Date of Graduation

5-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Chemical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

Hestekin, Jamie A.

Committee Member/Reader

Hestekin, Jamie A.

Abstract

The global nylon market is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has been thriving in recent years due to advances in the process technology and its flexibility as a material. Nylon 6,6 is a versatile material with uses in many industries because of its ability manipulated into many forms. It is commonly used in applications that require heat resistance, chemical resistance, and high mechanical strength. It is commonly used in luggage, car parts, carpets, and many other plastic products that require the properties that nylon 6,6 exhibits. The versatility and demand for nylon 6,6 make it an attractive process for many potential chemical companies. This report contains a proposal for a nylon 6,6 manufacturing plant that includes a proposed location of Calvert City, KY, a proposed process, a grass roots economic analysis of the plant, and a HAZOP analysis of the process to help mitigate possible risks. The process starts by having the feed chemicals mixed, then pressurized and heated. The heated and pressurized feed is then split in half and sent through two identical varying diameter plug flow reactors. Once the nylon salt is formed, the mixture is then flashed twice at different temperatures to remove the excess water and unreacted chemicals. After the water is removed and the nylon salt has been polymerized, the molten nylon is sent through a granulator and formed into pellets for packaging and transport. The process was found to be profitable at current market prices of reactants and products with an IRR of ~21% which exceeds the assumed IRR of 20% to make the process profitable.

Keywords

Nylon; Chemical Engineering; Process; Polymerization Reaction

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