HDPE from Ethylene and 1-Butene (Similar to Spherilene) | Economic Analysis

HDPE Production — Technology Description & Economic Analysis

HDPE from Ethylene and 1-Butene (Similar to Spherilene)

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) butene copolymer production consists in the polymerization of ethylene and 1-butene, in such a way that different manufacturing routes are related to different sources of such raw materials (ethylene and 1-butene).

This article aims to present a brief process description and a condensed cost analysis of HDPE from Ethylene and 1-Butene (Similar to Spherilene).

Process Description

The process under analysis comprises three major sections: (1) Polymerization; (2) Polymer Degassing and (3) Finishing.

Polymerization. Initially, ethylene and 1-butene are passed through fixed-bed adsorption systems, in which potential catalyst poisons are removed before polymerization. After purification, the ethylene is polymerized in combination with 1-butene in a reaction loop consisting of a fluidized-bed reactor, a compressor and a heat exchanger. The polymerization occurs in the gas phase at mild conditions of temperature and pressure. Propane is used as inert diluent, and hydrogen is used as molecular weight regulator.

Polymer Degassing. The spherical product particles are fed to a degassing vessel, in which unreacted monomers and hydrogen are removed by a counter-current propane stream. The degassed polymer particles are transferred to a vessel where residual hydrocarbons are removed and the catalyst is deactivated by stripping with steam. The wet polymer is then dried by nitrogen before being transferred to finishing section. The gaseous stream from degassing, containing unreacted monomers and diluent, is passed through a couple of distillation columns for the recovery of such components before being recycled to the polymerization.

Finishing. The resulting polymer is further fed into an extruder, which is used to incorporate the required additives, as well as to pelletize the polymer. The product is then sent to product blending, packed and finally sent to storage facilities located Outside Battery Limits (OSBL).

Cost Analysis

The economic evaluation of industrial processes is a valuable support tool for a myriad of activities and studies, such as screening and assessment of investment options, preliminary evaluation of the economic potential of emerging industrial processes, rough assessment of the economic feasibility of industrial ventures, cost estimates double-checking, preliminary budget approval, research planning, and so on.

A detailed cost analysis for the manufacturing of HDPE was developed by Intratec based on a plant constructed in 2019 Q4 in the United States with the capacity to produce 450,000 metric ton per year of HDPE. The table below presents a few economic figures related to the process “HDPE from Ethylene and 1-Butene (Similar to Spherilene)”.

Where,

“Outside battery limits (OSBL)” investment is the costs of OSBL, which is also known as outside battery units, offsite facilities, or site infrastructure. These installations are required, but do not directly participate in the manufacture of a product. They are support buildings and auxiliary units that provide and distribute utilities, and storage facilities.

“Total operating cost” is the sum of operating cash cost with depreciation. Operating cash cost is the sum of fixed operating costs (related to the plant capacity of an industrial site) and operating variable costs (related to the actual rate of operation of the industrial site). While depreciation is the decrease in the value of industrial assets over time.

Main Reference

[1] Intratec. 2019. HDPE from Ethylene and 1-Butene (Similar to Spherilene), Advanced Edition. Available at: www.intratec.us/analysis/hdpe-e14a

HDPE Production Processes

To learn more about processes related to HDPE production, visit: www.intratec.us/analysis/hdpe-production-cost

About Intratec Commodity Production Costs Reports

The report HDPE from Ethylene and 1-Butene (Similar to Spherilene) is part of a series of reports prepared by Intratec approaching the production costs of commodities spanning a diverse range of industries: Oil & Energy; Fertilizers & Gases; Olefns & Derivatives; Aromatics & Derivatives; Alcohols & Organic Acids; Polymers; Inorganic Chemicals; Food & Nutrition; Metals & Mining; and Pharmaceuticals.

For information on all Intratec reports visit: www.intratec.us