Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
bf18a779fd564631b4b4a8830489cab1
Materials
Associated ID
f827ce62-d9be-4abe-8f84-a898b6c97d69
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
Ethylene glycol can be used as a solvent, antifreeze agent, and raw material for synthesizing polyester; this dataset includes major primary and auxiliary materials, energy inputs, waterborne and airborne emissions from the production process, but infrastructure such as production equipment and facility construction is not included within the system boundary of the dataset; the life cycle inventory is compiled from data sourced from multiple references; the process flow for coal-based methanol to ethylene glycol includes coal powder gasification, purification, methanol synthesis, distillation, olefin separation, olefin cracking to produce ethylene, ethylene oxidation to ethylene oxide, and ethylene oxide hydration to produce ethylene glycol.
Activity Description
The process for producing ethylene glycol from coal-based methanol includes coal powder gasification, purification, methanol synthesis, distillation, olefin separation, olefin cracking to produce ethylene, ethylene oxidation to produce ethylene oxide, and ethylene oxide hydration to produce ethylene glycol.
Process Description
Ethylene glycol, also known as glycol or 1,2-ethanediol, commonly abbreviated as EG, has the chemical formula (CH2OH)2 and is the simplest diol. It is a liquid under normal temperature and pressure conditions and is odorless. Ethylene glycol is miscible with water and acetone but has limited solubility in ethers. It is used as a solvent, antifreeze agent, and raw material for the synthesis of polyester.
Time period
2020
2026
Geography
China
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
The specific process for producing ethylene glycol from coal-based methanol includes: (1) gasification of coal powder to generate raw synthetic gas, which undergoes partial conversion via Co-Mo catalytic sulfur-resistant process, followed by cold methanol washing and sulfur recovery with liquid sulfur as a by-product; (2) purified synthetic gas is used to produce methanol through equipment such as Lurgi low-pressure methanol synthesis unit, methanol distillation columns, and hydrogen recovery units; the methanol is then converted to olefins via MTO process, and the olefins are cracked to produce ethylene; (3) ethylene is oxidized to form ethylene oxide, which is subsequently hydrated to produce ethylene glycol.