity with a minimum desorbent for a given p-xylene purity
and recoveries. Design tools, as “triangle theory” (Storti et al., 1989) and “separation volume” (Azevedo and
Rodrigues, 1999) methodology could be useful for a priori selection of the operating conditions. For the
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systems where the mass transfer limitations are present, the “triangle theory” can only give initial guesses for a
feasible operating point of the process. Also the “triangle theory” considers just the influence of the operating
conditions in zones 2 and 3. The theoretical optimum point-vertex gives the maximum productivity, since in this
point the (γ3−γ2) is maximal for given desorbent consumption (γ1−γ4). On other hand, the “separation volume”
methodology uses realistic mathematical model and explores the influence of the flow rates in zones 1 and 4. For
each value of the flow rate in zone 1 (or 4) the optimal point-vertex is defined. Therefore several vertexes are
obtained and the global optimum leading to maximum productivity and minimum desorbent consumption would
be one of this vertexes. The separation volumes (γ2×γ3×γ1) and (γ2×γ3×γ4) for t*=0.9 min, REXmin=94% and
PUXmin=99.7 % are presented in Fig. 8.

(a) (b)
Fig. 8 (a)(γ1×γ2×γ3) separation volume, for γ4=0.9 and b) (γ4×γ2×γ3) separation volume plot, for γ1=1.6

For a fixed value of γ4 (Fig. 8a) the separation region increases by increasing γ1 up 1.6; further increase of γ1
does not influence the size of the separation regions. While the size of the separation region increases, the vertex
moves from lower to higher values of (γ2, γ3), which means that higher feed flow rate could be processed and
higher productivity could be reached (max(PR)=max(QF)=max(γ3-γ2)). When the separation region size does not
increase more, further increment in γ1 will not affect SMB unit productivity.
When the value of γ1 is fixed (Fig 8b) the separation regions are similar until γ4=0.9 and then they start to
decrease if the value of γ4 further increases. The value of the flow rate in zone 4 (γ4) does not influence the feed
flow rate and SMB unit productivity, but it affects the desorbent consumption. For fixed γ1, it will be of interest
to work with the highest γ4 in the region of unchanged separation region size, because less desorbent is going to
be spent since γ1-γ4 would be smaller (min(DC) = min(QD) =min(γ1-γ4)). In summary, the optimum operating
point for t*=0.9 min, REXmin=94% and PUXmin=99.7 % is γ1=1.6 γ2=1.31 γ3=1.75 γ4=0.9.

Conclusions

The xylene equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption on Ba exchanged fuajasite type of zeolite was studied at
UOP´s PAREX operating conditions. The Langmuir model gives satisfactory representation of xylene

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adsorption equilibrium. It was found that the xylene kinetics of adsorption is controlled by macropore diffusion
mechanism. The PAREX unit operation was modeled with True Moving Bed (TMB) modeling strategy. The
importance of the switching time and p-xylene recovery requirements on the unit productivity was shown. The
optimum operating conditions that lead to maximum p-xylene productivity and minimum desorbent
consumption were also determined. The proposed model, simulation package and optimization procedure are
useful tools for training of the PAREX unit operators and for choice of the best operating conditions.

References

Azevedo, D. C. S., Rodrigues, A. E. (1999). Design of a Simulated Moving Bed in the Presence of Mass-Transfer
Resistances. AIChE J., 45, 956.
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and Outlets. U.S. Patent No. 2,985,589.
Furlan, L. T., Chaves, B. C., Santana, C. C. (1992). Separation of Liquid Mixtures of P-Xylene and O-Xylene in X Zeolites.
The Role of Water Content on the Adsorbent Selectivity. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 31, 1780.
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Minceva, M., Rodrigues, A. E. (2002). Modeling and Simulation of a Simulated Moving Bed for the Separation of P-
Xylene. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 41, 3454.
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Xylene Isomers and P-Diethylbenzene on a Prehydrated Bax Zeolite. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 40, 5983.

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the project POCTI/EQU/44515/2002 (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia”-
FCT). Mirjana Minceva gratefully acknowledges the FCT Post-doctoral grant SFRH/BPD/19733/2004/1736.

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