ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF 400,000 TONNES OF PURE TEREPHTHALIC ACID FROM CRUDE TEREPHTHALIC ACID VIA CRYSTALLIZATION

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.