Integração energética, análise econômica e impacto ambiental no processo de metanol a olefinas (MTO).

Abstract

The development of strategies aimed at enhancing competitiveness and expanding the industrial implementation of the Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) process has the potential to mitigate the reliance on unsustainable raw materials in the production of olefins, particularly emphasizing ethylene and propylene. This thesis performs a comprehensive analysis of energy integration for olefins derived from synthesis gas through the MTO process. Process simulation was established for the base design and an alternative design. The alternative design differs from the base design by implementing energy integration, with the reuse of energy released during synthesis gas-to-methanol (STM) and methanol-to-olefins reactions. The thermal energy discharged from the MTO reactor output stream is used to generate sufficient steam to meet the demands of the process. Additionally, a configuration featuring four columns is employed, inclusive of two dividing-wall columns (DWC) designed for olefin separation. A comprehensive assessment was conducted, which included energy aspects, Total Annual Cost (TAC) and CO2 emissions, in order to compare the two configurations. The alternative process achieves savings of 67.3% in energy consumption, and total heat dissipation is reduced by around 33.8%. These improvements result in TAC decrease of around 17%. For the assessment of direct carbon emissions, the alternative design shows reduction in environmental impact of around 82%, representing reduction of 310 tons of CO2 per day.