Abstract:
The report designs and operates a Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) plant that will run parallel with
an existing plant to increase production capacity and eliminate bottlenecks. The study begins by
emphasizing PTA production and the problem. A comprehensive literature review covers PTA basics,
methods for converting Crude Terephthalic Acid (CTA) to PTA, and PTA crystallization processes.
This literature evaluation lays the groundwork for the planned study and future research. It then
presents a process flow diagram and details of PTA production procedures. CTA, Hydrogen,
Water/Steam and Nitrogen are important raw materials for production of high-quality PTA. Design
criteria for equipments such as Feed tank, Pumps, Pre-heaters, Reactor, Crystallizers, Centrifuges,
and Dryers will be carefully studied. Material and energy balances were carefully examined across
these equipments. Thesis also covers critical equipment component design and specifications. The
design, function, and design considerations of shell-and-tube heat exchangers are examined.
Includes packed-bed reactor design and reactions. The crystallizer's design and operation are
analyzed. Aspen Hysys and Aspen Plus software simulate process dynamics and behavior, providing
a complete picture. Component lists, fluid packages, parameters, and reactor and crystallizer
requirements are simulated. Simulations reveal process performance and enable optimization. This
thesis assesses primary equipment costs, total investment, direct production expenses, income
generation, and payback period for any industrial operation. These financial studies reveal the
parallel PTA plant's economic viability. Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) research identifies process
hazards and recommends risk assessment and reduction. Explaining HAZOP and identifying process
hazards ensures safety and regulatory compliance. This final-year thesis suggests designing and
operating a PTA factory alongside an existing facility to boost production capacity and eliminate
bottlenecks. Process overview, material and energy balance calculations, equipment design,
simulation, instrumentation and control strategies, cost estimation, and HAZOP studies are
examined in detail to inform future research.
