p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride crystals to packing

Activity p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride by semi-batch chlorosulfonation of toluene with a drown-out quench (1000 t/a), GLO: the inventory of 1 kilogram of its reference product, attributional, cut-off.

Calculation maturity: not assessed Design maturity: Concept (research)Not independently reviewedp-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-1:p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-by-semi-batch-chlorosulfonation-of-toluene-with-a-drown-out-quench-1000-t-a:product:TSCLPreliminaryReport a problem with this dataset
Research outputAn inventory from a research design at the design maturity its process states, not verified plant data: check its calculation maturity and review status before use. Background activities are referenced by name only; no background data is included. All caveats

What it is

Unallocated foreground LCI of p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride by semi-batch chlorosulfonation of toluene with a drown-out quench (1000 t/a), case design, derived from the flowsheet by cheme assess lca.

Reference product
1 kilogram of p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride crystals to packing (1.01325 bar(a), 25 degC, 97.7499 % PTSCL_S (mole))
Chemical
p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride
CAS
98-59-9
Code
p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-1:p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-by-semi-batch-chlorosulfonation-of-toluene-with-a-drown-out-quench-1000-t-a:product:TSCL
Dataset
p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-by-semi-batch-chlorosulfonation-of-toluene-with-a-drown-out-quench-1000-t-a version 0.1.0 · UUID 6b4d6248-f69d-5443-b9d7-916b357ccdb4
Activity UUID
not available (the library assigns none; use the code)
Database
cheme-as-code-atlas-preview-a3c52e4 (version preview-a3c52e4)
Process
p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride by semi-batch chlorosulfonation of toluene with a drown-out quench (1000 t/a)
Geography
GLO · background inputs with a site rule link at the user's site location (default DE)
Time period
2026 · valid until 2031
Technology
Batch plant: ammonium chloride and then toluene dosed into chlorosulfonic acid at 338 K (semi-batch, HCl vented as it forms), a second acid portion at 308 K, the mass dosed into a water heel at 288 K (drown-out quench, semi-batch), p-TsCl precipitated, filtered, reslurry-washed twice with ice water and vacuum-dried at 308 K; the HCl neutralised in a caustic scrubber; 1748.95 kg per batch, 571.8 batches a year on a dedicated train · level current
Boundary
gate-to-gate foreground of the plant
Production volume
1,000,003 kg/a (product:TSCL per hour x operation.hours_per_year (7920 h/a))
Classification
ISIC Rev.4 2011 (taxonomy/families.yaml (ISIC Rev.4) of the process's families)
System model
attributional, cut-off (docs/system-model.md, methodology 1.1.0)
Allocation
mass, 100 % of the dataset to this product (rule single-output, from default)
one product: nothing to allocate
Rights
CC-BY-4.0: the ChemE-as-Code process library's own concept design (LICENSE-DATA)

Exchanges per 1 kilogram of p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride crystals to packing

As exported: allocated and scaled to the reference product. Provenance: 13 assumed, 2 calculated. Pedigree scores (1 best, 5 worst): reliability, completeness, temporal correlation, geographical correlation, further technological correlation.

Preliminary5 exchanges are not yet linked to a background dataset. They count no burden, so the inventory is incomplete: do not read a result from it as complete.
InputAmountUnitProvenancePedigreeLinked to
Chlorosulfonic acid (merchant)
feed:CSA
flowsheet streams S1 and S7 (D-004)
From streams S1, S7
2.321kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3unlinked
unlinked, no technosphere mapping: no mapping (no chemical slug or factor id); add it to lci/mappings.yaml technosphere or to the process's lca/mappings.yaml exchanges
Ammonium chloride (merchant)
feed:NH4CL
flowsheet stream S3 (D-004)
From stream S3
0.1599kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3unlinked
unlinked, no technosphere mapping: no mapping (no chemical slug or factor id); add it to lci/mappings.yaml technosphere or to the process's lca/mappings.yaml exchanges
Toluene (btx-1)
feed:TOL
flowsheet stream S4 (D-004)
From stream S4
0.6119kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3Atlas (pinned): Benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes by solvent extraction of catalytic reformate (Toluene, RER)
compatible: grade the input names no chemical only; toluene (Toluene) is taken; unit kilogram; system model cutoff (one database); allocation mass (deviation); boundary plant gate (pinned): no distribution or losses; the consumer's dataset counts its delivery
Process water (quench heel, scrubber make-up)
feed:PW
flowsheet streams S9 (quench heel) and S29 (scrubber make-up), D-006, D-007
From streams S9, S29
8.638kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3market for water, deionised (water, deionised, RoW) in your background (default ecoinvent-3.11-cutoff)
Process water for the cake washes (chilled in T-101)
feed:WASHW
flowsheet stream S31, chilled in E103 and split to the washes S16 and S20 (D-007)
From stream S31
4.026kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3market for water, deionised (water, deionised, RoW) in your background (default ecoinvent-3.11-cutoff)
Caustic soda 50 wt% (chlor-alkali-1)
feed:NAOH
flowsheet stream S28 (D-007)
From stream S28
0.8706kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3Atlas (pinned): Chlor-alkali by membrane-cell electrolysis (100 kt/a Cl2, 50 wt-% caustic soda, hydrogen) (Sodium hydroxide, Caustic soda 50 wt-% to storage, GLO)
compatible: grade the input names no chemical only; sodium-hydroxide (Sodium hydroxide, Caustic soda 50 wt-% to storage) is taken; unit kilogram; system model cutoff (one database); allocation shares (deviation); boundary plant gate (pinned): no distribution or losses; the consumer's dataset counts its delivery
Electric power
feed:POWER
flowsheet energy streams P1 (R-101 agitator), P2 (Q-101 agitator), P3 (Nutsche agitator, paddle dryer, vacuum pump) and P4 (scrubber pump and fan), D-009
electricity
From streams P1, P2, P3, P4
0.1932kilowatt hourassumed4 4 1 3 3market for electricity, medium voltage (electricity, medium voltage, DE, site location) in your background (default ecoinvent-3.11-cutoff)
LP steam 350 kPa(a) (R-101 heating, the dryer's hot-water circuit)
feed:LPS
flowsheet energy streams Q1 (R-101 heat-up) and Q6 (the dryer's hot-water circuit), D-009
steam, LP, 138.85 degC, 3.5 bar(a)
From streams Q1, Q6
0.34kilowatt hourassumed4 4 1 3 3Atlas: heat from steam, per kWh (Atlas unit proxy) (heat from steam, by energy, GLO)
Waste acid (mother liquor, wash filtrates, dryer condensate) to neutralisation
product:WA
flowsheet stream S26 (D-010)
From stream S26
12.6kilogramcalculated3 4 1 3 3Atlas (plant): wastewater to treatment, per kg (Atlas unit proxy) (wastewater, by mass, GLO)
compatible: grade the input names wastewater only; wastewater (Wastewater treated) is taken; unit kilogram; system model cutoff (one database); allocation mass (single-output); boundary plant gate of a site utility: no utility market yet (docs/markets.md)
Spent scrubber liquor to wastewater treatment
product:WS
flowsheet stream S30 (D-007, D-010)
From stream S30
3.023kilogramcalculated3 4 1 3 3Atlas (plant): wastewater to treatment, per kg (Atlas unit proxy) (wastewater, by mass, GLO)
compatible: grade the input names wastewater only; wastewater (Wastewater treated) is taken; unit kilogram; system model cutoff (one database); allocation mass (single-output); boundary plant gate of a site utility: no utility market yet (docs/markets.md)
Cooling water return
product:CW
flowsheet energy streams Q2 (heat of sulfonation, R101's model), Q3 (cool-down and second acid portion, R102's model) and Q7 (scrubber), D-009, D-014
cold, 25 degC
From streams Q2, Q3, Q7
0.6096kilowatt hourassumed4 4 1 3 3Atlas (plant): cooling water service, per kWh heat rejected (Atlas screening proxy) (heat rejected to cooling water, GLO)
compatible: grade the input names cooling-water only; cooling-water (Heat rejected to cooling water, 25/35 degC) is taken; unit kilowatt hour; carrier cold, 25 degC from cold, 25 degC; system model cutoff (one database); allocation mass (single-output); boundary plant gate of a site utility: no utility market yet (docs/markets.md)
Chilled brine return (263 K)
product:BRINE
flowsheet energy streams Q4 (heel cooling), Q5 (the quench's reaction heat and the dilution heat of the dosed acids, Q101's model), Q8 (DR-101's vacuum condenser) and Q9 (wash water chilling in T-101), D-009, D-014, D-015
cold, -15 degC
From streams Q4, Q5, Q8, Q9
0.8107kilowatt hourassumed4 4 1 3 3unlinked
unlinked, no technosphere mapping: no mapping (chemical 'chilled-water'); add it to lci/mappings.yaml technosphere or to the process's lca/mappings.yaml exchanges
Nitrogen for inerting R-101, pressing the Nutsche filtrations and breaking the dryer's vacuum
consumable:nitrogen
about 140 Nm3 per batch x 1.2506 kg/Nm3, ASSUMED (D-012): R-101 purged with 3 volumes of its 4 m3 (12 Nm3), F-101's 20 m3 brought to 300 kPa(a) for each of its three filtrations (120 Nm3), DR-101's 4 m3 vacuum broken twice (8 Nm3); 175 kg per batch x 571.776 batches in 7920 h (process/recipe.yaml, case design, bottleneck CHLOROSULFONATE)
0.1001kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3Atlas (pinned): Cryogenic air separation unit (500 t/d GOX) (Nitrogen, gaseous, <= 10 ppm O2, 8 barg, GLO)
compatible: grade the input names nitrogen only; nitrogen/gan-8barg-10ppm (Nitrogen, gaseous, <= 10 ppm O2, 8 barg) is taken; unit kilogram; system model cutoff (one database); allocation exergy (physical-exergy); boundary plant gate (pinned): no distribution or losses; the consumer's dataset counts its delivery
Rinse water of Q-101 and F-101 between batches
consumable:rinse-water
2 rinses per batch (recipe operations clean of Q-101 and F-101) x 1 m3 each, ASSUMED (D-003, D-012); 2000 kg per batch x 571.776 batches in 7920 h (process/recipe.yaml, case design, bottleneck CHLOROSULFONATE)
1.144kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3unlinked
unlinked, no technosphere mapping: no mapping (no chemical slug or factor id); add it to lci/mappings.yaml technosphere or to the process's lca/mappings.yaml exchanges
Disposal: Rinse water of Q-101 and F-101 between batches (site wastewater treatment of the acidic rinse water, with the waste acid (D-010))
disposal:consumable.rinse-water
rinses to the neutralisation with the waste acid (D-012)
1.144kilogramassumed4 4 1 3 3unlinked
unlinked, no technosphere mapping: no mapping (no chemical slug or factor id); add it to lci/mappings.yaml technosphere or to the process's lca/mappings.yaml exchanges

Elementary flows

No elementary flows are exported for this activity (pass-through emissions and free inputs are left out, see the caveats).

The streams are the plant's own flows: an amount here is allocated and per 1 kilogram of p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride crystals to packing, so it differs from the stream's flow, and it can sum several streams.

Where these numbers come from: each exchange names its source above; the dataset is processes/p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-1/lca/dataset.yaml in library version a3c52e4.

Used by

No other activity of this database links to it.

How good it is

Review
Not reviewed: no LCI review record yet
Data quality
DQR 2.33 · PEF-style DQR 2.72
TeR 3 · GeR 3 · TiR 1 · P 3.87 · C 4 · weakest TeR · primary data 0 %
Mass and carbon closure
Assessed (lca/manifest.json balance, tolerance 5 %: design maturity concept (sourced screening))
  • lci-carbon-origin: not-assessable
  • lci-element-balance: not-assessable
  • lci-mass-balance: closed
  • element balance not assessable: no composition for consumable:nitrogen (no composition), consumable:rinse-water (no composition), disposal:consumable.rinse-water (no composition)
  • carbon balance not assessable: no composition for consumable:nitrogen (no composition), consumable:rinse-water (no composition), disposal:consumable.rinse-water (no composition)
Change report
Not available: this build has no change report against an earlier release.

KPI benchmark positions

KPIValueReference rangePosition
Chlorosulfonic acid consumption per kg of p-toluenesulfonyl chloride
No open source with a plant's chlorosulfonic acid use per kg p-TsCl found (searched 2026-11-05 as for tscl-specific-toluene); the patents give laboratory ratios of about 3 (DE 1 912 956 A1) to 4 (PL 73685 B2) mol per mol toluene. Only the stoichiometric floor, 1.222 kg/kg, is known.
– kg/kgnot availablenot evaluated
Toluene consumption per kg of p-toluenesulfonyl chloride
No open source with a plant's or a pilot's toluene use per kg p-TsCl found independent of the dataset (searched 2026-11-05: Google Patents DE 1 912 956 A1, the dataset's basis, PL 73685 B2 and CN 105503671 A, all laboratory examples; web search for p-toluenesulfonyl chloride production consumption figures, which gave only encyclopaedia summaries, not read where licensed). Only the stoichiometric floor, 0.483 kg/kg, is known.
– kg/kgnot availablenot evaluated

How to use it

Downloads

A file with this activity alone is not available: each file above is the whole database, and the line under it says how to find this activity there.

import bw2data as bd
from cheme_as_code_lci import install

bd.projects.set_current("my-project")   # holds your licensed background + biosphere3
install("cheme-as-code-atlas-preview-a3c52e4.xlsx", background="ecoinvent-3.11-cutoff", location="DE")
activity = bd.get_activity(("cheme-as-code-atlas-preview-a3c52e4", "p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-1:p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-by-semi-batch-chlorosulfonation-of-toluene-with-a-drown-out-quench-1000-t-a:product:TSCL"))

While any exchange of the database has no mapping, install() writes nothing and only lists the unlinked exchanges. So the last line finds no activity until the gaps are mapped: the download section gives the ways to use the database now.

How to cite

p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride crystals to packing, from p-Toluenesulfonyl chloride by semi-batch chlorosulfonation of toluene with a drown-out quench (1000 t/a) (dataset p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-by-semi-batch-chlorosulfonation-of-toluene-with-a-drown-out-quench-1000-t-a 0.1.0), ChemE-as-Code Process Atlas LCI database preview-a3c52e4, activity p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-1:p-toluenesulfonyl-chloride-by-semi-batch-chlorosulfonation-of-toluene-with-a-drown-out-quench-1000-t-a:product:TSCL. Cite the Process Atlas paper (in preparation, 2026), by Artur M. Schweidtmann and Jana M. Weber, and the ChemE-as-Code Process Atlas LCI database version preview-a3c52e4.

DOI: none yet (the Process Atlas paper is in preparation)

For the data, cite the Process Atlas paper; for the platform that builds and checks it, the ChemE-as-Code paper.

Schweidtmann, A. M. & Weber, J. M. (2026, in preparation). Process Atlas: an open, git-native, reproducible library and life cycle inventory of chemical processes (working title).

BibTeX
@unpublished{schweidtmann_process_atlas,
  author = {Schweidtmann, Artur M. and Weber, Jana M.},
  title = {{Process Atlas: an open, git-native, reproducible library and life cycle inventory of chemical processes (working title)}},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://atlas.cheme-as-code.org},
  note = {in preparation}
}

Schweidtmann, A. M. (2026). ChemE-as-Code: An Open-Source Platform for Agentic AI in Chemical Engineering. arXiv:2611.07947. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2611.07947

BibTeX
@misc{schweidtmann_cheme_as_code,
  author = {Schweidtmann, Artur M.},
  title = {{ChemE-as-Code: An Open-Source Platform for Agentic AI in Chemical Engineering}},
  year = {2026},
  eprint = {2611.07947},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  doi = {10.48550/arXiv.2611.07947},
  url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.07947}
}