CPE613

PROCESS SIMULATION LABORATORY

PROJECT: PRODUCTION OF PROPYLENE GLYCOL
*Group project (maximum 4 members per group).

Propylene glycol (C3H8O2) is a very common organic compound that is used in many applications. It is
used as an oil dispersant, a solvent in pharmaceuticals, an antifreeze, and as a moisturizer, and any
other applications. It is produced via the hydrolysis of propylene oxide which is usually accelerated
by acid or base catalysis.
Simulate the propylene glycol production process, including the reaction and separation processes.
Assume a propylene oxide feed stream of 3952 kg/h and a water feed stream of 4990 kg/h. Both
streams have temperature of 25oC and pressure of 1 bar. The goal is to produce a final product
containing 99.5% propylene glycol. Assume a CSTR with a volume of 8,000 L and liquid volume of
85%. The outlet temperature of CSTR is 60oC. The simplified reaction kinetics are shown below.

C3H6O H2O C3H8O2

75362 kJ kgmole
kf 1.7 1013 hr 1 exp

RT

Design a distillation column that is capable of producing a product with 99.5% purity.
Hints:
1. Use UNIQUAC fluid package.
2. Estimate the unknown binary coefficients pair in HYSYS.
3. Assume that the reaction takes place in both liquid phases of both reactants.
4. The kinetic data is based on excess of water, so the kinetics are first order in propylene oxide
only.
Questions:
1. What is the conversion of propylene glycol after reaction in CSTR?
2. What is the mole fraction for each component at the bottom and distillate of distillation
column?
3. How you design the distillation column in order to obtain a final product with 99.5% purity?
Explain any assumptions made.
4. Compare your result by using iCON software.

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Date of submission: 4 December 2015 before 5pm.