i
DECLARATION
We hereby declare that the work in this report is our own except for quotations and
summaries which have been duly acknowledged.
11th MAY 2017
CHEAH CHING WEI
( A157594 )
PUA MEI CHOON
( A157678 )
AZMIR BIN BAHARI
( A157687 )
NOR HALIZA BINTI MISLET
( A157802 )
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, we want to express our most profound thankfulness to every one of
the individuals who gave us the guidance and encouragement to finish this project. A
special appreciation we provide for our venture director, Prof. Ir. Dr. Siti Rozaimah Binti
Sheikh Abdullah, Prof. Madya Ir. Dr. Masturah Binti Markom, Dr. Mohd Shaiful Bin
Sajab, Dr. Yuliana Binti Yuhana, Prof. Dr. Abdul Amir H. Khadum, Dr. Nur Hidayatul
Nazirah Binti Kamarudin and Dr. Wan Nor Roslam Bin Wan Isahak whose gave a huge
commitment in empowering proposals and support, helped us to complete our project
particularly in composing this report.
Moreover, an extraordinary much gratitude goes to our team members, Cheah Ching Wei,
Pua Mei Choon, Azmir Bin Bahari and Nor Haliza Binti Mislet, that were amass the parts
and gave fully participation during our project entitled "The Production of Propylene
Oxide". We need to value the direction given by our classmates and also the boards
particularly in our project presentation that has enhanced our presentation aptitudes on
account of their remark and advices.
iii
ABSTRACT
Propylene oxide is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH 3CHCH2O. It is
also called 1,2-propylene oxide to distinguish it from its isomer 1,3-propylene oxide,
better known as oxetane. this extremely flammable chemical has a molar mass of 58.08
g/mol and density of 0.83g/cm3. It is a colourless liquid with a benzene-like odor. This
colourless volatile liquid is produced on a large scale industrially, its major application
being its use for the production of polyether polyols for use in making polyurethane
plastics. Propylene oxide is additionally utilized as a part of the fumigation of foodstuffs
and plastic medicinal instruments. It can be utilized as herbicides, as solvents, in the
planning of oils, surfactants, and oil demulsifiers. According to the market price, the
selling cost of propylene oxide is USD 2500 per ton which is equivalent to RM 11.44 per
kilogram and global propylene oxide demand is expected to reach 6.8 million metric
tonnes in 2013. Energy balance that has been calculated shows that the reaction is highly
exothermic and the reactor releases of heat per hour.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii
ABSTRACT iii
TABLE OF CONTENT iv-v
LIST OF TABLE AND FIGURE vi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Propylene Oxide 1
1.2 Physical and Chemical properties of Propylene Oxide 2
1.3 Usage of Propylene Oxide 3-4
CHAPTER II: ECONOMIC ISSUES OF PROPYLENE OXIDE
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Demand and Supply of Propylene Oxide 5-7
2.3 List of Existing Companies 7
2.4 Price of Propylene Oxide 8
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CHAPTER III: ENVIRONMENTAL AND SAFETY ISSUES
3.1 Waste Generation 9
3.2 Environmental Regulation 10-11
3.3 Handling and Storage of Chemical 11-13
CHAPTER IV: PRODUCTION PROCESS OF PROPYLENE OXIDE
4.1 Chemical Reaction 14
4.2 Plant Description 14
4.3 Process Flow Diagram of Production of Propylene Oxide 15
CHAPTER V: MASS BALANCE AND ENERGY BALANCE
5.1 Introduction 16
5.2 Mass Balance of Propylene Oxide Plant 17-19
5.3 Energy Balance of Propylene Oxide Plant 19-20
CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION 21
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
vi
LIST OF TABLES
Number of Page
Tables
Table 1.2.1 Physical properties of propylene oxide 2
Table 1.2.2 Chemical properties of propylene oxide 2
Table 2.3.1 List of Propylene Oxide Production 7
Company
Table 3.2.1 Acceptable Conditions of Sewage 10
Discharge of Standards A and B
Table 3.3.1 Handling and Storage of Chemicals 11-13
Involved in Production of Propylene
Oxide
Table 5.2.1 Mole and mass flow rate of each 18-19
component in the fixed bed reactor (R-
101)
LIST OF FIGURES
Number of figure Page
Figure 1.3.1 Usage of propylene oxide 3
Figure 2.2.1 World consumption of propylene 6
oxide in 2013
Figure 2.2.2 Worldwide supply and demand of 6
propylene oxide from 2012 to
2020
Figure 5.2.1 Fixed bed reactor R-101 18
