Published December 2001
This supplementary report presents the industry status of propylene oxide (PO) and reviews recent developments in PO manufacturing technologies since PEP Report 2E, Propylene Oxide, issued in 1994. In this Report we focus on the technoeconomic evaluation of commercial and selected noncommercial PO processes.
We present technoeconomic evaluations of our interpretation of Lyondell's and Huntsman's PO/t-butyl alcohol processes, Lyondell's and Shell's PO/styrene processes, Sumitomo's PO by using cumene hydroperoxide process, and the chlorohydrin processes using lime and using cell liquor. We also present the economics of selected noncommercial PO processes: four versions of the chlorohydrin process, an electrochemical process, two peracid processes, and a propylene glycol monoacetate pyrolysis process. In addition, we review other noncommercial PO processes including the hydrogen peroxide process, the direct oxidation process, and the biochemical process from a qualitative perspective.
Overall, this PO report encompasses the latest technologies and process economics and provides a basis for insight into technical trends, environmental issues, and the selection of technologies.
