The Manufacture

o
Arcylonitr
f
ile

Objectives

Gather data about acrylonitrile properties, uses, etc.

Select the process on which the final design will be based

Select a suitable (prospective) location for the plants construction

Carry out material and energy balances over the pieces of

equipment chosen for the design

Perform an economic analysis of the plant designed to assess

financial feasibility

Perform an Environmental Impact Analysis for the plant

Build conclusions and suggest recommendation based on

findings

INTRODUCTION

Acrylonitrile (AN) is a chemical compound with the formula

C3H3N.

It is usually a colorless liquid with a faintly pungent odour, which

may appear yellow if impurities are present. (Singh 2013)

It is highly soluble in water.

Acrylonitrile is used in the production of many compounds such

as acrylic fiber, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins,
adiponitrile, nitrile rubbers, elastomers, styrene-acrylonitrile
resins (SAN), acrylamide and polyacrylonitrile. (Bradzil 2010)

It should be stated that the most important use of acrylonitrile

currently is in the manufacture of acrylic fibers which are used in
upholstery, carpets and even apparel.

The second most important is ABS which is used mainly in the

manufacturing of automotive parts, cell phones and even
television.

In the manufacture of Acrylonitrile there are many processes

which were considered however the Sohio process was deemed
the preferred method for our design.

It should be noted that the proposed location of the chemical

plant is within close proximity of Industrial Plant Services Limited
(IPSL) who are our main raw material suppliers.

FINAL DESIGN

Species

S01

S02

S03

Propylene

160.29 160.29 160.29

S04
0.00

S05
0.00

S06

S07

S08

S09

S10

CW1

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.60

1.60

0.00

0.00

33.66

33.66

Ammonia

0.00

0.00

0.00 184.33 184.33 184.33

Nitrogen

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 1266.29 1266.29 1266.29 1266.29

Oxygen

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 336.61 336.61

Acrylonitrile

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 136.25 136.25

Acetonitrile

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

4.81

4.81

Hydrogen cyanide

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

9.62

9.62

Carbon dioxide

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

48.09

48.09

45.68

45.68

CW2

CW3

ST1

ST2

ST3

ST4

ST5

CW6 CW7 CW8 CW9

Species

S10

S11

S12

S13

S14

S15

S16

Propylene

1.60

1.60

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.54

Ammonia

33.66

33.66

0.00

0.00

0.00

1266.29 1266.29

0.00

45.68

136.25 136.25

Nitrogen
Oxygen
Acrylonitrile

45.68

S17

S18

S19

S20

CW4 CW5

0.06 0.0634

0.00

0.00 0.0634

32.47

1.19

1.19

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00 1266.30

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.02 134.88 134.88

0.00

0.00 134.88

45.68

CW10 CW11

Acetonitrile

4.81

4.81

0.00

0.00

0.00

1.36

4.81

4.81

0.00

0.00

4.81

Hydrogen cyanide

9.62

9.62

0.00

0.00

0.00

7.27

9.62

9.62

0.00

0.00

9.62

48.09 48.09
0.00
0.00
0.00 48.09
0.00 0.000
485.68 485.68 2685.44 3317.86 3317.86 485.68 3317.86 3317.86

0.00
1.67

0.00
0.00
1.67 3319.60 632.43 632.43 46.04 46.04

0.71

0.71

Carbon dioxide
Water
Sulphuric acid

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.119

Species
Propylene
Ammonia
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Acrylonitrile
Acetonitrile
Hydrogen cyanide
Carbon dioxide
Water
Sulphuric acid
Ammonium sulphate
Total flow rate (kmol h-1)
Temperature (C)
Pressure (bar)
Vapour fraction

S21
S22
S23
S24
S25
S26
S27
S28
S29
S30
S31
S32
S33
S34
S35
S36
S37
0.0634 0.0634 0.0634 0.0634
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
134.88 133.54
1.34
1.34
1.35
1.35
1.34
1.34 0.0135 0.0135 0.0135 132.20 132.20 130.88 130.88 130.88
4.81
0.01
0.00
0.00
4.80
4.80
0.240
0.240
4.56
4.56
4.56 0.00622 0.00622
0.00
0.00
0.00
9.62
9.52
9.43
9.43 0.0962 0.0962
0.095
0.095
0.00
0.00
0.00 0.0952 0.0952 0.0947 0.0947 0.0947
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3319.60
6.64
0.07
0.07 3312.96 3312.96
33.13
33.13 3279.83 3279.83 3279.83
6.57
6.57
0.131
0.131
0.131
0.119
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.119
0.119
0.00
0.00
0.119
0.119
0.119
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.596
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.596
0.596
0.00
0.00
0.596
0.596
0.596
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
3469.69

149.77

10.89

10.89 3319.92 3319.92

34.80

34.80 3285.12 3285.12 3285.12

98.02
1.00
0

49.85
0.50
0

10.99
1.00
0

25.00
1.00
0

79.34
1.00
0

25.00
1.00
0

99.81
0.50
0

99.81
1.00
0

99.81
0.50
0

99.81
1.00
0

25.00
1.00
0

S38
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.32
0.00
0.00
0.00
6.44
0.00
0.00

0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.32
0.00
0.00
0.00
6.44
0.00
0.00

138.87

138.87

131.11

131.11

131.11

7.77

7.77

77.71
0.50
0

77.71
1.00
0

56.70
1.00
0

55.90
1.00
0

25.00
1.00
0

95.18
0.50
0

95.18
1.00
0

DISTILLATION COLUMNS

The outlet of the CSTR (R-2) is heated to its boiling point at 98.02^0C
using steam from the cooling system of R1.

This stream then enters the Acrylonitrile Recovery Column (D1) as the
feed. It contains large amounts of Water together with smaller
proportions of Acrylonitrile, Ammonium Sulphate, Acetonitrile,
Sulphuric Acid and Hydrogen Cyanide as its feed components.

The light key component which exits D1 at the distillate is

Acrylonitrile. The other components existed in the distillate in much
smaller amounts. The heavy key component which leaves D1 is Water.

It is at this point that all of the Ammonium Sulphate is removed from

the process as the bottoms product of D1.

The distillate from D1 enters the HCN Column (D2) as the feed. The
light key component of this distillation column is HCN whereas the
heavy key component is Acrylonitrile.

The HCN formed from D2 is sent to heat exchanger (HX-4) in order to

reduce its temperature from its bubble point at 56.7^0C to ambient
temperature at 25^0C before sending it into storage tank T5.

The feed for the Acrylonitrile Purification Column (D3) is obtained from
the bottoms product of D2. The light key component produced from
D3 is Acrylonitrile whereas the heavy key is Water.

The purified Acrylonitrile formed is pumped to a cooler (C-001) which

reduces its temperature from its bubble point at 55.90^0C to ambient
temperature at 25^0C before sending it into storage tank T6.

The bottoms products from D1 is used as the feed to the final

distillation column, the Acetonitrile Purification Column (D4). The light
key component from this column is Water.

The Acetonitrile formed is pumped to a cooler (C-002) in order to

reduce the temperature from its bubble point at 79.34^0C to
ambient temperature at 25^0C before sending it into storage
tank T7.

The remaining aqueous residue from D4 is pumped to a cooler

(C-003) which reduces its temperature from a value of 99.81^0C
to 25^0C and then sent to storage tank T8.