Process Data set: ethylene glycol production; technology mix; production mix, at plant; 100% active substance (en) en
Process information
| Key Data Set Information | |
| Location | EU+EFTA+UK |
| Reference year | 2017 |
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Base name
; Treatment, standards, routes
; Mix and location types
; Quantitative product or process properties
ethylene glycol production; technology mix; production mix, at plant; 100% active substance
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| Use advice for data set | Notice: this data set supersedes the EF3.0-compliant version (see link under "preceding data set version" below calculated with the EF3.0). The life cycle inventory is not changed from the original EF3.0 data set. The LCIA results are calculated based on the EF3.1 methods which provide updated characterisation factors in the following impact categories: Climate Change, Ecotoxicity freshwater, Photochemical Ozone Formation, Acidification, Human Toxicity non-cancer, and Human Toxicity cancer. The review report and the data quality ratings refer to the original results. The data set has been updated by the European Commission on the basis of the original EF3.0 data set delivered by the data provider. |
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| General comment on data set | TYPE OF DATASET Each chemical compound is provided in aggregated (LCI results) and level-1 disaggregated (unit process, single operation) form. For more information, see the report (ecoinvent Association, 2020, Data on the Production of Chemicals created for the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) transition phase implementation, www.ecoinvent.org, ecoinvent Association, Zurich, Switzerland). This dataset represents the LCI results. PROCESS DESCRIPTION This dataset represents the production of 1 kg of ethylene glycol. The oxidation of ethylene oxide leads to the production of three coproducts: ethylene glycol (MEG), diethylene glycol (DEG) and triethylene glycol (TEG). This dataset shows the inputs and outputs associated with the production of MEG only. Ethylene glycol is primarily used for lowering the freezing point of water. Commercial antifreezes based on glycol also contain corrosion inhibitors and are used, for example, in motor vehicles, solar energy units, heat pumps, water heating systems, and industrial cooling systems. Ethylene glycol is also a commercially important raw material for the manufacture of polyester fibers, chiefly poly(ethylene terephthalate). This application consumes ca. 40 % of the total ethylene glycol production. Polyesters are, however, used for other purposes, e.g., for producing recyclable bottles. Other minor uses of ethylene glycol are as a humectant (moisture-retaining agent), plasticizer, softener, hydraulic fluid, and solvent (Rebsdat & Mayer 2000). This dataset is based on a study published by PlasticsEurope & CEFIC/APPE and conducted by the Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg (IFEU). For more information please see the IFEU Eco-Profile (IFEU 2012). From the reception of ethylene oxide at the factory gate. This activity ends with the production of ethylene glycol. The dataset includes the input materials, energy use, infrastructure and emissions. References ecoinvent (2017) Data on the Production of Chemicals created for the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) pilot phase implementation, www.ecoinvent.org, ecoinvent Association, Zürich, Switzerland Gendorf (2016) Umwelterklärung 2015, Werk Gendorf Industriepark, www.gendorf.de Rebsdat, S. and Mayer, D. 2000. Ethylene Glycol. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. IPPC Chemicals 2002. European Commission, Directorate General, Joint Research Center, "Reference Document on Best Available Techniques in the Large Volume Organic Chemical Industry", February 2002 Wells 1999. G. Margaret Wells, "Handbook of Petrochemicals and Processes", 2nd edition, Ashgate, 1999 IFEU 2012. Ethylene, Propylene, Butadiene, Pyrolysis Gasoline, Ethylene Oxide (EO), Ethylene Glycols (MEG, DEG, TEG). PlasticsEurope November 2012. Water content of the reference product: 0.0 kg Biogenic carbon content of the reference product: 0.0 kg DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT The data quality ratings for the datasets were determined as the average of the 5 individual ratings for Technological Representativeness, Geographical Representativeness, Time-related representativeness, Precision/uncertainty, and implementation of the End of Life Formula. The final scores for these 5 descriptors were determined by the independent, external reviewer after a discussion with the internal reviewers. The basis for this determination was generally a contribution analysis of the material and energy inputs as well as direct resource uses and emissions. This process was required by the tender. The contribution analysis is based on the most important flows in the dataset, defined in the tender specifications as "the unit processes contributing cumulatively to at least to 80% of the total environmental impact based on characterised and normalised results". In addition to unit processes, direct emissions also qualified as input exchanges for this approach. For the normalization, the normalisation factors "EC-JRC Global (2010 or 2013), per person" available at http://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/?page_id=140 were used. For each parameter, the DQR scores were chosen to best reflect the conditions and quality of the amount value, the appropriateness of the chosen exchange for the specific needs of the system under analysis, and the quality of the foreground and background data for aggregated inputs of exchanges from the technosphere, i.e. not direct emissions or resource uses. ENERGY AND TRANSPORT INFORMATION SOURCE Energy and transport was used in both the foreground and background of this dataset. When building the dataset, energy and transport demands were supplied directly by datasets provided by Sphera. The background for every other input from technosphere uses a modified version of the ecoinvent database, created specifically for the PEF. In this version, every instance of energy and transport supply, anywhere in the database, was replaced by a dataset from Sphera. This ensures that every demand for energy and transport, in the foreground and in the background, is supplied by a Sphera dataset. BILL OF MATERIALS The bill of material includes the following inputs: chemical factory, organics: 4e-10 unit ethylene oxide: 0.713521785119 kg tap water: 5.9237413103 kg Electricity: 0.372208412331 kWh. NOT INCLUDED EXCHANGES All known elementary exchanges are included. PROCESS DIAGRAM LEGEND The file 'Diagram of data for chemicals EF3.0' presents the general structure of the processes created for the EF chemical data. A complete flow diagram for the selected process is available in the relevant section. |
| Copyright | Yes |
| Owner of data set | |
| Quantitative reference | |
| Reference flow(s) | |
| Biogenic carbon content | |
| Time representativeness | |
| Data set valid until | 2024 |
| Technological representativeness | |
| Technology description including background system | Ethylene oxide (EO), which is obtained from the oxidation of ethylene with air or oxygen, is treated with water (hydrolyzed) and forms a variety of glycols, most notably monoethylene glycol (MEG), diethylene glycols (DEG) and triethylene glycols (TEG). About 40% of all European EO production is converted into glycols, globally the figure is about 70%. Usually, EO and MEG are produced together at integrated plants. An ethylene oxide - water mixture is heated up to 190 - 200°C and pressurized to 14-22 bar. About 70 – 95% of the mixture consists of MEG, the rest primarily consisting of DEG and TEG. A yield for MEG of 67% is obtained. Poly-ethylene glycols are also formed, but can be controlled by using an excess of water. The usual configuration for glycols production is an integrated EO / EG plant. Glycol products typically consist of 70 – 95% w/w of MEG, the primary co-product being DEG, some of which can further react to TEG. All of the EO feed is converted into MEG, DEG and TEG as well as some heavy glycols, which may however be incinerated. 2 – 100 kg heavy glycols/ton EO can be produced. C2H4 + 1/2 O2 -> C2H4O (1) C2H4 O + H2O -> HO-C2H4-OH (2) HO-C2 H4-OH + C2H4O -> HO- C2H4-O- C2H4-OH(3) HO-C2 H4-O-C2H4-OH + C2H4O -> HO- C2H4-O-C2H4-O-C2H4-OH (4) (1) production of ethylene oxide (2) production of MEG from EO and water (3) production of DEG from EO and MEG (4) production of TEG from EO and DEG The water-glycol mixture is fed to multiple evaporators, where water is recovered and recycled. The water-free glycol mixture is separated by fractional distillation. Acids (e.g. 1% sulfuric acid) catalyse the hydration reaction and allow lower temperatures to be used. |
| Flow diagram(s) or picture(s) | |
Modelling and validation
Administrative information
Inputs and Outputs
LCIA results