Procédé : Polypropylène
Nom technique : Polypropylene, granulate {RER}| production | Cut-off, S - Copied from Ecoinvent U
Localisation : RER
Catégories : food
Unité : kg
Source : Agribalyse 3.2
Coût environnemental (points d'impact) : 168.4
AGRIBALYSE v3.2 dataset, 2024.
original ecoinvent name: Polypropylene, granulate {RER}| polypropylene production, granulate | Cut-off, S

The dataset represents the production mix of commercial PP production technologies: slurry suspension polymerisation,Bulk suspension polymerisation, gas phase polymerisation using Ziegler-Natta and Metallocene catalysts

PP is usually manufactured with the gas phase or the suspension (slurry) process. Modern suspension processes, however, use liquid monomers instead of a solvent and are termed bulk process.

In the gas phase processes a fluidised bed of polymer particles and catalyst is maintained by a steady gaseous monomer feed from the bottom of the reactor. Polymer powder is continuously extracted at the bottom of the fluidised bed reactor. Unreacted monomer gas from the top is compressed and recycled to the reactor inlet. Catalyst, and co-catalyst if necessary, is also continuously fed to the reactor. Typically Ziegler-Natta catalysts are used for gas phase polymerisation where the catalyst is supported on inert silica particles so that the reaction takes place at the catalyst surface.

The suspension polymerisation can be described as precipitation process. The formation of the polymer takes place in a hydrocarbon diluent and under conditions, where the monomer is soluble in the solution. The precipitated polymer, however, is insoluble and forms a fine suspension. The polymer is then separated by centrifugation. The suspension process can be combined with a stirred tank reactor or a loop reactor. Different diluents can be chosen, like C5 to C9 hydrocarbons, hexane, or isobutane.

The bulk suspension process describes the slurry suspension process used for the production of PP where the monomer propylene is used as solvent instead of other hydrocarbons. Modern suspension processes for the production of PP use liquid monomers instead of gaseous.

After the reaction phase, most of the residual (unreacted) monomers (which are mostly present as gases) are separated from the polymer and are either recycled back into the process or flared of. Depending on the purity of the separated monomers, the gas can either be fed directly back into the production line or the monomers are returned to a purification unit. To limit the accumulation of impurities in the process, usually a small side-stream (purge) of the unreacted gas is sent back to the cracker or to a dedicated purification unit. After polymerisation, the polymer is usually fed di-rectly into a hot melt extruder, where additives can be added to the melted polymer if required. The polymer is then pelletised in an underwater pelletiser. The pelletised product is dried, blended where required and degassed.

Production volume: 11000000512 kg
Included activities start: Acitivity starts with monomers and comonomers entering the polymerisation plant. Energy supply is included in terms of heat production inside the battery limits of the plant. Steam and electricity supply is outside the activity.
Included activities end: Activity ends with polymer granulate leaving the factory.
Energy values: Undefined
Geography: The inventory is modelled for Europe
Technology level: Current
Technology: Coverage of production capacity in Europe: 76%
Start date: 01/01/2011
End date: 31/12/2022
Is data valid for entire period: True
Time period: Data was collected for the year 2011, processed in 2013 and published in 2014
Macro-economic scenario name: Business-as-Usual

Version: 7.3.0.0
Created: 9/19/2018 9:57:30 AM
Last edited: 1/10/2019 9:25:51 AM
Source: 13f5ec09-b1e6-538f-95b4-780399213404_66ca2f38-5e51-4546-83c0-d7cef0c55c7c.spold
UUID: 13f5ec09-b1e6-538f-95b4-780399213404