TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES.iv
LIST OF TABLES.......v
CHAPTER ONE..1
1.0 INTRODUCTION.1
1.1 OBJECTIVES3
1.1.1 Main Objective....3
1.1.2 Specific Objectives..3
CHAPTER TWO.4
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW.4
2.1 Physical Properties of styrene..5
2.2 Chemical Properties of styrene....7
2.3 Uses of styrene..8
2.4 Safety Concerns of Styrene...9
2.4.1 Exposure to styrene......9
2.4.2 Explosion and Fire Hazards...10
2.5 Demand of styrene11
2.6 Market of styrene..12
2.7 Production Processes for styrene..14

2.7.1 Dehydrogenation of ethyl benzene...15

2.7.1.1 Fina/Badger Styrene Process15
2.7.1.2 Lummus Crest/UOP Dehydrogenation.17
2.7.1.3 Isothermal Dehydrogenation.18
2.7.2 Oxidation of ethyl benzene to ethyl benzene hydro peroxide......19
2.7.3 Oxidative conversion of ethyl benzene to -phenyl ethanol ..21
2.8 Production processes for ethylbenzene ........23
2.8.1 Liquid phase aluminium chloride catalyst process 24
2.8.2 Vapour -phase zeolite catalyst process26
2.8.3 Liquid phase zeolite catalyst process...28
2.8.4 Mixed liquid-vapour phase zeolite catalyst process..........30
2.9 Production Target...32
CHAPTER THREE..33
3.0 PROCESS SELECTION AND DESCRIPTION.33
3.1 PROCESS SELECTION...33
3.1.1 Process selection for ethylbenzene..33
3.1.1.1 Advantages of various processes.33
3.1.1.2 Disadvantages of various processes....34
3.1.1.3 Selected process for ethylbenzene production...35

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3.1.2 Process Selection for styrene production...35

3.1.2.1 Advantages of various processes....36
3.1.2.2 Disadvantages of various processes....36
3.1.2.3 Selected process for styrene production..37
3.2 PROCESS DESCRIPTION..37
3.2.1 Alkylation of benzene with ethylene.37
3.2.1.1 General process description..37
3.2.1.2 Detailed process description.38
3.2.1.3 Process Units.39
3.2.2 Dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene.....41
3.2.2.1 General process description ...41
3.2.2.2 Detailed process description..42
3.3 Process Chemistry....45
3.3.1 Ethylbenzene Production.....45
3.3.2 Styrene Production......46
CHAPTER 4....49
4.0 MATERIAL AND ENERGY BALANCES....49
4.1 Material Balance..49
REFERENCES....60

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APPENDIX.....64

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