Ethylene Oxide/Ethylene Glycol (EO/EG) Production White Paper

Advances in EO catalyst performance have given rise to improved capital-efficient processes.

The Diagnosis

In terms of EO/EG plant design, there are various operational parameters, as shown in the chart above, that can have conflicting effects on feedstock use related to catalyst selectivity, capital expenditure, and energy use. For example:

• Minimising feedstock consumption reduces the catalyst work rate
• Minimising capital expenditure requires the catalyst work rate to be increased

The Discovery

Shell Catalysts & Technologies has developed and applied an integrated tool to help plant designers predict the total EO production costs for a given catalyst and plant design. This can contribute to:

• Higher work rate operations
• Improved selectivity and stability
• Increased yields and consequent reduction in capital expenditure of grassroots projects