High purity para-xylene production unit

PETROCHEMICALS The Axens Eluxyl® technology employs state- 

of-the-art simulated countercurrent adsorption
concept for para-xylene purification and
B E N E F I T S
production from a C8 aromatics stream.
•• High para-xylene purity (99.9%+)
Developed through determined R&D & high para-xylene recovery (99%+)
effort and industrial scale unit, Eluxyl® •• Ultra high reliability and availability
molecular sieve-based technology is the
most advanced technology of its kind with
•• Enable economies of scale: 3 MMTA
para-xylene achievable in single
slashed para-xylene production cost. It train
| Eluxyl®

indeed enables the highest para-xylene

recovery (99%+) along with the most
•• Low plot and low investment
efficient overall aromatics complex energy •• Competitive energy demand
recovery. •• Innovative and evolutive technology
•• Aromatics emission free technology
Eluxyl® •• These key features have been
industrially validated in the world’s
Eluxyl® technology benefits from the legacy largest single train para-xylene
of more than 20 years of development separation unit.
and industrial experience on world scale
plants delivering high performances with no
compromise on availability and reliability. COMMERCIAL
EXPERIENCE
Eluxyl® cumulates unique demonstrated
advantages: The Eluxyl® technology was introduced
• Proven cost effective, simple and reliable to the market in 1995 following a
multi-valving system successful demonstration at a large U.S.
• Very high on-stream factor thanks to valve refinery. Immediate acceptance by the
maintenance management or replacement industry lead Axens to cumulate up to
without stopping production almost half of the total awarded capacity
• Proven distribution efficiency and market share during the last ten years.
robustness of internals over the widest
Eluxyl® process remarkably stands
diameter range
out by its high processing capacity
Leading to lowest investment and para-xylene
capabilities, its unrivaled reliability and
production cost of the market and resulting in
performances. Axens Eluxyl® licensees
multiple awards.
are distinguished as the largest single
train para-xylene complexes in operation
and design.
 The raffinate is sent to the XyMaxsm, the
››Aromatics complex energy
Oparis® or the Liquid Phase isomerization
Process base efficiency
process, depending on the ParamaX® suite
Eluxyl® process allows unique recovery
The Eluxyl® process is based on the chosen.
and reuse of spent energy toward other
concept of simulated countercurrent
units of the aromatics complex. It results
adsorption where liquid circulates in a
in demonstrated extremely high energy
column containing a stationary selective Competitive advantages efficient complex with the lowest para-
adsorbent. The feed mixture, which
Eluxyl® technology for the single adsorber xylene production cost and carbon
contains components more-or-less strongly
with 15 beds is strictly unchanged as footprint of the market to catch up
adsorbed, is introduced at various levels in
compared to the two adsorbers with 24 nowadays economic and environmental
the column.
beds. Eluxyl® 1.15 deploys unique feature world challenges.
enabling the entire recovery of state-of-
the-art molecular sieve performances OPEX savings Capex increased by
within known operating conditions.

Scheme simplification down to one

adsorber and one pumparound pump/line
50% 0%
results, at same para-xylene high purity
All the energy of
and recovery, in:
streams above Energy lost at
• A much simpler control strategy
enhancing technology reliability
ÏÏFigure 2: Eluxyl® adsorber • A reduced plot requirement and a 130°C 85°C
simplified layout
The elution rate of the highly adsorbed is recovered in average
• More than 35% investment savings
components is slowed by their affinity for
• About 20% energy savings Energy losses through
the solid phase while the less adsorbed
• Staying in operating window validated by air coolers divided by
components are more rapidly eluted with
thousand years of cumulated experience

2
the liquid solvent phase.
Two Adsorbers Single Adsorber
An advanced monitoring system (figure 3) with 24 beds with 15 beds
furnished with the Eluxyl® process determines
the selection of the permutated effluent
ÏÏFigure 5: Axens Energy Efficient Design
fractions suitable either as the extract product
FCV (Patented solution) for Aromatics Complex
or as the raffinate stream for additional
processing. Permutation of the injection and
withdrawal streams simulates countercurrent
moving bed adsorption and enables the
isolation of a high purity para-xylene extract
and a raffinate stream of para-xylene depleted PCV
C8 aromatics. FCV

 Feed  Desorbent
 EXTRACT  RAFFINATE  Raffinate  Extract
PX + Desorbent Others + Desorbent
ÏÏFigure 4: 24 beds vs 15 beds
ÏÏFigure 3: Raman monitoring

Axens is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion

of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major
petrochemical intermediates as well as all of natural gas treatment and conversion
options. The integrated offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular
axens.net/blog units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services, commercialized under “Axens
Solutions”, “Heurtey Petrochem Solutions” and “Axens Horizon” brands.

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