In the EO/EG process, mono-, di-, and tri-ethylene glycols (MEG, DEG, TEG) are co-products of a hydration reaction generated in varying proportions based on reactor feed conditions. Glycol products operate in distinct and independent markets, therefore optimum overall product distribution will vary dependent on market conditions. Additionally, for production of higher glycols increased energy costs of recovery and recycling must be considered in the optimization calculation. Successfully balancing reactor conditions on a dynamic basis for the prevailing glycol market can improve plant operating margins.
Using market data, a hybrid model of glycol reactor kinetics and downstream recovery is deployed by SD’s SciDigital GlyPro® optimizer identifies optimum reactor conditions for the plant and provides feedback to the product planning group. The model is customized to operate within the plant’s specific design constraints, maximizing total plant operating margins in real time based on inventory and customer commitment.
