1.

Introduction
1.1 Overview of TPA

Terephtalic acid (TPA) is the most favorable chemical product which is

produced to make polyethylene terephthalate known as PET. It is multi
used chemical product that utilize in carpeting , upholstery, draperies ,
knitted fabric for clothing and other (Na Cao, 2011). The demand of TPA
declined in 6 to 8% each year since 2008. Therefore, the production of
TPA will be evaluated In order to understand the process involved plus the
other significant process that should be added as a result of improvised
TPA production.
1.2

Method of Production

The production of TPA known as Amoco Process is widely used in industries

which p-xylene as a feedstock in this process. The reaction occurs when pxylene in liquid form oxidizes with oxygen which is come from the air and in
presence of appropriate acetic acid solvent. The limiting reactant is p-xylene
and the excess reactant is gas. Furthermore, there is promoter (HBr) being
used and combination of cobalt and manganese salts as a catalyst to speed
up the rate of reaction. Unfortunately, the side product of TPA are p-toluic
acid, 4-carboxybenaldehyde and p-tolualdehyde.

1.3 Process Description

This production can be divided into in three sections.
a) Oxidation of p-xylene in reactor
b) TPA production separation and processing
c) Solvent Recovery and Recycle

1.3a Oxidation of p-xylene in reactor

In this oxidation process, six reactors in parallel were used to increase
the overall conversion of p-xylene to TPA. The operation temperature and
pressure in the reactor are 392 0F and 262.1 psia. The fresh p-xylene feed
pump into reactor at 261.1psia but flow into the reactor at the room
temperature 77 0F. In order to reduce the budget of buying raw materials,
solvent, catalyst and acetic acid are recovered from the downstream then
enter the reactor through s-102 at 770F and 261.1 psia. (Na Cao, 2011)
Acetic acid and water is a byproduct of oxidation reaction carry TPA
product plus solid byproduct which are p-toluic acid, p-tolualdehyde and 4carboxybenzaldehyde as slurry(S-113) to the downstream. This slurry contain
roughly 20 wt% of solid. Since the reaction involve is exothermic reaction
which is generated heat about 51,421,309 btu/hr, this heat must be released
in order to operate this reaction adiabatic in specific temperature and
pressure. On top of the reactor, a reflux condenser (H-102) will take place on
the top of reactor and comprised of vaporized acetic acid, water, and gases
at 392 F and cools the stream to 105 F using cooling water to make sure
100% vapor feed. (Na Cao, 2011)
This is because the cooled outlet of the hot stream (S-108) has a vapor
fraction of 0.46 from the condensation of acetic acid and vapor, a flash
vessel (V-101) that operates adiabatically separates the vapor and liquid
streams and sends them back to
the reactor, S-111 and S-112, respectively. Because H-102 is located above
the vessel, S-112
falls back into the reactor vessel without the need of an additional pump. In
order to prevent

build -up, a small gas purge (S-110) is taken off the top of the flash vessel.
(Na Cao, 2011)

Heat that being generated in the reactor must be removed by a pump

around heat exchanger system (P-103 and H-101). that continuously pumps
out a large flow of the slurry product stream (S-105) at 392 F and 290.08
psia. Then, cools it to 100 F using cooling water, and recirculates the cold
slurry back to the reactor. This pump should manage the flow rate of 162,758
lb/hr at a pressure of 261.1 psia in order to adequately cool the reactor. This
is because
sending a slurry that is 25 wt% solids through P-103 and H-101, (Na Cao,
2011)
13.b) TPA production separation and processing
Slurry stream from each reactor will decrease in pressure which
is nearly atmospheric pressure. This is lead to vaporization of some portion
of liquid into vapor and will separate and flow out from a flash vessel then
flow to solvent separation. The mother liquor is separated from the solid
byproducts and moved to solvent separation where the rest of slurry was
sent to centrifuge. From it, a wet cake was dried with dryer to settle the
moisture where air removed the remaining liquid by vaporizing it. Belt
conveyor and screw conveyor will transport the solids. The product is stored
in silos (bins) and shipped from the plant in tank cars.

13c) Solvent Recovery and Recycle

Acetic acid will recycle back but this chemical needs to undergo the
series of separation to increase the purification until the composition nearly
pure. Liquid and vapor stream from Section 13b. Acetic acid was pump and
flow to the first distillation column. Acetic acid which is in pure composition
will directly mix with fresh acetic acid flow in. Remaining at the bottom will
purified in the second distillation column.

2.0

a) The choice and sequence of the equipment.

Reaction
Section

Reactor R-100
The reactor used is CSTR Conversion Reactor which is
imbedded with impeller the Oxidation of p-xylene process is
actually in exothermic reaction (Na Cao, 2011). In the reaction
temperature will increase because of the heat which is
generated in this reaction plus the rate of reaction increases. In
order to operate adiabatic, heat must be removed by using
cooling medium which is cooling water. But in this process flow
diagram (pfd) there is no sign of jackete (Turton, 2013)d
cooling water along the reactor to maintain the temperature
out. Therefore, the cooling water needs to supply so that heat
integration can occur. (Luyben, 1990)

Mix-100
The mixer in the reaction section should not be implemented
because the recycle stream is already pure acetic acid and can
be directly connected to stream 3 which is the pure solvent
acetic acid. The cost of buying equipment can be reduced.

Recovery
Section

Pure Acetic acid in gas state in stream 12 will flow into

condenser first then flow splitter. E-101 Cooler will be
excluded.
The pure acetic acid will change phase from gas to liquid so that
it can be split through splitter in order to recycle back. This is
because TEE flow splitter can only function when two phase (gas
liquid) or single phase (liquid-liquid) flow through the splitter
(Torress, 2011).

(Geankoplis, 2014 )
Purification
Stream
8 should be in vapor fraction while stream 9 liquid
Section

fraction

This is because upper stream will fully filled with vapor which
has lower density compared to bottom stream which has
denser density for liquid. Moreover, the mass flowrate in upper
stream must higher than lower stream since there are vapor
that has high velocity compared to liquid. (Turton, 2013)

Flash Separation should not be used to separate desired

product which is directly from reactor.

This is because flash separator is the simplest separation

process in the industries. Liquid feed stream will vaporize in
flash chamber and vapor-liquid equilibrium will cause liquid
phase and vapor phase have different composition. This
equipment does not give large degree of separation (Nick
Pinkerton, 2014). The distillation column will replace this flash
separator since it is widely used in industries and has
approximation 90% in all separation. Plus, it has large column
which enable separation for binary mixture and multi
components mixture to occur (Nick Pinkerton, 2014)

E-104 Cooler should be replaced with Condenser.

Since Terephtalic acid needs to be solid, therefore it is more
easier to change phase from liquid to solid rather than gas to
solid. Therefore, condenser needs to use in order to change
phase.

VLV-100 and VLV-101

For valve VLV-100 is replaced with cooler in order to decrease the
temperature. Then for valve VLV-101, since there is large
pressure drop across valve, therefore single valve is not suitable
to apply in this condition. Furthermore, valve used for control
purpose and liquid is being throttled (Turton, 2013).

R-101
CSTR Reactor Conversion is not appropriate to use it in this
process since the inlets of feed are in gas state which can cause
the damage of agitator in CSTR. The plug flow reactor needs to
use in order to operate this process condition and produce highly

conversion compared to CSTR (Schmidt, 1998).

T-100

This distillation column should not be implemented in this

separation process .

4.0 Reference

1. Luyben, W. L. (1990). Process Modelling, Simulation and Control for

Chemical Engineers, Second Edition. United States: McGraw- Hill, Inc.
2. Na Cao, E. C. (2011). New Terephtalic Process. Philadelphia:
Department of Chemical & Biolmolecular Engineering.
3. Richard M.Felder, R. W. (2005). Elementary Principles of Chemical
Process. United States of America: John Wiley & Sons,Inc.
4. Turton, R. (2013). Analysis, Synthesis and Design of Chemical
Processes, 4 Edition. United State of America: Pearson Education, Inc.

(Sinnott,2009)