Advanced process control improves operation of a polypropylene unit

摘要

Saudi Polyolefins Co. (TASNEE Petrochemicals) operates two world-scale polypropylene (PP) units in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The units include polymerization and extrusion sections. The polymerization section for each line has two reactors operating in parallel mode for homopolymer production. Hydrogen is added continuously in a fixed ratio to the propylene feed to control the PP s molecular weight. The molecular weight is expressed as the melt flowrate (MFR). Each reactor train has its own degassing section, intermediate product storage and extruder. The total capacity of the plant is 720,000 tpy.