Document YGoxgX7Bv1pVeamLEV0by4NXn

NTER-OFFICE MEMO TENNECO CHEMICALS, INC To J.W. Poarch at Bur Iington From L. Medeiros at Burlington Subject PROCESS ENGINEERING REPORT September, 1975 date September 29, 1975 Copy to ts. W.C. Champion R.S. Cole Dr. L. Gross D. Hershkowitz JAlt McBroom W. Miringoff P.R. Scarito A.C. Siegel J.T. Sweeney Pilot Plant - Flemington tie LOP 1056 - DUAL CATALYST IN COPOLYMER Dual catalyst evaluation has proceeded in polymerization of T/314 and T/315* Trials are being limited to reactor #1. Results are as follows: Type- Batch Date Catalvst LP/EHP MVC Chg Plus H.U. Time at Temp To 35 psiq Recovered Monomer 314 3316 9/4 12/2 1.3 9.7 1 M 314 3387 9/8 13/2i 1.0 8.3 1 M 314 3215 8/29 14/0 315 3497 9/16 11 ni 1.3 1.3 9*4 0 (CON) 7*2 1 M 315 3515 9/17 12/2^ 1.1 7.3 1 M 315 3539 9/19 12/2i 315 3488 9/15 13/0 315 3530 9/18 13/0 1.3 1.3 1.3 7.4 1 M 7.3 0 (CON) 7-3 0 (CON) 315 3505 9/16 13/0 315 3482 9/15 13/0 315 3474 9/14 13/0 1.3 1.3 1.3 8.4 1 (CON) 8.0 1 (CON) 8.0 1 (CON) 315 3459 9/13 13/0 1.2 7.5 1 (CON) The use of recovered monomer is having a significant effect on kinetics and is complicating the comparison. Additional charges are needed to confirm results. Production will charge a virgin T/315 with 12/2i ratio of LP/EHP for compari son purposes. The draw-down on the jacket water comparison has been further complicated with the high pressure water cleaning of the copolymer jackets during the week of 9/22/75. VCM UNLOADING - Flemington/Burlington Car Heel Estimation A report estimating VCM heel in rail cars not degassed was Issued on 9/22/75. COLORITE 011119 Page 2 The estimations were based on unloading data for the year 1974. The recom mended VCM heel credits are as follows: LocatIon Flemington Burlington Period Jan-Dec Jan-Mar, Nov-Dec Apr-May, Sep-Oct June-Aug Est. Storage Pressure 75 14 26 39 Heel lbs. V< 3,630 1,300 1,830 2,310 LOP 1073 - USE OF I0N0L IN COPOLYMER LOP 1073 was written and is circulating for approval. Under this LOP 1 lb. of lonol (i-nitially) will be sucked into the stripper prior to transfer of the batch from the reactor. Recent PVC experience (I OR type) with this procedure resulted in Iona I carry-over into the recovery of near 80 ppm with no detrimental effect on kinetics. Prior experience with 5 lbs. lonal prior to steam stripping resulted in too much lonol carry-over and batches "dying out" before reaching dump pressure. It is hoped that a controlled amount of lonol carry-over will help alleviate the buildup problem in the copolymer recovery receivers. This buildup has become more pronounced with the higher thermal stripping temperatures and longer stripping times. Additional benefits looked for are better resin color, better initial heat stability and lower residual VCM levels. The latter is possible if the lonol helps prevent polymerization which seals the resin particle during thermal stripping. SOLVENT STRIPPING OF COPOLYMER SLURRY The Pilot Plant has completed evaluation of a T/315 series of solvent strip pings utilizing MVAc. The acetate solvent was introduced into the bottom of the stripping vessel. This procedure appears promising and they have re quested a plant evaluation. In previous trials the acetate solvent was in troduced into the top of the vessel. An LOP will be written for this evaluation. A maintanence work order will be submitted to pipe (3/4 inch) the //2 weigh scale to the bottom of the strippers. A 0-10 gpm rotameter will be placed in the line. The MVAc sol vent usage will be based on 5% of the total slurry weight added over 30 minutes. RESIDUAL VCM LEVEL IN SUSPENSION SLURRY Two slurry samples from the Homopolymer and two from the Copolymer Plant are being taken daily to characterize the residual VCM levels in the slurry for our current stripping cycle. This program has encountered a delay due to the program for the characterization various plant problem streams which currently discharge monomers into the atmosphere. This is due to the load limit on lab testing capability. The following table summarizes results to date: O COLORITE 011120 fage 3 TYPE 315 m 231 1 OR 175 01 # tested ' 14 8 4 2 16 2 12 Avg. ppm, VCM 109 224 165 63 17 400 ^5 Range: High Low 200 490 24 0 95 50 500 195 52 80 150 30 4 300 9 S.S.: To 0F 190 190 190 190 210 190 210 Hold, Min. 0 0 0 15 60 0 15 Cool to F 180 180 170 180 190 170 190 H2O Add, Gal 200 200 0 200 300 0 500 There is a wide variability in results. This could be due to recovery proced ure, sample procedure, and testing variability. LOP 1063 - EVALUATION OF SH0RTST0P5 A 1 lb. lonol add to the stripper prior to steam stripping 10R was evaluated in the September run of this product, lonol carry-over into the recovery stabilized to near 80 ppm after four days. No detrimental effect on kinetics was noted. No significant change in resin color or heat stability was noted. Residual VCM in finished product ranged below 2 ppm. A report on this run will be assembled. LOP 107-4 - NEW DEFOAMER EVALUATIONS Colloids Oefoamer 991 (formerly X-6891-40) was evaluated in BR-501 processing. The base for this defoamer is 987 to which 20% silicon was added. Defoamer 987 was evaluated in Plastisol and the Pilot Plant. Both reported satisfac tory results (1973)- Performance of 991 in BR-501 appeared equal/better than GE-60. Resin samples from Lot 455025 (and lots -20, -23 for controls) has been forwarded to R&D for chemical foam application evaluation. If product tests in R&D are satis factory, no problem is forseen in AMPing the use of 991 and eliminating the GE-60 defoamer across all the PVC line. The summarized cost savings based on GE-60 usage for the first 5 months of 1975 are as follows: Annual Usaqe, lbs. Cost Cents/lb. Total Dollars Annual $ Savinqs GE-60 60 M 1.81 108,600 - Colloids 99I 60 M SPECIAL REACTOR RECOVERY EVALUATIONS 1.05 63,000 45,600 Special reactor recovery procedure was evaluated in both the Ho and Co plant during the period from 8 a.m. on 9/8 to 8 a.m. on 9/11/75- in this procedure the reactor jacket temperature was set to 190F at the start of the batch transfer to the stripper^ At completion of transfer, the reactor was isolated from the dump line, recovered for 1/2 hour, recovery shut off and then cooled for 5 minutes prior to breaking of vacuum with nitrogen. After elimination of results inconsistent with the recovery procedure as re fined during the evaluation, a summary is as follows: COLORITE 011121 Page 4 Plant Ho Types Avg. Hj.gh 1 OR, 175, 501 2,010 5,5^0 Bendix: Before 4 days/7 day5 After 4 days/10 days Lo aJ 60 0 Average of Bendix Area level counts of PPM y\_ >1 >2 >100 95 5 0..8 0.3 62/69 7/12 0/0.7 0/0 69/IOO 7/15 2.1/2.2 0.5/0.4 Co 390, 391 2,590 3,730 1,7 20 Bendix: Before 4 days/7 days After 4 days/10 days 55 8 0.5 0 91/109 17/17 2.5/1.9 0.3/0.1 69/100 14/16 2.5/1.5 0.3/0.4 The Bendix control data was for the best 4 days before and after the special 4 day run (in the period 9/1 to 9/21/75)- In Copolymer the area excursions above all levels was significantly reduced, in viewing the 4 day period there doesn't appear to be a significant reduction in the Homopolymer excursions, but in viewing the 7 days previous and 10 days following the run the difference Is there. A report summarizing the data is near complete and should issue the week of 9/29/75. Two Special Plastisol recoveries were conducted in September with the following results: Date Tower F Jkt. Temp. Rec. Time Hours Recovery Method ppm VCM/Point Tod Bottom 9/25 9/26 14 8 140 Std + 1 hr. Top 3,140 5,040 180 Std + 1 hr. Bottom 870 1,650 9/25 11 - Std recov. Std 18,100 385,000 9/169/17 (j5 Towers) - Std recov. Std 17y28M None A dramatic difference in monomer content was noted between the top and bottom .samples from the tower.' This occurred despite a 10 (+) minute waft period after breaking vacuum with nitrogen (before sampling). The nitrogen for breaking vacuum is introduced into the top of the reactor and diffusion of the monomer and nitrogen molecules appears very poor. It is not known if this phenomenon is present in the agitated suspension reactors. LM/gs L. Medeiros COLOR!TE 011122