WPC: Modern Technological Solutions for Paraxylene Production

Despite reduced demand, low margins and the current world economy, the average annual growth rate for paraxylene is expected to be 6% for the next decade. If there is no added paraxylene capacity, worldwide availability is expected to become tight in the year 2004.

Although the major amount of added capacity will come from grassroots units, paraxylene expansions of existing facilities is a means of getting the most out of an existing complex.

According to speakers at the World Petroleum Congress, the addition of the hybrid version of the Eluxyl process is a cost-effective way of integrating advanced separation technology with existing crystallization units thereby maximizing the utilization of existing equipment.

The Eluxyl paraxylene separation process, using simulated countercurrent adsorption, has been co-developed by IFP and Chevron.

According to Gérard Hotier, IFP, "following the successful operation of the Chevron Pascagoula demo plant, several large or very large capacity Eluxyl units have been awarded. These awards are based on the ability of this innovative, leading-edge technology to offer customers lower capital investment and operating costs and to enable the purification of world scale paraxylene throughputs in a single separation train."

Hybrid Eluxyl Unit at Chevron's Pascagoula Refinery

Stuart MacPherson, Chevron, and Hotier discussed the process features of the Eluxyl Hybrid and the opportunities for retrofitting crystallization units by integrating this modern technology.

MacPherson discussed Chevron's Pascagoula refinery experience, from the demonstration plant, which has proved out the Eluxyl technology, to the successful revamp of the initial two-stage crystallizer into an Eluxyl Hybrid unit. "This unit started up in 1998 and is the first example of the cost-effective combination of IFP's versatile, innovative adsorption section and Chevron's modern, high-temperature crystallization process."

Crystallization Unit at Chevron's Pascagoula Refinery

"The Eluxyl Hybrid Technology solution affords a paraxylene purity of 99.8 % for conventional users and up to 99.9 % for the most demanding users."

For more information about this and other presentations, see the World Petroleum Congress Website at www.wpc2000.com.

Edited by David Nakamura