CASE STUDY

PRESENTATION:
MONO-ETHANOL
AMINE
(MEA)
MUTAMAN ABDELRAHIM - 201903574
ABDULRAHMAN ISMAIL - 202005445
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
PROPERTIES
USES
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
ENERGY REQUIREMENTS/INTENSITY
COST
MARKET ANALYSIS
ENGINEERING ASPECTS
CHEMICAL SAFETY
REFERENCES
INTRODUCTION:
Mono-ethanol-amine (MEA) is bifunctional
(amino and hydroxyl groups)
1860: researchers synthesized ethanolamine
salts but could not isolate the free base.
1897: Ludwig Knorr synthesized MEA on a large
scale by treating ethylene oxide with ammonia.
Recent research explores alternative synthesis
from nitromethane and formaldehyde.
MEA was believed to exist only on Earth and
C2H7NO
some asteroids.
2021: Evidence of the presence of
ethanolamine molecules in interstellar space
clouds.
PROPERTIES:
PROCESS:

Operating conditions in tubular reactor:

50 C
25 bars

Catalyst: Water used as a solvent and a

catalyst
zeolites and ion-exchange resins can be
used to achieve better selectivity of MEA
PFD:
ADDITIONAL INFO:
USES:
Cosmetics and personal care products (PH
regulator).
Solutions of MEA in water are used as a gas
stream scrubbing.
Coatings.
Printing inks.
Detergents, emulsifiers, and polishes.
Corrosion inhibitors.
Wood-treatment chemicals.
others.
ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
AND INTENSITY:
COST ESTIMATION:
MARKET ANALYSIS:

Will become a $ 5 bn by 2030

 MARKET SHARE BY
END USE:

Others
Others 10%
16%

Agrochemicals
11%
Soaps & Detergents
37% Soaps & Detergents
Agrochemicals 40%
10%

2032
Cosmetic & Personal Care products
16%

Cosmetic & Personal Care products

15%

Gas Treatment Gas Treatment

22% 23%
ENGINEERING ASPECTS:

Reaction Kinetics and Thermodynamics

Product Separation and Purification
Material Selection and Corrosion Control
CHEMICAL SAFETY:
MEA

GHS classification

NFPA classification

Flammability limits 3% - 23.5% @ 140C

Threshold limit value 3 PPM by OSHA

 INCIDENT:

During a transfer of a 20% monoethanolamine solution on October 15, 1990, hydrogen gas entrainment
occurred, leading to an explosion in an 11,000-gallon aluminum storage tank. The explosion, possibly
triggered by static charge, caused significant damage, with the ruptured tank engulfing Employee #1 in
ethanolamine solution. Employee #1 sustained chemical burns to the left eye, and the total estimated
damage was $70,000, including the destruction of the tank, piping, valves, and windows in the vicinity.
REFERENCES:
Mordor Intelligence Research & Advisory. (2023, June). Mono-ethanolamine Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-
19 Impact, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028). Mordor Intelligence. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-
reports/mono-ethanolamine-market
Hydrocarbon Processing Handbook 2010
Ethanolamine - American Chemical Society. (n.d.). American Chemical Society.
https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/e/ethanolamine.html
Monoethanolamine | CAS No. 141-43-5 |. (n.d.).
https://products.basf.com/global/en/ci/monoethanolamine.html
Devaraja, D., & Kiss, A. A. (2022). Novel intensified process for ethanolamines production using reactive
distillation and dividing-wall column technologies. Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process
Intensification, 179, 109073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2022.109073
PubChem. (n.d.). Monoethanolamine. PubChem.
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Monoethanolamine
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