Contamination control on ethane streams in polypropylene manufacturing

Manufacturing polypropylene requires strict control of any contaminants that may be present in the ethane used during production of the final product.

This polymer manufacturer was preparing to launch a project aimed at increasing ethane recovery capacity and identified the need to remove traces of rust and hard deposits from the ethane vapour stream, once it had passed through the new heat exchanger.

Controlling the concentration of these contaminants is critical to ensure the true performance of the polypropylene production process.

Our experts assessed the polypropylene manufacturing process requirements, including flow rate, required filtration level, and more. They selected an industrial filtration system comprising a filter housing and baskets made from 316L stainless steel.

As the new filtration system had to be integrated into an existing treatment setup, it was necessary to adapt the dimensions and inlet/outlet connection orientation.
We therefore revisited the technical drawings and redesigned the original system to perfectly fit the available space and — most importantly — to position the connection flanges precisely, allowing direct integration without any modifications to the existing piping.

An additional complication was that the filter needed to operate in extreme thermal conditions, with working temperatures as low as –100 °C.
As a result, the filter housings were fully insulated and heat-traced.

This implementation was particularly challenging, as the filter housing still had to be accessible for routine maintenance. The design therefore required that the insulation — especially around the upper access point — could be easily removed and reinstalled to allow filter opening during servicing.

To ensure the system was as easy and practical to operate as possible, we worked with our partner to design a solution featuring multiple insulation sections:

• Fixed insulation on the vertical section of the 316L filter housing
• Removable insulation around the upper cover and inlet/outlet connections

This configuration allows quick and convenient access during maintenance, while maintaining full thermal protection in operation.

Contact a filtration expert

We are at your service

Our experts place their knowledge and expertise at your disposal for liquid filtration, air and gas filtration, decontamination, and separation technologies.