Ethylene oxide and glycol production

Optimizing ethylene oxide and glycol production

Alfa Laval’s expertise, equipment and services help ethylene oxide and glycol producers save energy, increase production, reduce maintenance and lower costs. This translates into operational reliability that boosts the bottom line.

 The absorption-stripping system necessary in the production of ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol separates ethylene oxide from carbon dioxide/unreacted ethylene. In the absorption tower, the ethylene oxide is taken up by the absorption medium, allowing the remaining gas to exit at the top. The absorbed gas is sent to a stripping tower to be released from the absorption medium, which can then be re-used.

Heat exchangers are critical in two positions: the interchanger, which recovers heat from the bottom of the stripper to heat up the rich medium and cold down the lean one before getting through the final lean cooler equally critical to re-enter the absorption tower again. Heat loss between the absorber and the stripper and inefficiency of the interchanger here can be extremely costly. Alfa Laval’s heat transfer technologies minimize wasted heat. With its compact design and minimal footprint, the Alfa Laval Compabloc plate heat exchanger features counter-current flow, outstanding reliability and exceptional heat transfer efficiency.

Alfa Laval Compabloc is an excellent choice to use as a lean cooler  – as are Alfa Laval gasketed and semi-welded plate heat exchangers. Alfa Laval Compabloc also offers outstanding results in reboilers and condensers. Alfa Laval Compabloc has increased efficiency and profitability at more than 60 absorption-stripper systems through the use of Alfa Laval’s reliable, high-efficiency equipment.