IHS CHEMICAL PEP Review Polyvinyl Chloride by JNC Suspension Polymerization Process

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1 ` IHS CHEMICAL PEP Review Polyvinyl Chloride by JNC Suspension Polymerization Process December 2015 ihs.com PEP Review Process Economics Program Syed N. Naqvi Sr. Principal Analyst

2 PEP Review Polyvinyl Chloride by JNC Suspension Polymerization Process Syed N. Naqvi, Sr. Principal Analyst Abstract This review presents a techno-economic evaluation of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production process based on the most widely used PVC manufacturing technology suspension polymerization. The particular technology being analyzed here is used and licensed by JNC Corporation (hereafter referred to as JNC). JNC formerly operated under the name Chisso Corporation. Chisso Corporation, more famous as a supplier of liquid crystals for LCDs, was renamed JNC Corporation in Since 2014, licensing of the JNC s suspension PVC (S-PVC) and VCM stripping technologies plus the associated services to those technologies are offered jointly by JNC Corporation and KBR Inc. KBR, a global provider of technologies, engineering, and construction services for the process industry, is licensor for the aforementioned S-PVC technology. For this review, we specifically selected a process that produces general-grade PVC, which is by far the largest contributor in the overall global production of PVC. Major outlets for this type of PVC include pipes, sheets, films, cables, and molded items. The operating parameters for the process have been selected so as to produce a product having matching properties to those of JNC PVC K66-grade. (JNC s portfolio of PVC grades is provided.) Our process design is based on nonconfidential process information received from the JNC. The hallmark of the JNC technology is its proprietary design of the VCM stripping column, which results in low-energy (steam) consumption at a high separation rate of VCM from the polymer. The overall process efficiency is also high (low consumption of VCM per ton of PVC). VCM concentration in the final PVC product is claimed to be less than 1 ppm (weight basis). The overall process system allows greatly reduced gas emissions, a positive from the environmental standpoint. Changeover time from one product grade to another is relatively low (1 2 hr). While the details of the technology and its economics are not presented here in the abstract, the capital and production costs among the most important economic aspects of the overall process are provided. According to our estimates, a grassroots plant that produces 250 thousand metric tons/annum (MTPA) of general-grade PVC (~K66-grade) at 0.9 plant stream factor through JNC s technology is likely to cost about $250 million in the US Gulf Coast region. This total fixed capital (TFC) includes a 25% contingency factor. Production cost is estimated to be nearly 48 /lb ($1,058/MT). Plant cash costs are equivalent to 41 /lb ($904/MT). General-purpose PVC spot price in the United States is currently in the range /lb. It may be important to note that if the contingency cost factor is controlled at 10% by thorough planning and proficient execution of the project, the TFC of the above plant is reduced to $215 million (see the economics of this case inside). More details about the process and its economic parameters (design criteria/assumptions, process description, material and energy balance, process discussion, utilities consumption, equipment listing with the sizes, capital costs breakdown, production costs breakdown, raw materials and utilities cost, plant operational sensitivity analyses, etc.), are contained in the review. The economic analysis presented in this review is based on the US price/cost parameters. However, we have also included with the review an Excel-based interactive costing module, ipep Navigator, that can be used to calculate capital investment and production costs for abovementioned PVC technology for some other countries (China, Germany, and Japan). ipep Navigator gives a snapshot of the production economics for the United States and the aforementioned countries IHS 1 December 2015

3 Contents 1 Introduction 4 2 Major categories of polyvinyl chloride 5 Technical review of the production process parameters 6 Suspension polymerization 6 Temperature 7 Dispersants 7 Initiators 8 Shortstopping and stabilizing agents 9 Agitation 9 Conversion 9 Scale buildup or encrustation 9 Emulsion and microsuspension polymerization 10 Polymerization process 10 Emulsifiers 11 Initiators 11 Other additives 12 Reaction conditions and reactor 12 Bulk polymerization 13 Polymerization conditions 13 Initiators 14 Solution polymerization 14 Process description 15 Section 100 Polymerization 15 Section 200 Monomer recovery 17 Section 300 Product drying and finishing 17 Section 400 Bulk handling 17 Process discussion 27 Cost estimates 28 Fixed-capital costs 28 Production costs 29 3 References 39 Appendix A Patent summary 40 Appendix B Process flow diagram 44 IHS TM CHEMICAL COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER 2015 IHS. For internal use of IHS clients only. No portion of this report may be reproduced, reused, or otherwise distributed in any form without prior written consent, with the exception of any internal client distribution as may be permitted in the license agreement between client and IHS. Content reproduced or redistributed with IHS permission must display IHS legal notices and attributions of authorship. The information contained herein is from sources considered reliable, but its accuracy and completeness are not warranted, nor are the opinions and analyses that are based upon it, and to the extent permitted by law, IHS shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage, or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained herein. In particular, please note that no representation or warranty is given as to the achievement or reasonableness of, and no reliance should be placed on, any projections, forecasts, estimates, or assumptions, and, due to various risks and uncertainties, actual events and results may differ materially from forecasts and statements of belief noted herein. This report is not to be construed as legal or financial advice, and 2015 IHS 2 December 2015 use of or reliance on any information in this publication is entirely at client s own risk. IHS and the IHS logo are trademarks of IHS.

4 Tables Table 1 Process conditions for a two-stage polymerization reactor system 14 Table 2 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Design bases and assumptions 18 Table 3 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Stream flows 20 Table 3A Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Stream flows 23 Table 4 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC Suspension polymerization process Major equipment 25 Table 5 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC Suspension polymerization process Utilities summary 27 Table 6 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Total capital investment 30 Table 7 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Capital investment by section 31 Table 8 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Production costs 33 Table 9 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Total capital investment 35 Table 10 Polyvinyl chloride by JNC suspension polymerization process Production costs 36 Figures Figure 1 Effect of vinyl chloride price on the production cost and product value of PVC product 37 Figure 2 Effect of plant operating level and plant capacity on production cost of PVC 38 Figure 3 Cellulose acetate process IHS 3 December 2015

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