Semester
Summer
Date of Graduation
2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Department
Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Committee Chair
Srinivas Palanki
Committee Member
Fernando Lima
Committee Member
Yuhe Tian
Abstract
Ethylene is a critical feedstock and a major building block in the petrochemical industry that is used in synthesizing important products like polyethylene, ethanol, ethylene oxide, ethylene dichloride and ethylbenzene. With increasing demand of plastics, production of ethylene and subsequently polyethylene has increased globally. This thesis conducts the modeling and simulation of an integrated process that utilizes ethane as the primary feedstock to produce ethylene and the subsequent polymerization of ethylene to low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The process combines two different processes into one integrated process: (1) conversion of ethane to ethylene and (2) conversion of ethylene to LDPE. First, a steady-state simulation for converting ethane gas from a shale gas processing plant into ethylene is developed and a sensitivity analysis with respect to variation in design operating conditions of different unit operations is performed. Second, a steady-state simulation for converting ethylene to LDPE is developed and a sensitivity analysis with respect to variation in design operating conditions of different unit operations and initiator concentration is performed. A heat integration approach for the whole process is utilized to minimize the utility costs and increase the efficiency of the process.
Recommended Citation
Mokaya, Ernest Bosire, "Modeling and Simulation of a Process That Converts Ethane to Ethylene and Ethylene to Low Density Polyethylene" (2023). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 12064.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/12064