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Process safety analysis for better reactor cooling system design in the ethylene oxide reactor
Author(s) -
Piccinini Norberto,
Levy Guido
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450620414
Subject(s) - coolant , ethylene oxide , nonane , evaporation , water cooling , process (computing) , nuclear engineering , materials science , ethylene , chemistry , thermodynamics , mechanical engineering , engineering , computer science , physics , polymer , organic chemistry , composite material , copolymer , operating system , catalysis
The operating data for a plant producing 30,000 t/yr of ethylene oxide (EO) are presented, along with a detailed “process safety analysis” of the system used for reaction heat removal. Process safety analysis is a key point in the design procedure for typically critical plants, such as a E.O. reactor. The paper is primarily directed to identification of the coolant fluid most suitable for the requirements of the process in terms of safety and economy. The evaporating fluid cooling system adopted is examined analytically under both normal and emergency situations with reference to three fluids: dowtherm J , n ‐octane and n ‐nonane. Nonane was chosen as the coolant because it minimised the temperature gradient along the vertical axis of the reactor (<4°C on the shell side), circulation rate and evaporation pressure.