(60ct) An Integrated Process for the Production of Propylene Glycol from Shale Gas

Propylene glycol (PG) is produced on a large scale primarily for the production of environmentally safest and least toxic industrial and domestic products such as polyester resins, thermoset plastics, polyurethanes, food additives and antifreeze. In this research, a novel integrated plant is developed for the production of PG from shale gas. This integrated approach has the benefit of safer operating conditions since the intermediate propylene oxide, which is explosive, does not need to be stored and transported. Furthermore, there are potential economic benefits from integration. The overall plant is simulated in the Aspenplus environment, and a variety of process conditions are tested at steady-state to optimize the production of PG. Heat-integration tools are utilized for energy-saving and capital cost reduction opportunities. A comparative economic assessment based on existing plant information indicates that the use of process integration techniques has the potential to reduce costs significantly.

Keywords: Process Integration, Heat Integration, Propylene Glycol