PTQ Q3 2024 Issue

Evonik’s chloride and fluoride adsorbents and hydro - processing catalysts allow for the separation of impurities and contamination during production. Moreover, hydropro- cessing catalysts can be regenerated and reused, further contributing to sustainability goals. In addition to catching unwanted elements and removing contaminants, the other significant benefit of hydroprocessing is a reduction in olefins and aromatics. This leads to decreased heater foul - ing in steam crackers and increased yields, helping make pyrolysis oil suitable for steam cracking. Treating light and heavy pyrolysis oil with Evonik’s special- ised adsorbents results in significant chloride reduction even for highly contaminated oils (see Figure 1 ). Light oil saw chloride concentration decrease by 300 parts per million (ppm), for a final figure of 61 ppm. In the treatment of heavy pyrolysis oil, which has a higher total chloride concentra- tion of 500 ppm, there was also a reduction of 300 ppm. In this instance, chloride removal efficiency is expected, as the chloride-containing molecules are larger and more complex. Separately, Evonik’s proprietary line of SiYPro and Viscoplex additives assists with stabilising the finished pyrolysis oil and minimising crystallisation. This is signifi - cant for its ability to manage polymerisation, prevent foul- ing, inhibit corrosion, and reduce energy, safeguarding the downstream process and enabling easy transportation, storage, and increased processability. Role of partnership in circular economy success Businesses and industries are having to adhere to stricter emission rules, with mandates on plastic usage differing across regions and countries. The EU is looking to ensure all plastic packaging is reused or recycled by the year 2030, whereas in the US, the plastics waste management system is at an early stage of development. The high economic cost of plastic waste and the complexity of collecting, sorting, and cleaning said waste are part of the reasons why man- agement of this problem is so varied internationally. Increasing rates of collaboration, from catalyst providers to refineries and plastic manufacturers, recycling facilities to government and regulatory bodies, is necessary. When the need for virgin plastic production is lowered, the cor- responding emissions of manufacturing and end-of-life treatment are also lowered. Recycling remains more energy efficient than producing a product from original materials. Pyrolysis presents itself as an innovative, forward-look- ing solution that holds real promise for the sector. As of 2023, at least 10 large chemical companies have built or announced plans for facilities that will produce pyrolysis oil from plastic waste streams. An increased adoption rate of pyrolysis will benefit from economies of scale. However, the crucial integration of knowledge across the entire value chain is first required. Conclusion As plastic consumption increases year on year, so does the urgency of finding a solution for plastic waste. Figures suggest that shifting to a circular economy can reduce the volume of plastics entering oceans by 80% by 2040 and greenhouse gas emissions by 25%. In terms of economic

impact, it could save governments $70 billion over the same period and create 700,000 additional jobs. By bringing together the value chain, the supply of pyrol- ysis oil feedstock and the demand for recycled materials can expand. This will diversify the pool of raw materials available to refineries, which is increasingly important in achieving circular economy targets and sustainability com- mitments. Increasing current levels of plastic recycling and collaborating in new ways across industries will be key to driving this change forward. SiYPro and Viscoplex are trademarks of Evonik Catalysts. Evonik Catalysts Markus Hartung Vice President – Head of Region EMEA and Global Commercial Processes Contact: markus.hartung@evonik.com

Vessel internals enhance worker safety during plant turnarounds

Reducing confined space entry when changing media beds using hold-down screen solutions

The importance of petrochemical products to industry and society emphasises the critical nature of facility main- tenance and efficient turnarounds that keep production going. The lost revenue and costs associated with shutting down a process for media bed changeouts, preventative maintenance, or repairs are significant. During these out - ages, every element of the turnaround must be carefully planned and executed efficiently by plant workers to meet tight schedules and get the plant back online. As a result, worker safety is always critical, especially when entering the confined space and hazardous environment inside pet - rochemical reactors. Injury or accidents to a worker can sig- nificantly impact workers, families, and project schedules. The problem Professional process engineers and managers in the indus- try are well trained, knowledgeable, and equipped to com - ply with safety standards and guidelines from OSHA,2 API, 1 NFPA, 3 and ASSP/ANSI4 for continuous worker safety. They are trained to understand and mitigate the risks to workers and make sure that processes and protocols in place are carefully followed to ensure worker safety throughout turn- around activities. Regulatory and industry safety standards for render- ing the internal atmosphere of a reactor inert and allowing workers to enter the confined workspace are detailed and complex. After a vessel is purged and flooded with inert gas to mitigate potential explosions, many significant hazards to workers persist, including asphyxiation, unsafe working con- ditions, and changes to the internal atmosphere. Fortunately, several regulatory and recommended safety standards are in place to address and minimise these hazards. Defined as Permit-Required spaces, OSHA 1910.146, 2 NFPA3503 standards detail the requirements of the written

PTQ Q3 2024