Design of Cumene Plant using Aspen Plus

Abstract

The work deals with optimization of the process of production of cumene from benzene by its alkylation with propylene. This process also involves an undesirable reaction between cumene and propylene to form p-diisopropylbenzene (PIDB). Since the activation energy of the second reaction is higher than the first one, lower reactor temperature is favored to improve the selectivity of the reaction towards cumene. This can be done by increasing the reactor size, finding a suitable method of distillation and designing the distillation columns accordingly. All the variations increase the capital and/or energy cost but also decrease the amount of raw material required. Thus this provides a classic example of an engineering design and optimization of a process. The process present in the design book by Turton et. al is referred and consists of a tubular reactor and two distillation columns. The purpose of this project is to develop an optimum design for the cumene plant which is aimed at saving maximum amount of raw material possible and also reduce the costs to an extent.