Process Description

This facility produces polyvinyl chloride polymer resin (PVC) by polymerizing vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) in water/PVC slurry.  After the polymerization step is completed, residual vinyl chloride is stripped from the polymer slurry (2 strippers).  Filters convert the slurry to a wet cake.  Pneumatic conveying systems transfer the dryed PVC polymer resin to product silos before it is shipped to the customers. Product goes through (6) Bird centrifuges and then to (6) natural gas fired rotary kilns to dry the wet cake.  Pneumatic conveying systems transfer the dryed PVC polymer resin to product silos before being shipped to the customers.

The raw material VCM arrives by rail and is unloaded into the 5 MM lb capacity storage sphere.  There are also two large bullet tanks for additional VCM storage capacity.  There is no VCM gas holder in this process.

Although it may appear to be (6) individual lines, the product comes together at two main places in the process so that the resultant end product is completely homogeneous.  These common locations are the reactor dump tank and the stripper feed tank.  There are also only (2) stripper columns; therefore it would be more accurate to describe the plant as having (2) trains rather than (6).

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Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Suspension Plant

Major Equipment

There are (2) instrument air compressors in this facility.  The first is a Cooper-Joy turbo compressor with a 425 hp drive.  The second is a Sullair model 375 with diesel drive for power outage backup capabilities.  There is a very small Kohler generator.

Incoming electricity is 12 kV, dropped down to 460 V using (3) large transformers rated at approximately 2,300 kVA each.  There are (2) main switchgear rooms.  One facility uses Westinghouse equipment and the other facility uses Siemens and Allen-Bradley equipment.

There are (2) steam producing boilers in this facility.  The larger unit is a Babcock and Wilcox model producing 60,000 lbs/hr of 250 psig steam at 400°F (typically run at 150 psig).  It is fired by natural gas or landfill gas, which is supplied by pipeline from the local landfill (575 BTU/lb versus 1,000 BTU/lb for typical natural gas).  The national board number on this boiler is #24224, and it has 498 sq. ft. of surface area on the tubes.  The smaller boiler is a 20,000 lbs/hr Titusville unit with Coen burners.

There is a small, very low-tech thermal oxidizer in this facility and a small caustic scrubber on the system.

There are (3) electric and (3) diesel driven fire water pumps in the far corner of this facility.

There is a rail spur on site with (6) load spots under the stainless steel product silos.  Equipment could also be loaded on flatbed railcars at this location.  Equipment could be shipped by barge to a major port which is located about 100 miles away.

Process control is provided with an “Advanced System” by ABB.  The system uses the ABB Taylor Mod 300 interface with about 3,000 I/O points.  All field instrumentation is electronic.  Redundant Micromotion flowmeters are used for critical fluid measurements, even on lines up to 6” diameter. There are (2) instrument air compressors in this facility.  The first is a Cooper-Joy turbo compressor with a 425 hp drive.  The second is a Sullair model 375 with diesel drive for power outage backup capabilities.  There is a very small Kohler generator.

Incoming electricity is 12 kV, dropped down to 460 V using (3) large transformers rated at approximately 2,300 kVA each.  There are (2) main switchgear rooms.  One facility uses Westinghouse equipment and the other facility uses Siemens and Allen-Bradley equipment.

There are (2) steam producing boilers in this facility.  The larger unit is a Babcock and Wilcox model producing 60,000 lbs/hr of 250 psig steam at 400°F (typically run at 150 psig).  It is fired by natural gas or landfill gas, which is supplied by pipeline from the local landfill (575 BTU/lb versus 1,000 BTU/lb for typical natural gas).  The national board number on this boiler is #24224, and it has 498 sq. ft. of surface area on the tubes.  The smaller boiler is a 20,000 lbs/hr Titusville unit with Coen burners.

There is a small, very low-tech thermal oxidizer in this facility and a small caustic scrubber on the system.

There are (3) electric and (3) diesel driven fire water pumps in the far corner of this facility.

There is a rail spur on site with (6) load spots under the stainless steel product silos.  Equipment could also be loaded on flatbed railcars at this location.  Equipment could be shipped by barge to a major port which is located about 100 miles away.

Process control is provided with an “Advanced System” by ABB.  The system uses the ABB Taylor Mod 300 interface with about 3,000 I/O points.  All field instrumentation is electronic.  Redundant Micromotion flowmeters are used for critical fluid measurements, even on lines up to 6” diameter.

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