AIChE Paper Number: 95c CATALYTIC PROCESSES PROCESS SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

摘要

On June 3,2014,two major explosions and subsequently a fire occurred at a SM/PO plant in the Netherlands,The investigation report showed that the root cause of the incident was an unexpected reaction of the catalyst with ethylbenzene.This reaction happened during the commissioning phase of the in situ activation of the catalyst.This explosion was a trigger for a big chemical site,to review the commissioning and start up procedures of their catalytic reactors to see if a similar incident could happen.In an introduction some generic definitions about catalytic reactor processes are summed up.In the most basic sense,Catalysis is the increase in the rate of chemical reaction due to the participation of an additional substance called a catalyst,which is not consumed in the catalyzed reaction and can continue to act repeatedly.Often only tiny amounts of catalyst are required in principle C1).Secondly the preparing of a catalyst is shortly described with a focus on the final step of activation.It is an important process design decision to choose between an ex situ or in situ activation because it will determine the commissioning procedures of the reactor.Advantages and disadvantages of each option will be further elaborated on.In the last part of the paper a site incident database has been reviewed for similar incidents.Forty five plants are located on this site and all of them have catalytic reactors.The results of this review will be presented in this paper to increase the necessary process safety competency with respect to handling of catalyst and operating catalytic reactors.