(220a) Top 5 Contaminants in Ethylene Production Unit Feedstocks

Trace contaminants in feedstocks to ethylene production units cause various processing issues and impact final product purity. This paper explores the top 5 feedstock contaminants that were identified in the 2004 survey paper, "Feedstock Contaminants in Ethylene Plants -- An Update". According to the survey, the top five contaminants, based on number of respondents reporting issues with it, are sulfur, methanol, sodium, chlorides, and carbon dioxide. Each impurity will be discussed in some detail as to the source of the contaminant, how it partitions in the plant, any reactions that it may undergo, how it is removed, analytical methods, and its impact on final product specifications.