Goodrich-Gulf Converts SBR Plant To Make Polybutadiene Catalyst Preforming
Feed Drying
Polymerization Reactors
Fresh Solvent
I
Monomer
I
Recycle Recycle
Preprocessing Ingredients
J
T Alkyl Aluminum Catalyst Component
TCobalt
Catalyst Component
Coagulation & | Solvent | Recovery Recycle Purification
1
Air
Cement Surge Tank
Water Steam
Steam Rotary Drum Filter
Air J
Dryer
Dewatering Screen
Water
SBR equipment used in polybutadiene process
Slurry Surge Tank Water
Goodrich-Gulf is now operating commercial plant at Institute, W.Va., converted from SBR production
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•• Baling — • Warehouse Wrapping
r,
Air
Conversion to Polybutadiene Completed
Goodrich-Gulf is now turning out cis1,4-polybutadiene rubber at its Institute, W.Va., plant. It thus officially adds 15,000 long tons of capacity to the 115,000 tons now on stream by Phillips, Firestone, American Rubber & Chemical, and Goodyear. Production will probably reach 90,000 long tons this year. The Institute plant is a conversion of one of three SBR lines from SBR to polybutadiene. The process is a solvent polymerization (SBR, in contrast, is emulsion polymerization) of butadiene, using a Ziegler aluminum alkyl-cobalt catalyst system. It's this catalyst system, the company claims, that accounts for its Ameripol CB's high cis content of 9 8 % . This, the company says, compares with 96 to 97% for natural rubber, and up to 94% for other polybutadienes. Not only does Goodrich-Gulf find that conversion of an SBR line is the most economical route for itself, it also feels that this approach could well prove the most economical for
Short Stop
Catalyst Removal
others that may have excess SBR capacity. And this situation more than likely is the case. SBR consumption, currently well below industry capacity, is expected to continue dropping as the newer rubbers, including polybutadiene, make inroads. Goodrich-Gulf built a great deal of flexibility into its plant as well as providing it with special engineering and development features and, with an eye toward possible computer control, a high degree of instrumentation. Thus, it says, cost isn't comparable to what might be considered a typical plant. For the latter, though, the company has made engineering estimates of cost for a plant using the Goodrich-Gulf process. A typical new grass-roots plant, its says, will cost $300 to $350 per annual ton of capacity, while a comparable new SBR plant would run $300 per ton. From $225 to $300 per ton would be needed to convert an SBR plant, depending on its condition and the facilities available.
I
Steam
Equipment Adapted. Temperatures (below room temperature) and pressures (less than 40 p.s.i.g.) for the polybutadiene process are not too different from those for SBR. Thus conversion becomes economically attractive, since much of the e q u i p m e n t reactors, vessels, pumps, balers, and the like—can be adapted for polybutadiene. Main differences in the physical plant are in equipment to dry raw materials and in facilities to remove catalyst and recover solvent and unreacted monomer. It's necessary to keep polymerization conditions anhydrous. Water inactivates the catalyst. The company isn't saying how it goes about removing catalyst—a critical operation, since incomplete removal would adversely affect the properties of the final product. In Goodrich-Gulf's process, monomer and solvent are dried, then charged, along with aluminum alkyl and cobalt catalyst components, to either a batch reactor or, for continuous operation, a reactor line. Conversion is faster than with SBR, and unlike with SBR, Mooney viscosity level is independent of conversion. In a Ziegler-type polymerization, polymer chain length can be controlled by certain variables—temperature, pressure, and catalyst concentration,
for example. In an emulsion system polymerization is free radical-initiated and polymer chains continue to grow until catalyst is short stopped or conversion is complete. The polymerization product is a clear viscous cement with about 15% dissolved rubber solids. Conversion is about 80%. The cement goes to a surge tank, where preprocessing ingredients may be added. Catalyst is removed, and the rubber coagulated. Solvent and unreacted monomer are stripped, purified, and recycled. The water-crumb slurry then follows standard SBR processing—washing, dewatering, drying, baling, film wrapping, and packaging. Two Grades. Goodrich-Gulf is marketing Ameripol CB in two grades at 2 7 1 / 2 cents per pound. The 220 grade is the pure rubber. The 880 grade contains preprocessing ingredients, such as fatty acids, designed to give the rubber processability similar to that of natural rubber on equipment for the latter. As for processability, the company says, Ameripol CB accepts carbon black and other pigments or reinforcing agents, as well as extender oils, generally better and faster than SBR or natural rubber do. And extrusion, calendering, and molding is similar to other general purpose rubbers. Goodrich-Gulf is bullish about the prospects for Ameripol CB. In most applications, the company says, its physical properties are for the most part as good as or better than those of natural rubber. Its abrasion resistance is higher, as is its resilience. Its resistance to hysteresis heat build-up is at least as good as that of most natural rubber compounds. And it resists aging and oxidation better. Though the price of the polybutadiene is higher than that of SBR, Goodrich-Gulf feels that the polybutadiene can compete on even terms. The polybutadiene, it says, has better properties at equivalent loadings of carbon black or oil. But, the polybutadiene accepts higher loadings for equivalent properties, thus bringing the cost of finished goods about even. Goodrich-Gulf is licensing its process, has already reached agreements with Shell Chemical Co., Ltd., in the United Kingdom, Chemische Werke Huels in Germany, Polymer Corp., Ltd., in Canada, Societe des Elastomers de Synthese in France, and both UBE Industries and Japanese Geon in Japan.
United Kingdom to Get First Computer-Controlled Refinery TRW-330 computer will handle
all units in integrated system after start-up in 1964 British Petroleum's refinery, being built at Belfast in Northern Ireland, will be the first in the world to boast integrated over-all computer control. Supplied with a TRW-330 computer, the refinery will be the first designed to incorporate a centralized computer control system. Due for start-up in 1964, the refinery will come on stream with a computer as part of the initial instrumentation. This computer project will be part of a combined technical effort of British Petroleum, International Systems Control (TRW's British affiliate), and Parsons Power Gas (the engineering contractor). British Petroleum is cautious about the project, says the TRW-330 is to be used as a research and development tool in a major control engineering project. The 25,000 bbl.-per-day refinery will be a typical crude topping operation incorporating a crude still, a catalytic reformer, a gas plant, a hydrotreater, and a hydrorefiner. TRW has plenty of experience in computer control. It has installed computer control systems on Gulf Oil's 60,000 bbl.-per-day fluid catalytic cracker at Philadelphia, Texaco's catalytic polymerization unit at Port Arthur, Tex., D-X Sunray's crude distillation unit at Tulsa, Okla., and many others.
With such working experience, TRW's computer at the British Petroleum Belfast refinery will probably control the crude still, reformer, and gas plant. In addition the computer will probably perform auxiliary functions such as product blending, calculation and daily inventory positions, and a per-shift operating summary for each unit. These calculations would include such items as integration of product manufacture on a shift basis with attendant power, steam, and chemical consumption on each unit. From this, operating efficiencies on a cost-per-barrel basis could be easily printed but in summary each shift for plant operators, plant management, and corporate management.
The promise of the polymers points to great future development. The phenomenal advances already produced . . . the dynamic new industrial fields already created . . . are only the beginnings of the wonders that will come. • But a great deal more basic research into the nature of the polymers must come first. + The quest for this basic knowledge is proceeding full speed ahead at the new multi-million-dollar Chemstrand Research Center. Located in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina, within easy driving distance of Duke University, the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State College, the Center offers the richest possible academic and cultural advantages, coupled with excellent living conditions. + The Chemstrand Research Center, Inc., is a subsidiary of Monsanto Chemical Company. • Scientists seeking wider challenge and greater opportunity for professional advancement will find it here in abundance . . . for vigorous growth is the order of the day and directed inquiry and creative initiative are strongly encouraged and rewarded. • If this sounds like the sort of big opportunity you've been seeking, write today to: Supervisor, Employment Department T28, Chemstrand Research Center, Inc., P. 0. Box 731, Durham, North Carolina.
CHMSTRAND RESEARCH
CENTER.
INC.
T h e T R W - 3 3 0 is a digital computer
designed specifically for controlling and optimizing industrial processes. It has a magnetic drum storage which DEC.
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SMALL P A C K A G E of
POWER
AMINCO Tom Thumb Compressors AMINCO's single end diaphragm-type booster compressor stands just 16 inches high, weighs only 52 pounds. But it gives big performance in contamination-free com pression of liquid or gas. Capable of taking suction pressures up to its 10,000 psi rated discharge . . . displacement 0.89CFH. Changeover from gas to liquid media is accomplished simply by interchanging a set of inlet and discharge check valves. This new air-operated compressor handles corrosive and toxic materials with absolute purity since media under compression has contact only with non-lubricated stainless steel surfaces. This contamination-free de sign makes the AMINCO diaphragm com pressor well suited to laboratory, chemicalpetro-chemical and missile ground support roles. Particularly useful where gas must be compressed in laboratory or pilot reac tors from bottle pressure.
Double End Compressors Same as the single end unit, available in du plex 10,000 psi model (13" high, 28" wide, weight 86 lbs.); or in a two-stage 30,000 psi discharge pressure model. For details on single and double end com pressors, request Bulletin 4081F12. AMINCO is also the exclusive American dis tributor for Corblin diaphragm-type Pumps and Compressors, for larger capacity appli cations. Send for Bulletin 4074F12.
ΜΛΙΙ?Μ·1 AMERICAN INSTRUMENT CO., INC. 8030 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, Md.
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can be expanded to 130,000 words' capacity. The TRW-330 system in corporates "fail-safe" features so that, in the event of a power or equipment failure, the continuity of process opera tion is maintained. Joint Effort. Behind this plan for a completely automatic refinery lies a lot of groundwork by TRW computer engineers who have been working through TRW joint or affiliate com panies in Europe. The laurels for this British effort go to International Systems Control, Ltd. (a joint TRW— General Electric Co. of England con cern), and its young and hard-selling technical staff. ISC was formed in June 1961 and is a self-contained company capable of engineering, supplying, and install ing complete computer control systems on industrial processes. Combining TRW's know-how and experience of closed-loop computer control systems with General Electric's (no connection with General Electric in the U.S.) re sources for manufacturing electrical power, control, and advanced elec tronic equipment, the $1.2 million ISC is pushing hard in the markets of Britain, the Commonwealth, and the countries of the European Free Trade Association (Norway, Sweden, Den mark, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal). In the Common Market, TRW's French associate, Compagnie Europeenne d'Automatisme Electronique, markets TRW process control com puters and has sold about 20 systems to date, including 12 to Electricite de France for applications in the power industry such as monitoring and super vising nuclear reactors, thermal gener ating power stations, experimental test reactors, and power dispatching in the Paris area. In other areas, CEAE has sold TRW computers for applica tions which include complex installa tions at Saint-Gobain for glass process ing, to Societe Nationale de Petroles d'Aquitaine for natural gas desulfurization, to Badische Anilin- und SodaFabrik in Germany for an undisclosed chemical process, as well as other ap plications in oil refining, photographic film processing, synthetic fiber produc tion, and an integrated steel mill which may include four computers. ISC, after little more than a year's operating in Britain has sold a closedloop computer control system to a steel company in Wales for operating a cold rolling mill. Future prospects for this lively company include instal
lation of control computers on am monia plants, cement plants, paper mills, crude distillation units, ethylene plants, and power generating stations. Europe has been somewhat behind the U.S. in applying computer knowhow. Though many computer com panies are trying to flourish in Europe, there has been a reluctance among European industrial companies to sink large corporate funds into computer "gadgetry." But now that ISC has won a first with the coming installation of a computer system to control a com plete refinery and its multitude of complex and interrelated functions, Europeans may take a closer look at what U.S. computer technology and British production facilities can do.
BRIEFS Ultrahigh-speed
computer
memory
systems have been introduced by Radio Corp. of America, New York, N.Y. The systems will enable com puters to perform a complete memory cycle in less than 1 / 2 millionth of a sec, according to Dr. A. M. Glover, vice president and general manager of RCA's semiconductor and materials division. The RCA microferrite mem ory system can handle up to 80 million bits of information per s e c , making it the fastest commercial memory system now available, Dr. Glover stresses.
A coating system which will preserve the natural colors of copper and copper-based alloys has been de veloped. The protective coating sys tem will keep alloys indefinitely in indoor applications, according to Dr. Charles H. Moore, director of the In ternational Copper Research Associa tion. The system could increase the Western Hemisphere's use of copper in interior decorations by more than 50 million lb. over the next five years, Dr. Moore says.
A test mixture for evaluating highly efficient fractionating columns has been developed at the National Bureau of Standards. Consisting of two iso mers of heptane, the mixture will fill the need for binary test material hav ing a low relative volatility, NBS says. While highly efficient fractionating columns are commercially available, there was no suitable test mixture until the heptane mixture was devel oped, NBS adds.
