HAZOP ANALYSIS ON ETHYLENE OXIDE REACTOR (R100)

The Ethylene Oxide reactor converts ethylene to ethylene oxide using oxygen and a sliver
catalyst. The operating temperature of the reactor is 280 o C and operating pressure is 8 atm.
Ethylene oxide is very dangerous, carcinogenic, flammable and explosive. When it reaches its
decomposition temperature of approximately 400 o C, a very deadly explosion may occur.

Figure 1: Simple Diagram Showing Ethylene Oxide Reactor Streams

BFP -Back-flow Prevention (Non-Return Valve)

Oxygen and ethylene is combined and forms the feed stream. Oxygen inlet concentration and
ethylene inlet concentration is dependent on the oxygen and ethylene supply respectively as
shown in the diagram. The combined feed rate, feed compositions and coolant streams will be
analysed. The reactor products stream only needs a non-return valve to prevent backflow of
reactor products to the reactor.

Deviations

Property

Possible Causes

Possible Consequences

(Guide Words)

No

Oxygen Inlet

COMBINED FEED TO THE REACTOR (R-100)

Control valve
Technological Problem.

Concentration

failure.

Ethylene Oxide Conversion

(EO) is 0.

More

Oxygen Inlet

Concentration

Control valve

failed to close

Thermal runaway effect

(Reactor Temperature
Increase) and possible
explosion due to Ethylene
Oxide decomposition.

Less

Oxygen Inlet

Other Than

Concentration
Oxygen Inlet

Control valve

failed to open
Wrong reagent

Concentration

As Well As

Oxygen Inlet

No

Concentration
Ethylene Inlet

or raw material.

Impurities in

raw material
Ethylene

Concentration

Technological Problem and

Conversion is too low.

Vessel Rupture
Formation of undesirable

Products.
Decreased conversion
Technological Problem in

Reactor
Technological Problem and

pipeline may be

conversion is zero.

clogged.
Control valve
failure.

More

Ethylene Inlet
Concentration

Control valve

failed to close

A very high wt. % of ethylene

may form explosive mixtures

of hydrocarbon and oxygen.

Low selectivity.

Less

Ethylene Inlet

Control valve

Technological Problem and

Other Than

Concentration
Ethylene Inlet

failed to open
Wrong reagent
or raw material.

Conversion is too low

Vessel Rupture
Formation of undesirable

Impurities in

Products.
Decreased conversion
Technological Problem in

raw material
Flow Controller

Reactor
Loss of feed to reaction section

failure.
Line fracture.
Line blockage.

Flow Controller

failed to close
Low flow

Concentration

As Well As

Ethylene Inlet

No

Concentration
Flow

More

Flow

and no output

Increased EO Conversion.
High concentrations of
ethylene oxide and oxygen

controller valve

leading to explosive mixtures.

bypass failed to
Less
As Well As

Other Than

close.
Flow Controller

Less EO Conversion

Flow

failed to open
Water

Out of spec. supply

Flow

Contamination
Impurities
Wrong Feed

Decreased conversion.
Increased formation of

undesirable products
This may form explosive

Flow

Delivered
Reverse

Flow

Pump failure,
non-return valve

mixtures since ethylene is

failure,

flammable and explosive in the

More

Temperature

Over-

presence of high levels of

pressurisation of

oxygen.

reactor.
Temperature

O2 concentrations increases

Controller

and forms potential explosive

Failure.
External Fire.

mixture of hydrocarbons and

oxygen.
Decreased conversion and

selectivity.
Increased Reaction
Temperature leading to
runaway effect.

Less

Temperature

Temperature
Controller

Decreased Selectivity.
Low Pressure.

Failure

Higher

COOLING (COOLANT) STREAM PASSING THROUGH REACTOR (R

Inlet and Outlet
Cooling water
Thermal runaway effect and
Temperature

valve

possible explosion

malfunction or
Lower

Inlet and Outlet

Temperature

failure.
Control valve

failure, operator

The temperature of the reactor

may become very cool

fails to take
action on alarm

No

Flow

Cooling water
valve or flow
controller

malfunction.
Cooling water
service failure.

Runaway effect and possible

explosion

More

Less

Flow

Flow

Control valve

The reactor becomes very cool

failure, operator

and reactant concentration

fails to take

builds up and potential

action on alarm.

runaway effect on heating.

Pipe Leakage.
Temporary

Temperature of process fluid

Water Source

remains constant or increases

Thermal runaway effect

Less Cooling, Potential

Failure.
Partially
clogged cooling
line.

Part of

Flow

Partially
clogged cooling

As Well As

Flow

line.
Contamination

runaway effect.

Decreased Conversion.

Less cooling, runaway effect

(Presence of
Reactor
product) in
Reverse

Flow

cooling tubes
Failure of water
source or high
backpressure
resulting in
backward flow

and explosion

More

Temperature

REACTOR PRODUCTS LEAVING THE REACTOR (R-100)

Temperature
O2 concentrations increases

Controller

and forms potential explosive

Failure.
External Fire.
High Reaction

mixture of hydrocarbons and

Temperature.

oxygen.
Increased Ethylene Oxide
Temperature leading to
runaway effect.

Less

Temperature

Temperature

Low Reactor Pressure.

No production of ethylene

Controller
No

Flow

Failure
Flow Controller

failure.
Line fracture.
Full Line

blockage.
Wrong Catalyst

oxide.

or Catalyst is
fully consumed.
More

Flow

Feed Flow

More production of ethylene

oxide.
High concentrations of

Controller failed

to close.
Low feed flow

ethylene oxide and oxygen

controller valve

leading to explosive mixtures.

bypass failed to
Less

Flow

close.
Feed Flow

Controller failed
As Well As

Other Than

Flow

Flow

to open
Water

Contamination
Impurities
Wrong Feed
Delivered to the
Reactor

Less production of Ethylene

oxide.

Out of spec. supply to the

reactor.

Decreased Ethylene oxide

production.
Stream may contain a large

amount of undesirable
Reverse

Flow

Pump failure,

products.
This may form explosive

non-return valve

mixtures since ethylene is

failure,
Over-

flammable and explosive in the

pressurisation of

oxygen.

presence of high levels of

reactor.

More

Reactor Pressure

OPERATING CONDITIONS OF REACTOR (R-100)

Increased steam
Reduced Yield.
Formation of undesirable
flow rate.

Relief valve
fails closed.

products.
Development of Temperature
Gradients with localized hot
spots leading to impairment of
the catalyst to produce

Less

Reactor Pressure

Release valve

fails open.
Filling hose

ethylene oxide.
Vessel overpressure or rupture.

Decreased Conversion.

O2 concentrations increases

ruptures.

More

Temperature

Temperature
Controller

and forms potential explosive

Failure.
External Fire.

mixture of hydrocarbons and

oxygen.

Decreased conversion and

selectivity.
Increased Reaction
Temperature leading to

Less

Temperature

Temperature
Controller
Failure

runaway effect.
Decreased Selectivity.
Low Pressure.

Thermal runaway
An exothermic reaction can lead to thermal runaway, which begins when the heat produced
by the reaction exceeds the heat removed. The surplus heat raises the temperature of the
reaction mass, which causes the rate of reaction to increase. This in turn accelerates the rate
of heat production. Thermal runaway can occur because, as the temperature increases, the
rate at which heat is removed increases linearly but the rate at which heat is produced
increases exponentially. Once control of the reaction is lost, temperature can rise rapidly
leaving little time for correction. The reaction vessel may be at risk from over-pressurisation
due to violent boiling or rapid gas generation. Executive temperatures may initiate secondary,
more hazardous runaways or decompositions. An over-pressure may result in the plant failing
catastrophically resulting in blast or missile damage. A release of flammable materials from
the process could result in a fire or an explosion in the workroom. Hot liquors and toxic
materials may contaminate the workplace or generate a toxic cloud that may spread off-site.
There can be serious risk of injuries, even death, to plant operators, and the general public
and the local environment may be harmed. At best, a runaway cause loss and disruption of
production, at worst it has the potential for a major accident.