Design of Plant for Industrial Production of Butadiene from Butane

Abstract

Butadiene is a key chemical in the petrochemical industry, primarily used in the production of synthetic rubber. One of its major applications is in tire manufacturing, a sector experiencing growth in Kazakhstan. Establishing a domestic butadiene production plant could significantly contribute to the country’s industrial and economic development. This project presents the design of a butadiene production plant in Kazakhstan, utilizing the dehydrogenation of butane over a chromia/alumina catalyst under conditions of 700 °C and 0.24 bar. The downstream separation employs extractive distillation with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent. The plant is designed for an annual capacity of 60 ktons, producing butadiene with 99.5% purity. Economic analysis indicates a net present value (NPV) of approximately $600 million USD and a payback period of 5 years, demonstrating the project's strong financial viability.