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Eco-efficiency and techno-economic analysis for maleic anhydride manufacturing processes

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Abstract

Maleic anhydride may be obtained from different technological routes, being the selective oxidation of benzene and oxidation of butane the only ones that are currently in operation and, hence, represent competitive alternatives. In this paper, the said technologies are compared with regard to their economics and ecological performances in order to assert which one corresponds to the cleanest technology. The economics of each process was estimated on the basis of their respective cash flows, while the environmental comparison was carried out through the Eco-efficiency Comparison Index method by estimating six different categories of eco-indicators and seven life cycle metrics. To the best of our knowledge, such technologies have not been compared in terms of a joint evaluation of life cycle and eco-efficiency metrics, let alone considering the design of their respective utility plants. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed in order to analyze how the heuristic parameters for the utility plants considered in this work affect the estimation of the said indicators. The butane technology was shown to be more sustainable than the benzene process, since it was approximately 72% more profitable and 38% more eco-efficient than the latter.

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Abbreviations

A :

Heat transfer area

C1:

Column 1

C2:

Column 2

C benzene :

Benzene composition

C butene :

n-Butane composition

C MAN :

Maleic anhydride composition

C oxygen :

Oxygen composition

D i :

Inner diameter

E1:

Cooler 1

E2:

Cooler 2

E3:

Cooler 3

E4:

Cooler 4

E C :

CO2 emissions eco-indicator

E comb :

Total thermal energy from combustion consumption

E E :

Energy use eco-indicator

E F :

Fuel consumption eco-indicator

E ind :

Total electricity consumption

Emcomb :

Total CO2 emissions due to thermal energy consumption

Emfug :

Total CO2 emissions due burning off-gases in the flare

Emind :

Total CO2 emissions due to electricity consumption

E RM :

Raw material consumption eco-indicator

E W :

Water consumption eco-indicator

E WW :

Wastewater generation eco-indicator

f :

Temperature difference factor

F1:

Fired heater

H :

Pump head

H1:

Heater 1

H2:

Heater 2

H3:

Heater 3

K1:

Compressor

L :

Vessel length

ṁ MAN :

Maleic anhydride mass flow rate

ṁ NG :

Natural gas mass flow rate

ṁ RM :

Raw material mass flow rate

P1:

Pump 1

P2:

Pump 2

P3:

Pump 3

P4:

Pump 4

P5:

Pump 5

P6:

Pump 6

p B :

Partial pressure of butane

P c :

Compressor power

p M :

Partial pressure of MAN

Q :

Energy requirement

R1:

Tubular reactor

\(\dot{V}\) :

Volumetric flow rate

V1:

Vessel 1

V2:

Vessel 2

V3:

Vessel 3

\(\dot{\nu}\) bfw :

Boiler feed water volumetric flow rate

\(\dot{\nu}\) cw :

Cooling water volumetric flow rate

\(\dot{\nu}\) hps :

High-pressure steam volumetric flow rate

\(\dot{\nu}\) lps :

Low-pressure steam volumetric flow rate

\(\dot{\nu}\) mps :

Medium-pressure steam volumetric flow rate

x benzene :

Benzene molar fraction

x cumene :

Cumene molar fraction

x DIPB :

p-Diisopropyl benzene molar fraction

α :

Cooling water loss factor (process)

ß :

Cooling water loss factor (cooling tower)

γ :

Cooling water loss factor (blowdown)

δ :

Cooling water make-up

ε :

Steam loss factor (condensate losses)

ζ :

Steam loss factor (boiler blowdown)

η :

Steam loss factor (feed water treatment)

θ :

Feed water make-up

ATP:

Aquatic toxicity potential

bfw:

Boiler feed water

cw:

Cooling water

ECI:

Eco-efficiency Comparison Index

EPA:

US Environmental Protection Agency

GWP:

Global warming potential

hps:

High-pressure steam

HTPI:

Human toxicity potential by ingestion

HTPE:

Human toxicity potential by inhalation

IPCC:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

LCA:

Lice cycle assessment

lps:

Low-pressure steam

MAN:

Maleic anhydride

MOC:

Material of construction

mps:

Medium-pressure steam

ng:

Natural gas

NPV:

Net present value

NRTL:

Non-random two liquid

PCOP:

Photochemical oxidation potential

PEI:

Potential environmental impact

TTP:

Terrestrial toxicity potential

UNCTAD:

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

WAR:

Waste reduction

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior —Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.

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  1. Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, 24210-240, Brazil

    Patrick V. Mangili, Pedro G. Junqueira, Lizandro S. Santos & Diego M. Prata

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  1. Patrick V. Mangili
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Correspondence to Patrick V. Mangili.

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Mangili, P.V., Junqueira, P.G., Santos, L.S. et al. Eco-efficiency and techno-economic analysis for maleic anhydride manufacturing processes. Clean Techn Environ Policy 21, 1073–1090 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-019-01693-1

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