The Scale of Ethylene Plants: Backgrounds and Issues

Cantley, M.F. (1979). The Scale of Ethylene Plants: Backgrounds and Issues. IIASA Working Paper. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: WP-79-043

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Abstract

Questions of scale have been the subject of research at IIASA since January 1978. Following the publication in September 1978 of the IIASA Research Memorandum "'Problems of Scale' -- The Case for IIASA Research" (M.F. Cantley and V.N. Glagolev; RM-78-47), plans were made for a workshop to be held in June 1979 on the topic "Size and Productive Efficiency -- The Wider Implications". This workshop is planned around a selected list of "Key Topics" and specific industries -- the latter including initially electricity generation, ethylene plants, and coal liquefaction.

Since not all workshop participants can be familiar with all topics and industries, it was felt that it would be useful to provide background material where necessary. This paper is intended to provide sufficient up-to-date factual information on the petrochemical industry to enable participants to understand and contribute to discussions about questions of size in ethylene plants, and to relate these to the more general issues raised at the workshop.

The information presented here is based on the published articles listed in the references, and on correspondence and conversation with experts in the industry; but the author, while wishing to acknowledge the extensive help received from these sources, accepts responsibility for any inaccuracies or over-simplifications he has introduced.

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