METEOR Ethylene Oxide/Glycol Process Technology

Delivering The Highest Financial Return For The Production of Ethylene Oxide and Glycols

The METEOR™ EO/EG Process and Catalyst Technology is a revolutionary technology that represents a paradigm shift in the way the world thinks about the production of ethylene glycol. The basis of design for conventional, competing technologies is the optimization or trade-off between capital, operating and fixed costs, forcing prospective producers to choose between low capital cost or low operating cost. The METEOR EO/EG Process changed the competitive landscape by offering both a major reduction in capital requirements and a significant reduction in operating and fixed costs. How? By integrating process simplicity, new safety features and superior catalyst technology in a single design.

Simplicity and Safety Advantages
The METEOR EO/EG Process began with the premise that a simple design would deliver capital and operating cost savings, as well as a safer and more operable process. This principle delivered a technology with fewer process steps, less major equipment, less bulks and a smaller plot plan than alternative technologies. The most obvious example of the many design simplifications incorporated into the METEOR EO/EG Process is the single EO reactor. Whereas conventional technologies implemented in world-scale facilities still rely upon multiple reactors and their associated support equipment, the single reactor design was first commercialized as part of the METEOR EO/EG Process in 1994. The overall drive for simplicity throughout the process has resulted in a 20 percent reduction in major equipment, 50 percent reduction in control valves, 30 percent reduction in safety valves, 40 percent reduction in flow elements and a 40 percent reduction in plot plan size.

Beyond providing a direct route to lower costs, the simplicity of the METEOR™ EO/EG Process also provides the following safety advantages:

A single reactor design requires no reaction cycle gas isolation or flow control, virtually eliminating the risks associated with cycle gas flow disruptions or variations.
There is no isolation or handling of concentrated EO in a facility producing only ethylene glycol.
Fewer major and bulk equipment items mean fewer fugitive and episodic emission points.
With an Emergency Shutdown System (ESS) that spans the entire range of catalyst life, no re-setting of system trip points is required as the catalyst ages.
Equipment is designed to contain most upset scenarios without relying on safety relief devices, allowing the METEOR EO/EG Process to meet all U.S. safety and environmental requirements without the need for an episodic flare.
There are no continuous effluents requiring wastewater treatment.

Operability and Maintainability
A simple process, supported by the extensive EO/EG operating experience, results in a plant that is extremely reliable, easy to operate, and easy to maintain. In fact, within its first few years of operation, the METEOR EO/EG Process established a new corporate run record for consecutive days of continuous operation. This same reliability is designed into each licensed facility.

Licensees can be assured that their plant built using the METEOR EO/EG Process has quality designed in. By using premium materials of construction, licensees will experience less maintenance and greater operational reliability. As a result of the METEOR EO/EG Process, a low capital advantage is achieved through process simplification and equipment elimination. These advantages preclude the need to consider the use of lower quality materials of construction and reduce the number of vital equipment spares to deliver a capital advantage.

Safety and Reliability
The UNIPOL PP Process meets the most stringent environmental regulations. It has an excellent record worldwide for safety and environmental performance. The UNIPOL PP Process offers the best combination of safety, reliability, product flexibility and economy.

METEOR™ Catalyst Technology
METEOR EO Catalysts currently available to the industry fall into two groups generally referred to as high activity catalysts and high efficiency catalysts.

High activity catalysts – operate at high work rates, but only deliver moderate efficiency performance. High activity catalysts reduce catalyst cost, but at the expense of higher raw material costs.
High efficiency catalysts – deliver better efficiency performance, but operate at low work rates. The high efficiency catalysts trade off lower raw material cost at the expense of higher catalyst cost.

METEOR EO Catalysts are unique in the industry, offering both high activity and high efficiency. This combination has led to the commercialization of a streamlined process for world scale capacities with a single EO reactor. Three million tons of EO equivalents per year, or approximately 20 percent of total world capacity, are produced using the direct oxidation process of ethylene using the METEOR EO/EG Process.

The current development program for METEOR EO Catalysts will drive towards increased efficiency while increasing activity. The benefits are two-fold: improved efficiency will reduce operating cost, while higher catalyst activity can either extend catalyst life or increase plant production or both.

Technology Support and Training
The METEOR™ EO/EG Process is supported by a comprehensive technology and services package with an established record of world-wide success. It combines product and catalyst know-how with leading process and technology transfer expertise.

Plant start-ups are rapid and reliable. With the benefit of comprehensive training provided by Dow Technology Licensing and assistance from experienced personnel, production lines using the METEOR EO/EG Process have achieved design production rates and produced first quality products within hours after start-up.

The Dow multi-functional Client Teams consisting of Engineering, R&D, Operations and other specialists work closely with licensees to understand and quickly respond to their needs by providing the expert services, training, on-site support and continued access to technology advancements that enhance the long-term competitive advantage.

For additional information on the METEOR EO/EG Process Process, please visit METEOR™ Ethylene Oxide/Glycol Process Technology.

®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow


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The basis of design for conventional, competing technologies is the optimization or trade-off between capital, operating and fixed costs, forcing prospective producers to choose between low capital cost or low operating cost. The METEOR EO/EG Process changed the competitive landscape by offering both a major reduction in capital requirements and a significant reduction in operating and fixed costs. How? By integrating process simplicity, new safety features and superior catalyst technology in a single design. Simplicity and Safety Advantages The METEOR EO/EG Process began with the premise that a simple design would deliver capital and operating cost savings, as well as a safer and more operable process. This principle delivered a technology with fewer process steps, less major equipment, less bulks and a smaller plot plan than alternative technologies. The most obvious example of the many design simplifications incorporated into the METEOR EO/EG Process is the single EO reactor. Whereas conventional technologies implemented in world-scale facilities still rely upon multiple reactors and their associated support equipment, the single reactor design was first commercialized as part of the METEOR EO/EG Process in 1994. The overall drive for simplicity throughout the process has resulted in a 20 percent reduction in major equipment, 50 percent reduction in control valves, 30 percent reduction in safety valves, 40 percent reduction in flow elements and a 40 percent reduction in plot plan size. Beyond providing a direct route to lower costs, the simplicity of the METEOR™ EO/EG Process also provides the following safety advantages: A single reactor design requires no reaction cycle gas isolation or flow control, virtually eliminating the risks associated with cycle gas flow disruptions or variations. There is no isolation or handling of concentrated EO in a facility producing only ethylene glycol. Fewer major and bulk equipment items mean fewer fugitive and episodic emission points. With an Emergency Shutdown System (ESS) that spans the entire range of catalyst life, no re-setting of system trip points is required as the catalyst ages. Equipment is designed to contain most upset scenarios without relying on safety relief devices, allowing the METEOR EO/EG Process to meet all U.S. safety and environmental requirements without the need for an episodic flare. There are no continuous effluents requiring wastewater treatment. Operability and Maintainability A simple process, supported by the extensive EO/EG operating experience, results in a plant that is extremely reliable, easy to operate, and easy to maintain. In fact, within its first few years of operation, the METEOR EO/EG Process established a new corporate run record for consecutive days of continuous operation. This same reliability is designed into each licensed facility. Licensees can be assured that their plant built using the METEOR EO/EG Process has quality designed in. By using premium materials of construction, licensees will experience less maintenance and greater operational reliability. As a result of the METEOR EO/EG Process, a low capital advantage is achieved through process simplification and equipment elimination. These advantages preclude the need to consider the use of lower quality materials of construction and reduce the number of vital equipment spares to deliver a capital advantage. Safety and Reliability The UNIPOL PP Process meets the most stringent environmental regulations. It has an excellent record worldwide for safety and environmental performance. The UNIPOL PP Process offers the best combination of safety, reliability, product flexibility and economy. METEOR™ Catalyst Technology METEOR EO Catalysts currently available to the industry fall into two groups generally referred to as high activity catalysts and high efficiency catalysts. High activity catalysts – operate at high work rates, but only deliver moderate efficiency performance. High activity catalysts reduce catalyst cost, but at the expense of higher raw material costs. High efficiency catalysts – deliver better efficiency performance, but operate at low work rates. The high efficiency catalysts trade off lower raw material cost at the expense of higher catalyst cost. METEOR EO Catalysts are unique in the industry, offering both high activity and high efficiency. This combination has led to the commercialization of a streamlined process for world scale capacities with a single EO reactor. Three million tons of EO equivalents per year, or approximately 20 percent of total world capacity, are produced using the direct oxidation process of ethylene using the METEOR EO/EG Process. The current development program for METEOR EO Catalysts will drive towards increased efficiency while increasing activity. The benefits are two-fold: improved efficiency will reduce operating cost, while higher catalyst activity can either extend catalyst life or increase plant production or both. Technology Support and Training The METEOR™ EO/EG Process is supported by a comprehensive technology and services package with an established record of world-wide success. It combines product and catalyst know-how with leading process and technology transfer expertise. Plant start-ups are rapid and reliable. With the benefit of comprehensive training provided by Dow Technology Licensing and assistance from experienced personnel, production lines using the METEOR EO/EG Process have achieved design production rates and produced first quality products within hours after start-up. The Dow multi-functional Client Teams consisting of Engineering, R&D, Operations and other specialists work closely with licensees to understand and quickly respond to their needs by providing the expert services, training, on-site support and continued access to technology advancements that enhance the long-term competitive advantage. For additional information on the METEOR EO/EG Process Process, please visit METEOR™ Ethylene Oxide/Glycol Process Technology. ®™^* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow
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