Figure 1 is a preliminary process flow diagram pfd for the ethylene oxide production. Ethylene oxide also known as eo or eto processing is widely used for the sterilization of healthcare devices and instruments. Other important products include ethylene glycol ethers, ethanolamines and. This image has been assessed under the valued image criteria and is considered the most valued image on commons within the scope. Locating and estimating sources of ethylene oxide epa. Ethylene glycol from hydration of the ethylene oxide.
Ethylene oxide is one of the most important raw materials used in largescale chemical production. The direct catalytic oxidation of ethylene, discovered in 1931 by leffort, was gradually replaced by the chlorohydrin process. July 1, 2014 product uses1,4 ethylene is primarily used as a reactive monomer chemical building block make polyethylene and as an intermediate in the. The reaction is exothermic and eo is recovered from the gas stream, purified and stored. Ethylene glycol demand has increased by 67% year 2004.
It is not intended to serve as a substitute for indepth training or. Modelling and optimisation of an industrial ethylene oxide reactor article pdf available in chemical product and process modeling 41 january 2009 with 3,207 reads how we measure reads. Most ethylene oxide is used for synthesis of ethylene glycols, including diethylene glycol and triethylene glycol, that accounts for up to 75% of global consumption. More specifically, carbon dioxide recovered from an ethylene oxide production process is used to produce a syngas stream. Improved monitoring instruments for ethylene oxide since the regulations at 40 cfr part 63, subpart o, were finalized in 2001, there have been significant improvements in monitoring equipment, including. First we will consider the ethylene oxide hydration process then we will shift to other process alternatives. Production of ethylene oxide ethylene oxide, c2h4o, is a colorless, flammable gas or liquid.
Methods of production ethylene oxide has been produced commercially by two basic routes. The economic benefits of ethylene oxide and the potential cost of. Ethylene oxide production ethylene oxide is a raw material that is used industrially for making many consumer products as well as nonconsumer chemicals and intermediates. The process involves exposing products to ethylene oxide gas under vacuum.
Pdf production of mono ethylene glycol by hydrolysis of. Ethylene oxide please note that the layout and pagination of this pdf file are not identical to those of the printed cicad first draft prepared by r. Ethylene oxide is usually stored andor transported as a liquid under pressure. Ethylene is produced more than any other organic compound due to its versatile chemical industrical use. Furnace the two primary feedstocks for ethylene production are naphtha and natural gas ethane, propane, butane, etc. Microbiological aspects of ethylene oxide sterilization. Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas at room temperature and a colorless liquid below 51f 10. Ethylene oxide is a major industrial chemical and is one of the 25 highest production volume chemicals in the united states there was a gradual increase in the. The reaction is exothermic and eo is recovered from the gas stream. Ethylene oxide sterilization for medical devices fda. Smaller amounts are present in fumigants, sterilants for spices. It is converted into a wide range of products for example, monoethylene glycol meg, surfactants and glycol ethers. Unlike irradiation, which the us and eu require labeling for, the same doesnt yet apply to ethylene oxide sterilization. The ethylene oxide product stewardship guidance manual was prepared by the american chemistry councils ethylene oxideethylene glycols panel panel.
Exposure to ethylene oxide may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulty, drowsiness. Emission factors for the release of ethylene oxide from an oxygenoxidation ethylene oxide production plant. In the production of ethylene oxide, ethylene and oxygen reacts over a silver catalyst surface. The first step in the production of ethylene is to take the feedstock and crack it into ethylene and other various products in a furnace. Mainly two reactions occur, partial oxidation of ethylene to ethylene.
Pdf ethylene oxide eo ethylene oxide eo, properly called oxirane by iupac, is the organic compound with the formula c2h4o. It is used in the production of ethylene glycol and other oxide derivatives such as glycol ethers. The process involves exposing products to ethylene oxide gas under vacuum in a sealed chamber. And a co2 recovery unit utilizing potassium carbonate. Exposure to ethylene oxide may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulty, drowsiness, weakness, exhaustion, eye and skin burns, frostbite, and reproductive effects. Industrial uses of ethylene include polymerization, oxidation. Scribd is the worlds largest social reading and publishing site. Ethylene oxide eto is a flammable, colorless gas at temperatures above 51. Workers may be harmed from exposure to ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide studies on mechanisms of carcinogenesis. Sterigenics, a company which describes themselves as the worlds leading supplier of. In the early 1960th the production of ethylene oxide based from ethanol and chlorohydrin was not considered cost. Eo sterilization assures that a safe and sterile product will be delivered to the market each and every time. Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas at room temperature and a.
Ethylene oxide is also used as a sterilizing agent for medical equipment and a fumigating agent for spices. Most ethylene oxide is used for synthesis of ethylene glycols, including diethylene glycol and triethylene. Production of ethylene and its commercial importance in the global market ity 99. Production of ethylene oxide began in 1914 by the chlorohydrin process, the main. In addition, ethylene oxide is produced naturally as a metabolite of ethyl. The death rate kinetics of several sporeforming and nonsporeforming microorganisms, including radiationresistant cocci, were determined by exposing them to a mixture of ethylene oxide and dichlorodifluoromethane 500 mg of ethylene oxide per liter, 30 to 50% relative humidity, and 54. Industrial production started in 1925 using the chlorohydrin process and was improved in 1931 by introducing the much more. Permissible exposure limit pel for the amount of ethylene oxide in your workplace air. Be chemical engineering design project production of propylene oxide 1. Lewis, environment canada, ottawa, canada published under the joint sponsorship of the united nations environment programme, the. Ethylene oxide is produced by a gas phase reaction of ethylene and oxygen over a fixed bed silverbased catalyst in multitubular reactors.
Ethylene oxide is produced by the catalytic oxidation of ethylene. This process oxidizes ethylene with air or oxygen in the presence of a silver catalyst to produce ethylene oxide. As a part of the chemical industrys responsible management of its products, the ethylene oxide panel ethylene oxide safety task group stg, a group comprised of producers and industrial users, developed the ethylene oxide product stewardship manual. In 1941 modo started to produce ethylene oxide for further production of ethylene glycol.
July 1, 2014 product uses1,4 ethylene is primarily used as a reactive monomer chemical building block make polyethylene and as an intermediate in the production of other organic compounds, such as ethylene dichloride and ethylene oxide. The pel for ethylene oxide is set at one part of ethylene oxide per million parts of air 1 part per million, or 1 ppm. In 1963 modo started a production of ethylene oxide based on direct oxidation from ethylene in stenungsund, sweden. It is used in the production of ethylene glycol and other oxide derivatives such as glycol ethers, polyethylene glycol, polyether polyols, diethylene and triethylene glycols, and ethanolamines. The pel for ethylene oxide is set at one part of ethylene oxide per million parts of air 1 part per million, or 1. Ethylene oxide is primarily consumed as an intermediate chemical in the production of other chemicals and materials derivatives. Currently in the united states, essentially all production of ethylene oxide uses the direct vapor phase. As a part of the chemical industrys responsible management of its products, the ethylene oxide panel ethylene oxide safety task group stg, a group comprised of producers and industrial users, developed the ethylene oxide product stewardship manual 3rd edition. Ethylene oxide is used mainly as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of ethylene glycol antifreeze, textiles, detergents, polyurethane foam, solvents, medicine, adhesives, and other products. The mono ethylene glycol is use in the cooling project involves the designing of the reactor, agent, lubricant and as a raw material for the evaporator and distillation column. Eto is found in the production of solvents, antifreeze, textiles, detergents, adhesives, polyurethane foam, and pharmaceuticals. Ethylene oxide was first prepared in 1859 by wurtz using potassium hydroxide solution to eliminate hydrochloric acid from ethylene chlorohydrin.
Ethylene oxide is usually stored andor transported as a liquid under. The major use of ethylene oxide is as a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of ethylene glycol. Methods for the analysis and quantification of ethylene oxide in emissions from pro. Currently in the united states, essentially all production of ethylene oxide uses the direct vapor phase oxidation process. In the early 1960th the production of ethylene oxide based from ethanol and chlorohydrin was not considered cost effective. Ethylene oxide shell doubles eo, ethoxylates production with startup of jurong island facilities shell chemicals has successfully started up a new highpurity ethylene oxide eo puri.
For one ton ethylene glycol ethylene 1800 lb air 19000 lb silver 0. Ethylene oxide eo is widely found in the production of solvents, antifreeze. Ethylene oxide is important or critical to the production of detergents, thickeners, solvents, plastics, and various organic chemicals such as ethylene glycol, ethanol amines. The response of the tissue to c 2 h 4 exposure depends on the sensitivity of the tissue, concentration of c 2 h 4, composition of the. It is intended to provide general information to persons who may handle or store ethylene oxide. Dow ethylene oxide eo is a colorless, flammable, reactive material with a somewhat sweet, etherlike odor.
Effect of ethylene on quality of fresh fruits and vegetables. The response of the tissue to c 2 h 4 exposure depends on the sensitivity of the tissue, concentration of c 2 h 4, composition of the atmosphere, duration of exposure, and temperature table 5. Be chemical engineering design project production of. Novel catalytic process technology for utilization of co for. Safety and health topics ethylene oxide occupational. The fda is sponsoring two public innovation challenges to encourage the development of new approaches to medical device sterilization. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is. Ethylene oxide eto is produced in large volumes and is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of several industrial chemicals, the most notable of which is ethylene glycol. Calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide was used to convert ethylene chlorohydrin to ethylene oxide. The annual capacity for the plant is 611millions lbyr, while the designed hourly production rate is 73k lbhry.
Improved monitoring instruments for ethylene oxide since the regulations at 40 cfr part 63, subpart o, were finalized in 2001, there have been significant improvements in monitoring equipment, including new continuous monitoring. It is also used as a fumigant in certain agricultural products and as a sterilant for medical equipment and supplies. The syngas stream is then used to produce methanol. Pdf production of ethylene and its commercial importance in.
The ethylene oxide units are equipped with advanced process control, gas detection and emergency shutdown systems. Consider that the ethylene oxide required is also produced in the same plant. Solubility of gases in ethylene oxide henry constants in mpa 22, 23 temperature, c solubility in ethylene oxide nitrogen argon methane ethane 0 284 169 62. For ethylene oxide sterilization, two voluntary consensus standards ansi aami iso 115. A simulation model of a reactor for ethylene oxide production. Physical properties of ethylene oxide at various temperatures 3, 24 temperature c. The death rate kinetics of several sporeforming and nonsporeforming microorganisms, including radiationresistant cocci, were determined by exposing them to a mixture of ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide is also used as a sterilizing agent. Disclosed is a method for recovering carbon dioxide from an ethylene oxide production process and using the recovered carbon dioxide as a carbon source for methanol synthesis. Because of its molecular structure ethylene oxide is one of the most versatile chemical intermediates. This led to an industrial production of eo ethylene oxide which began in 1914. Ethylene oxide is produced by the vapor phase oxidation of ethylene.
Design and optimize ethylene oxide production plant. Ethylene oxide is a flammable and colorless gas used to make chemicals that are needed in the manufacturing of a variety of products including antifreeze, textiles, plastics, detergents, and adhesives. Ethylene synthesis and action ethylene production is promoted by stresses. Pdf modelling and optimisation of an industrial ethylene. It is used primarily for the production of ethylene glycol, which in turn is used in roughly equal proportions as antifreeze and for production of polyesters. The acute shortterm effects of ethylene oxide in humans consist mainly of central nervous.