ANDRADE, N. P.; http://lattes.cnpq.br/4047823036752755; ANDRADE, Nayana Pereira.
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.
