Use of renewable energy in the production of chemicals
A chemical synthesis plant comprising: one or more reactors configured for producing, from one or more reactants, a process stream comprising at least one chemical product; a feed preparation system configured to prepare one or more feed streams comprising one or more of the one or more reactants for introduction into the one or more reactors; and/or a product purification system configured to separate the at least one chemical product from reaction byproducts, unreacted reactants, or a combination thereof within the process stream, wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that a majority of the net energy needed for heating, cooling, compressing, or a combination thereof utilized via the one or more reactors, the feed preparation system, the product purification system, or a combination thereof is provided from a noncarbon based energy source, from a renewable energy source, and/or from electricity.
1. A chemical synthesis plant comprising:
one or more electrified reactors each configured for producing, from one or more reactants, a process stream comprising at least one chemical product;
an electrified feed preparation system configured to prepare one or more feed streams comprising one or more of the one or more reactants for introduction into the one or more electrified reactors; and
a product purification system configured to separate the at least one chemical product from reaction byproducts, unreacted reactants, or a combination thereof within the process stream,
wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured:
(a) such that any steam utilized as a diluent and/or reactant within the chemical synthesis plant is generated with electricity;
(b) such that any steam utilized as a diluent and/or a reactant is superheated electrically to provide heat/raise the temperature of a process stream;
(c) such that heat obtained from cooling process streams is utilized solely to preheat other process streams; or
(d) any combination of (a)-(c);
wherein the electrified feed preparation system and the one or more electrified reactors are configured such that greater than 90 % of the net energy needed for heating, cooling, compressing, or a combination thereof is provided by electricity; and
wherein the at least one chemical product comprises a chemical product produced by a method selected from the list of chemical products and corresponding production methods consisting of:
propylene by cracking;
ethylene oxide by oxidation of ethylene;
monoethylene glycol by hydration of ethylene oxide;
ethylene dichloride by chlorination of ethylene;
vinyl chloride from ethylene dichloride;
alpha-olefins by oligomerization;
olefins and/or diolefins by dehydrogenation of paraffins;
isoparaffins by isomerization of normal paraffins;
aromatics (BTX) from paraffins and/or naphthenes by cyclization and/or dehydrogenation;
aromatics from naphtha by cyclization and/or dehydrogenation;
ethylbenzene by alkylation of benzene with ethylene;
styrene by dehydrogenation of ethyl benzene;
cumene by alkylation of benzene with propylene;
phenol by oxidation of cumene;
terephthalic acid by the oxidation of paraxylene;
oxygen by separation from air;
nitrogen by separation from air;
MTBE by etherification of isobutylene; or
polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and
polyethylene terephthalate (PE, PP, PVC, PS, PC, PET) by polymerization.
2. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant does not include a flue gas heat recovery section.
3. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more electrified reactors, the feed preparation system, the product purification system, or a combination thereof is configured to produce a lights stream, wherein the lights stream comprises a component selected from the list of components consisting of:
hydrogen, carbon monoxide, one or more light hydrocarbons; and
wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured to not combust the component; and
wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured to use electricity for energy that could otherwise be provided by combustion of the component; and
wherein, when the component includes one or more light hydrocarbons, the one or more light hydrocarbons comprise a C 1 hydrocarbon, a C 2 hydrocarbon, C 3 hydrocarbon, and/or a C 4 hydrocarbon.
4. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a recycle line whereby the component, the lights stream, or both can be reintroduced, either directly or following further processing and/or purification, into at least one of the one or more reactors as a reactant.
5. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 3 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured to use the component as a reactant, and wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured to not combust the component such that the component is available to be converted into the at least one chemical product within the one or more reactors.
6. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 3 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that the component comprises methane.
7. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrified reactors, the electrified feed preparation system, the product purification system, or a combination thereof is configured to operate without combusting an external fuel, such that operation of the chemical synthesis plant generates reduced carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions relative to operation of a reference chemical synthesis plant that is substantially the same except for combusting a fuel for energy.
8. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrified reactors, the feed preparation system, and the product purification system for operation are configured to not combust a component of a light gas stream and the plant is configured to direct the component to at least one purpose selected from the list of purposes consisting of: recycled as a feed component within the chemical synthesis plant, sold, utilized to produce another chemical in the or another chemical synthesis plant, and combinations thereof.
9. The chemical synthesis plant according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a recycle line configured to recycle the component of the light gas stream to at least one of the one or more electrified reactors as a reactant;
wherein the component of the light gas stream is selected from the list of components consisting of: C 1 hydrocarbon, C 2 hydrocarbons, C 3 hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and combinations thereof.
10. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured to operate such that no combustion flue gas is produced.
11. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured without a substantially plant-wide steam system.
12. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that no steam is utilized in the chemical synthesis plant to perform mechanical work.
13. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that any steam utilized as a diluent and/or reactant within the chemical synthesis plant is generated with electricity.
14. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that any steam utilized as a diluent and/or a reactant is superheated electrically to provide heat/raise the temperature of a process stream.
15. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that heat obtained from cooling process streams is utilized solely to preheat other process streams.
16. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the product purification system is electrified and wherein a majority of the net energy needed for the separating is provided by the electricity.
17. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 16 , wherein the product purification system is electrified, and
wherein greater than 90% of the net energy needed for the separating is provided by electricity.
18. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that at least one of the one or more reactants comprises a component selected from hydrogen, carbon monoxide, a C 2 -C 4 hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof.
19. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electrified reactors are configured for a steam-free process or a substantially steam free for the producing, from the one or more reactants, the product stream.
20. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein all the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that all electricity used by the chemical synthesis plant is produced from a non-carbon based energy source.
21. The chemical synthesis plant of claim 1 , wherein the chemical synthesis plant is configured such that at least one of the one or more reactants comprises a component selected from the list of components consisting of: hydrogen, carbon monoxide, a C 2 -C 4 hydrocarbon, and combinations thereof.