INTRODUCTION
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a popular thermoplastic that contains high levels of
chlorine which can reach up to 57%. Carbon, which is derived from oil or gas is
also used in its fabrication. It is an odorless and solid plastic that is white, brittle
and can also be found on the market in the form of pellets or white powder.
PVC resin is often supplied in the powder forms and its high resistance to
oxidation and degradation make it possible to store the material for long
periods. Some authors/activists that oppose the manufactures of PVC often refer
to it as the "Poison Plastic" due to the toxic pollutants it might release. When
plasticizers are added it becomes softer and more flexible.
PVC is predominant in the construction industry due to its low production
cost, ease to mold and lightweight. It is used as a replacement for metal in many
applications where corrosion can compromise functionality and escalate
maintenance costs. Many of the world's pipes are made from PVC and these are
used in industrial and municipal applications. It is also used to make pipe fitting
and pipe conduits. It does not have to be welded and can be connected with the
use of joints, solvent cements and special glues--key points that highlight its
installation flexibility. The material is also present in the electrical components
such as: electrical insulation, wires and cable coatings.
In the health care industry it is used to make feeding tubes, blood bags,
intravenous (IV) bags, parts of dialysis devices and many other items. This is
only possible when phthalates are added to it. Phthalates are used as plasticizers
to produce flexible grades of PVC (and other plastics), thus making it better
suited for the aforementioned applications due to improved performance
characteristics.
A PETROCHEMICAL PRODUCT
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Although PVC can be produced from a range of hydrocarbons including
coal, and derivatives of plants such as sugar cane, the bulk of world production
is currently manufactured using the chemical compound ethylene. Ethylene (or
ethene) which has the chemical formula C2H4, is a product
of the oil & gas industry. PVC is therefore considered to be
a petrochemical product. At the start of the ethylene-based
PVC production process, the ethylene is combined with
chlorine to produce an intermediate chemical known as
EDC (ethylene dichloride or 1,2-dichloroethane).
Almost all EDC is used for PVC production in Europe, although a small
portion is used for manufacturing of ethylenediamine, organic solvents and
various pharmaceutical products.
Three major applications, polyethylene (PE), EDC and styrene monomer (SM)
account for about 78% of all ethylene consumption (almost all styrene is used
for PS).
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The petroleum refining industry and the basic petrochemical industry in
Western Europe are predominantly located in coastal areas or where rivers or
pipelines provide easy access to imported natural resources such as crude oil.
They form petrochemical complexes, where refineries, crackers and
petrochemical plants are connected by pipelines. The chlor-alkali (caustic soda)
industry is often located together with petrochemical complexes or near deposits
or rock salt. VCM plants, which use ethylene and chlorine as major raw
materials, and PVC plants, are generally located in petrochemical complexes
due to this background. Ethylene which is one of five types of products that are
yielded by cracking of naphtha, and downstream on to the production of
petrochemical products such as general purpose plastics.
PVC AND CHLORINE
Ethylene and chlorine are the major raw materials for VCM. Therefore,
VCM is affected by the supply-demand conditions of both ethylene and
chlorine, respectively. In Western Europe the share of VCM amounts to 14% of
all ethylene use (ethylene
requirement). In contrast, VCM
amounts to 35% of all chlorine use.
This is why the demandsupply
balance of chlorine has a greater
impact on VCM than that of ethylene.
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HOW IS PVC MADE ?
The chemical process for making PVC involves taking the simplest unit,
called the monomer, and linking these monomer molecules together in the
polymerisation process. Long molecular chains are formed called polymers
(which are also called macromolecules).
This is the case for PVC, which is made from vinyl chloride monomer
known usually by its initials VCM through polymerization. Some monomers
exist in the form of reactive gaseous chemical substances, and some of these
may cause health hazards when in direct contact with humans. In these cases
they are manufactured and processed under strict control for health, safety and
environmental protection. On the other hand, polymers such as PVC, which are
manufactured from monomers through polymerization, are solid and chemically
stable substances, therefore do not affect human health. VCM, which is the raw
material for PVC, is a gas at ambient temperature but is usually stored in liquid
form under pressure. Ethylene and chlorine are raw materials for PVC.
Upstream industries are those that provide these materials and include producers
of basic petrochemicals (sometimes known as feedstocks), which supply
ethylene, and the chlor-alkali (caustic soda) industry, which supplies chlorine.
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By thermal cracking of naphtha or natural gas, the basic petrochemical
industry manufactures ethylene and propylene, etc. Naphtha is mainly supplied
from the petroleum refinery industry, which uses crude oil as raw material. The
chlor-alkali industry produces caustic soda, chlorine and hydrogen via
electrolysis using industrial grade salt as main raw material.
At a first stage in the PVC production process ethylene and chlorine are
combined to produce an intermediate product called ethylene dichloride; this is
then transformed into vinyl chloride, the basic building block of polyvinyl
chloride or PVC. The process of `polymerisation' links together the vinyl
chloride molecules to form chains of PVC. The PVC produced in this way is in
the form of a white powder. This is not used alone, but blended with other
ingredients to give formulations for a wide range of products.
Most commodity plastics have carbon and hydrogen as their main
component elements. PVC differs by containing chlorine (around 57 per cent by
weight) as well as carbon and hydrogen. The presence of chlorine in the
molecule makes PVC particularly versatile because it makes it compatible with
a wide range of other materials. The chlorine content also helps to make PVC
flame retardant. It can also be used as a `marker' to distinguish PVC in
automatic sorting systems for plastics recycling. PVC formulations can be
shaped by a variety of techniques and, using very little energy, made into the
final product form. PVC polymer is chemically stable, neutral and non-toxic.
PVC
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formulations have a wide range of applications including the most sensitive,
such as medical equipment, plus construction, automotive and electrical cabling.
THE PVC PRODUCTION PROCESS
VINYL CHLORIDE MONOMER (VCM) PRODUCTION
Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) is the key material from which PVC is made.
VCM is a gas with a molecular weight of 62.5 and boiling point of
-13.9C, and hence has a high vapour pressure at ambient temperature. It is
therefore manufactured under strict quality and safety control.There are two
ways to manufacture VCM from ethylene (obtained from thermal cracking); the
direct chlorination method and oxychlorination method.
Under the direct chlorination method, ethylene and chlorine (obtained
from electrolysis of salt) react within a catalyst-containing reactor to form the
intermediate material EDC. EDC is then thermally cracked to yield VCM at a
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few hundred C. When the hydrogen chloride obtained as by-product from the
above method reacts with ethylene in the presence of catalyst and air (or
oxygen), EDC is obtained again. This is called the oxychlorination process.
When EDC from the oxychlorination process is dehydrated and then thermally
cracked (together with the EDC from the direct chlorination process), VCM is
obtained. These two methods are usually combined at the major VCM plants in
Western Europe.
EDC (ethylene di chloride)
Making VCM is complicated.
First react the chemicals Ethylene & Chlorine.
And produce Ethylene Di Chloride(EDC).
This process is called chlorination.
It is the intermediate product to make poly vinyl chloride.
CRACKING
The EDC in the furnace the process is called cracking.
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Using het the EDC is split into VCM and Hydrochloric acid.
The reaction is not quickly stopped because the VCM can decomposed
further.
QUENCHING
In order to the VCM the heat needs to removed very quickly.
This is called quenching.
The VCM coming out of the furnace through long tubes which acts as
heat exchanger.
After quenching the VCM is cooling with water &purify it in distillation
columns and back to storage.
CONTROL ROOM
The VCM process is continuous, non stop 24 x 7 controlled to the
polymerization to VCM which is done batches.
These process is completely monitored in the control rooms.
The whole process is fully automated.
POLYMERIZATION
The actual polymerization of the VCM is in the reactor called water
clives.
Water clives are the closed container like pressure cooker.
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A typical PVC plant have a number of water clives.
The size of water clives can be reachable 100 cubic meters in volume.
Then the VCM reacts into the polymer in the reactor.
STRIPPING
After predetermining the period of time the reaction is stopped.
And the contents in the waterclives into stripper.
The no reacted VCM is separated from the polymer.
The recovered VCM is purified and later reused.
By this way the monomer in kept in the closed pipe avoid the emission to
atmosphere.
DRYING
In the process the PVC goes trough drier.
Approximately the process of drying produce 500 tones of PVC/day
In this stage we can see the PVC in fine white powder.
SIEVING
In this process pass the dry PVC through the sieve.
To removing lumps, to attaining the fine powder of consisting quality.
In this stage the quality department checks the quality of PVC resin.
PVC RECOVERY
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The water used in water clives in the process stripping is also threat them
recovered.
The PVC looks like a white powder and the PVC recovered the water
being cleaned.
This is help to no wastage.
PVC ADDITIVES
Without additives PVC would not be a particularly useful substance, but
its compatibility with a wide range of additives to soften it, colour it, make it
more processable or longer lasting, results in a broad range of potential
applications from car underbody seals and flexible roof membranes to pipes and
window profiles. PVC products can be rigid or flexible, opaque or transparent,
coloured and insulating or conducting. There is not just one PVC but a whole
family of products tailor-made to suit the needs of each application. Unlike most
other thermoplastics, the majority of PVC applications have a lifetime of
between 10 and 100 years. This requires proven durability and stabilisers play
an important part in achieving such performance. All polymers require
stabilisers of one sort or another; PVC is no different in this respect.
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PTHALATE PLASTICIZERS- Plasticizers are compounds that improve
the performance characteristic quotient of PVC. They must have less
volatility and less toxicity. The following is Bis(2-ethyl hexyl)pthalate.
HEAT STABILIZERS - These are one of the most important additives.
These agents minimise loss of HCl which is a degradation process that
starts at 70 degree celsius.
Once dehydrochlorination starts the process is autocatalytic and hence it must
be minimised. Derivatives of heavy metals and Calcium stearate are traditional
heat stabilizers.
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PVC PROCESSES FOR VARIOUS PRODUCTS
EXTRUSION MOLDING
PVC resin is fed to the cylinder via the hopper.
The shaft (which is called "Screw") in the cylinder is rotated to push resin
forward.
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Resin is melt by heat and kneaded, while it is pushed forward, and then
extruded from the outlet dies.
The technology is suitable for production of film, sheet, tube or pipe by
selecting a suitable die as the case may be.
Extrusion Molder
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CALENDARING
Resin is melt by heat and kneaded, while passed through several pairs of
roller in order to be stretched to the required thickness.
This technology is best suitable for production of wide width flat
products such as film, sheet, artificial leather and board.
Calendaring Process
INJECTION MOLDING
This is a technology to inject melt resin into the metal mold by pressure,
and is best suitable for production of PVC goods with three-dimensional
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structure such as sealed containers, large-sized receptacles including
washing basin, bucket, and general containers.
THERMAL MOLDING
Sheet or film manufactured by the calendering technology or the
extrusion technology is heated to soften, and then air in the metal mold is
sucked out to press the melt material at an ambient pressure.
This is called "Vacuum Molding", which is used for the production of
thin packaging material such as the egg package, the food tray, the
disposable cup, or the soybean cake package.
DIPPING
This technology enables to provide uniform coating by dipping metal
tool, fabric/ non-woven cloth into PVC resin solution (called "Sol") and
drying by heat.
Typical products include the hand-held
section of pliers or wrench (spanner),
carrier basket for bicycle, canvas cloth
for warehouse tent, soil-reinforcement net
and curing sheet for civil work.
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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Glass Temperature - 82 degree celsius
Melting Temperature 100 to 260 degree celsius
Effective Heat of Combustion 17.95 MJ/Kg
Specific Heat 0.9 KJ/(kg.K)
Density 1.1 to 1.45 g/c.c
PROPERTIES
Mechanical- PVC has high hardness. These properties increases with
increasing molecular weights and decreases with increasing temperatures.
Thermal- As the heat stability of PVC is very poor we are adding the heat
stabilizers. It starts to decompose at 140 degrees Celsius and melts at 160
degree Celsius.
Electrical- PVC is a polymer with good insulation properties and
generally suitable for medium or low voltage and low frequency
insulations.
APPLICATIONS
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PVC is relatively low cost, biological, chemical resistance and workability of it
resulted in it being used in many applications.
PIPES- It is used for sewage pipes and other pipe applications where cost
or vulnerability to corrosion limit the use of metal.
Electrical cables- PVC is an insulator and hence used for insulation of
electric cables. For this purpose it must be plasticized
Other applications
It is used in
1. Construction
2. Clothing
3. Furniture
4. Sports
5. Health care
6. Flooring
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PVC Pipes
Credit Cards
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Car seats
Electric wires
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Flooring
DISADVANTAGES
Recycling difficulty
It is not recommended for use above 70 degrees Celsius.
Sensitive to UV and oxidative degradation.
Limited thermal capability.
Thermal decomposition evolves HCl.
Higher density than many plastics.
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CONCLUSION
PVC differs from many plastics in that its production involves not only oil, but
also contains salt which we know is available in abundance. Recycled PVC is
broken down into small chips, impurities removed and the product refined to
make pure white PVC. It can be recycled roughly 7 times and has a life span of
around 140 years. Around 400 tones are recycled in the UK every month.
Property owners can recycle it through nationwide collection depots.
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