University of Maiduguri

Chemical Engineering Department

CLASS PROJECT
Design a plant to produce 40,000 metric tons (tonnes)/year of 2-ethylhexanol from
propylene and synthesis gas, assuming an operating period of 8,000 hours on
stream.

The Process
The first stage of the process is a hydroformylation (oxo) reaction from which the
main product is n-butyraldehyde. The feeds to this reactor are synthesis gas
(CO/H2 mixture) and propylene in the molar ratio 2/1, and the recycled products of
isobutyraldehyde cracking. The reactor operates at 130oC and 350 bar, using
cobalt carbonyl as catalyst in solution. The main reaction products are n- and
isobutyraldehyde in the ratio of 4:1, the former being the required product for
subsequent conversion to 2-ethylhexanol. In addition, 3% of the propylene feed is
converted to propane while some does not react.

Within the reactor, however, 6% of the n-butyraldehyde product is reduced to n-

butanol, 4% of the isobutyraldehyde product is reduced to isobutanol, and other
reactions occur to a small extent yielding high molecular weight compounds
(heavy ends) to the extent of 1% by weight of the butyraldehyde/butanol mixture
at the reactor exit.

The reactor is followed by a gas-liquid separator operating at 30 bar from which

the liquid phase is heated with steam to decompose the catalyst for recovery of
cobalt by filtration. A second gas-liquid separator operating at atmospheric
pressure subsequently yields a liquid phase of aldehydes, alcohols, heavy ends,
and water, which is free from propane, propylene, carbon monoxide, and
hydrogen.

This mixture then passes to a distillation column which gives a top product of
mixed butyraldehydes, followed by a second column which separates the two
butyraldehydes into an isobutyraldehyde stream containing 1.3% mole n-
butyraldehyde and an n-butyraldehyde stream containing 1.2% mole
isobutyraldehyde.

A cracker converts isobutyraldehyde at a pass yield of 80% back to propylene,

carbon monoxide, and hydrogen by passage over a catalyst with steam. After
separation of the water and unreacted isobutyraldehyde the cracked gas is recycled
to the hydroformylation reactor. The isobutyraldehyde is recycled to the cracker
inlet. The operating conditions of the cracker are 275oC and 1 bar.

The n-butyraldehyde is treated with a 2% w/w aqueous sodium hydroxide and

undergoes an aldol condensation at a conversion efficiency of 90%. The product

CHE 409: Principle of Plant Design

By: Engr. Dauda Baba Page 1
 of this reaction, 2-ethylhexanol, is separated and then reduced to 2-ethylhexanol
by hydrogen in the presence of a Raney nickel catalyst with a 99% conversion
rate. In subsequent stages of the process (details of which are not required), 99.8%
of the 2-ethylhexanol is recovered at a purity of 99% by weight.

Feed Specifications
i. Propylene feed: 93% propylene, balance propane.
ii. Synthesis gas: from heavy fuel oil, after removal of sulfur compounds and
carbon dioxide:
H2 48.6%; CO 49.5%; CH4 0.4%; N2 1.5%.

Utilities
i. Dry saturated steam at 35 bar.
ii. Cooling water at 20oC.
iii. 2% w/w aqueous sodium hydroxide solution.
iv. Hydrogen gas: H2 98.8%; CH4 1.2%.

Scope of Design Work Required

1. Process Design Task
a. Prepare a process diagram for the plant showing the major items of equipment.
b. Prepare a material balance for the complete process.
c. Indicate the operating temperatures and pressure on process diagram in (a)
d. Tabulate the material stream indicate (indicating flow, temperature and pressure)
e. Prepare energy balances for the hydroformylation reactor and for the
isobutyraldehyde cracking reactor.

CHE 409: Principle of Plant Design

By: Engr. Dauda Baba Page 2
where x and y are the mole fractions of the more volatile component (isobutyraldehyde)
in the liquid and vapor phases, respectively.
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