Ethylene
Description
Ethylene is a non-toxic, non-corrosive, colorless gas with very little odor. It burns readily in the presence of oxygen with a luminous flame.
Properties
| Unit | Quantity |
|---|
| Molecular weight | g/mol | 28.05 |
| Vapor density | air = 1 | 0.98 |
| Freezing point | °C | -169.2 |
| B.P. at 1.0 atm | °C | 103.7 |
Specifications
| Unit | Quantity | Test Method PK | ASTM |
|---|
| Ethylene purity * | vol % | 99.5 | By difference | D-2505 |
| Methane + ethane | ppm, vol | 1000 | OLGC 001 | D-2505 |
| C3 + C4 | ppm, vol | 10 | OLGC 001 | D-2505 |
| Ethane | ppm, vol | 500 | OLGC 001 | D-2505 |
| Acetylene | ppm, vol | 5 | OLGC 001 | D-2505 |
| Hydrogen | ppm, vol | 5 | OLGC 004 | D-2505 |
| Oxygen | ppm, vol | 10 | OLGC 015 | - |
| Carbon monoxide | ppm, vol | 2 | OLGC 003 | D-2505 |
| Acetone + methane + n-propanol | ppm, wt | 10 | OLGC 008 | D-4815 |
| Carbon dioxide | ppm, vol | 5 | OLGM 003 | D-2505 |
| Water | ppm, wt | 5 | OLGM 050 | D-1142 |
| Sulfur (as S) | ppm, wt | 1 | OLGM 005 | D-4045 |
| Total basic nitrogen (Calculated as NH3) | ppm, vol | 5 | OLGM 017 | D-4629 |
NOTES: *The ethylene percentage is obtained by subtracting the sum of all hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon impurities from 100. ASTM methods referenced are not necessarily identical in all details to those methods used by PETROKEMYA. ASTM references cited are solely for convenience of the user and in no way constitute a guarantee of measurement by the ASTM method as written.
Hazards and safety
| Unit | Quantity |
|---|
| Explosion limits | vol % | 3.1-32 |
| lgnition temperature | °C | 450 |
| Flash point | °C | -136 |
| UN or ID No | | 1962 |
Applications
Ethylene is the premier building block of the petrochemicals industry. It is used in the production of polyethylene, ethylene dichloride, ethanol, styrene, glycols and many other products.
Storage and handling
Ethylene is usually stored as liquid at very low temperatures (around -1030°C). Cryogenic tanks are commonly employed. Pipelines are frequently used to transfer ethylene. Very little ethylene is transferred by truck.
Packaging
Cryogenic tankers.
Operating companies
Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Company (YANPET).
Arabian Petrochemical Company (PETROKEMYA).
Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company (KEMYA).
Jubail United Petrochemical Company (UNITED).
Saudi Petrochemical Company (SADAF).
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