Pollution Control for the Petrochemicals Industry

M.Brett Borup

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781315896762
• eBook ISBN: 9781351092760
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

The petrochemicals industry is very complex and requires considerable knowledge of the individual processes to develop effective pollution control plans and processes. Information in this small book is intended to provide a base from which one can build. It is not exhaustive in describing the segments of the industry or pollution control techniques; however, it does provide a basic knowledge that should lead to intelligent, environmentally sound solutions to pollution prevention, control, and treatment.

Chapter 1
Introduction to the Petrochemical Industry

The Industry

In 1980 the world consumption of 23 major petrochemical products was well over 250 million metric tons per year. World consumption of these products has been projected to grow at a rate of approximately 5 percent per year through the year 2000 (UNIDO, 1983). The size of the petrochemical industry, coupled with the nature and complexity of the wastes, produces the potential for significant impact on public health and environmental quality. The need for adequate waste management is obvious.

Petrochemicals, sometimes called petroleum-chemicals, can be defined as any chemicals which are derived from petroleum or natural gas. This definition includes a very wide variety of compounds from acetylene to vinyl chloride. Petrochemical compounds are included in several international standard industrial classifications including: industrial gases, cyclic intermediates, dyes, organic pigments and crudes, organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals derived from petroleum, plastic materials, insecticides and agricultural fertilizers.

Raw materials used in the production of petrochemicals include crude petroleum, natural gas, refinery gas, natural gas condensate, light tops or naphtha, and heavy fractions such as fuel oil. Primary or first generation petrochemicals are produced from these raw materials. Primary petrochemicals include alkynes such as acetylene; olefins such as ethylene, propylene, and butylene; paraffins such as methane, ethane, and propane; aromatics such as benzene, toluene, and xylene; hydrogen; hydrogen sulfide and carbon black. These first generation compounds are used as feedstocks in the synthesis of intermediate and third generation petrochemical products.

Primary, intermediate, and third generation compounds are produced by exposure of feedstocks to specific process conditions, which dictate the chemistry of the transformation. A wide variety of chemical reactions may be induced in these processes including: polymerization, hydration, halogenation, epoxidation, alkylation, hydrocarboxylation, nitration, sulfonation, oxidation, dehydrogenation and cracking, isomerization and crystallization. Processes are designed to favor the formation of some desired product; however, undesired compounds, which become waste products, are often ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Preface
• Contents
• Half Title
• Chapter 1. Introduction to the Petrochemical Industry
• Chapter 2. Air Pollution
• Chapter 3. Water Pollution
• Chapter 4. Solid Wastes Management
• Chapter 5. Disposal of Hazardous Wastes
• Chapter 6. Petrochemicals Industry in Developing Countries
• Chapter 7. Energy Consideration in Pollution Control
• Chapter 8. Summary and Conclusions
• Appendix A. Glossary
• Appendix B. Air Emissions from Various Petrochemical Processing Plants
• Appendix C. Alternative Hazardous Waste Treatment Processes
• Appendix D. Conversion Factors