Simulation of the styrene production process via catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene using CHEMCAD？ process simulator

Resumen (en_US) Background: Process simulation has been extensively used in recent years to design, evaluate or optimize processes, systems and specific operations of the chemical industry and its related disciplines. Currently, CHEMCAD？ constitute one of the most used process simulators because of the great number of chemical and petrochemical processes that can be simulated. Method: The simulation of the production process of styrene via catalytic dehydrogenation of ethyl-benzene is carried out by using the process simulator CHEMCAD？ version 5.2.0, in order to determine the composition and mass flow-rate of each process involved in the production, as well as the main operating parameters of the equipment used. Two sensitivity studies were carried out: firstly, the influence of the temperature and pressure values applied at the LLV Separator on the amounts of ethyl-benzene and styrene to be obtained by the intermediate and top currents of this equipment; secondly, the influence of the operating pressure of the Distillation Column No. 1 (benzene-toluene column) on the quantity of ethyl-benzene and styrene obtained at the bottom stream. The simulating software MATLAB？ version 7.8.0 was used to process the results obtained. Results: Around 9234.436 kg/h of styrene is obtained in the last distillation column with 99.6% purity. Additionally, it was found that the water is the main impurity found on this stream, which represents 0.35% of the weight. Conclusions: The LLV Separator must operate at a low temperature (5 – 10 oC) and at a relatively high pressure (10 bar), whereas the Distillation Column No. 1 must work at a pressure near atmospheric (1.0 bar), or preferably under vacuum conditions in order to obtain the highest yields of styrene and ethyl-benzene. Resumen (es_ES) Contexto: la simulación de procesos se ha venido utilizando extensivamente en los últimos a？os con el propósito de dise？ar, evaluar u optimizar procesos, sistemas u operaciones específicos de la industria química y sus ramas afines. Uno de los simuladores de procesos más empleados en la actualidad es el CHEMCAD？, mediante el cual se pueden simular un gran número de procesos químicos y petroquímicos. Método: se lleva a cabo la simulación del proceso de producción del estireno a partir de la deshidrogenación catalítica del etilbenceno, utilizando el simulador de procesos CHEMCAD？ versión 5.2.0., con el fin de conocer la composición y el flujo másico de cada una de las corrientes de proceso, así como también los principales parámetros de operación de los equipos utilizados. Se efectuaron