On September 5, Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. announced that the Shandong Provincial Development and Reform Commission has approved the implementation of the polyurethane industry chain integration – ethylene project. The project is based on the C3 of propane caverns in Wanhua Industrial Park, propane dehydrogenation Ethane is used as raw material, cracking to produce ethylene and propylene, mixing C4 and other intermediate products.
Previously, the environmental impact assessment of the 3.2 million tons/young hydrocarbon comprehensive utilization project of Lianyungang Petrochemical Co., Ltd. was also publicized twice. The project includes an annual output of 2.5 million tons of ethane cracking ethylene, 1.5 million tons of propane dehydrogenation equipment and PE, EO /EG, vinyl acetate, propylene oxide, acrylonitrile, polypropylene, acrylic acid and esters and other downstream equipment.
In recent years, China's light hydrocarbon raw materials have gradually shown diversified characteristics. At present, more than 20 light hydrocarbon comprehensive utilization projects under construction and proposed have been disclosed, and many projects have simultaneously designed C2 and C3 industrial chain devices, while propane catalysis. Dehydrogenation technology (PDH) is undoubtedly the most concerned focus in the field of C3 utilization.
Advantages of propane dehydrogenation
The construction of the PDH project has greatly compensated for the decrease in propylene production due to the lighter weight of raw materials. Zhao Chen, chief petrochemical analyst of Orient Securities, pointed out that the current propane dehydrogenation method is the fastest growing market share and the most promising new propylene production. Technology. China's first PDH unit was put into operation in Tianjin in 2013. Currently, there are 12 sets of PDH units in China, and most of them are equipped with downstream derivative production units. The current global PDH capacity has exceeded 12 million tons/year. Among them, China's PDH production capacity accounts for more than half of the world.
In May, specialty chemical manufacturer Clariant announced the project contract of the winning bidder Jinneng Technology Co., Ltd., and will cooperate with CB&I to design the world's largest propane dehydrogenation unit. The project will be located in the west coast of Qingdao, and the annual production of propylene will reach 900,000 tons.
'Using advanced CATOFIN technology to build the world's largest single propane dehydrogenation unit and production base, we can achieve more excellent economic value and the company's long-term development goals.' Jin Qingping, chairman of Jinneng Technology, said.
Previously, Clariant signed an agreement with Xuzhou Haiding Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. to provide catalysts for its 600,000 tons/year propane dehydrogenation unit. Currently, nine propane dehydrogenation units using CATOFIN technology have been successfully implemented. Put into production, the annual output of propylene exceeds 4.5 million tons.
'In the long run, the price of propylene will increase, and the propane dehydrogenation process will gradually show its advantages. 'Zhao Chen predicts that the future global propylene supply will present a three-legged situation of naphtha cracking unit, refinery catalytic cracking unit and PDH unit.
Domestic catalyst breaks monopoly
In the catalytic dehydrogenation process, the catalyst used is generally a supported noble metal platinum or a toxic chromium-based catalyst. The platinum-based catalyst is expensive and the raw material needs to be deeply purified, while the chromium-based catalyst is harmful to the environment and the human body. Therefore, the development is low. Cost, environmentally friendly non-precious metal catalysts have always been a technical problem in propane dehydrogenation.
At present, platinum-based catalysts are the key to catalytic dehydrogenation. The related technologies have long been monopolized by a few countries such as the United States and Germany. The existing 12 sets of propane dehydrogenation propylene production lines in China are imported from abroad at high prices, and the catalysts are completely dependent on imports. This situation is expected to be broken. The energy chemistry engineering team of Tianjin University has successfully developed high-efficiency platinum-based catalysts, which can significantly improve the production efficiency of propylene.
'Whoever masters a more efficient catalyst, whoever has mastered the future of the olefin industry.' According to Prof. Gong Jinlong, head of the energy chemical engineering team at Tianjin University, platinum-based catalysts have been widely used in the production of propylene by propane dehydrogenation. Extraction and production of propylene's 'catalytic dehydrogenation selectivity' using metals such as platinum. The high-efficiency platinum-based catalyst developed by the Energy Chemical Engineering team of Tianjin University has two new advantages: First, 'more pure', high temperature reduction and acid Washing and removing the metal impurities of the auxiliary agent to form a pure platinum-coated core shell surface; the second is 'stronger', greatly improving the catalytic state of the platinum atom by changing the electronic state of the surface platinum, thereby greatly increasing the propylene for industrial practice. Production efficiency has made it possible.
It is reported that the results have demonstrated the important value of structure-activity relationship for catalyst research from the perspective of basic research, opening up new ideas for the application of platinum-based catalysts.
Comprehensive competitiveness still needs to be considered
At present, the increasingly strict environmental protection policies and industry standards are also forcing companies to take the road of green, environmentally friendly and low-carbon development. In the field of alkane dehydrogenation, UOP Oleflex developed by UOP Global Excellence Technology Co., Ltd. is considered to be a better C3. /C4 alkane dehydrogenation process. He Jianbo, technical manager of the company, said that the process minimizes reactor usage, increases reactor efficiency, reduces costs, and minimizes emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and VOCs using non-toxic platinum-based catalysts. .
At the same time, the propane dehydrogenation project has blossomed everywhere. Under the development boom, there are also concerns about the uncontrolled price of imported propane and the uncertainty of profitability. Li Zhenyu, director of the Strategy and Information Research Office of PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum and Chemical Industry, said, '13 How to achieve diversification of raw materials during the period, and increase the added value of products is an important issue for the industry.
Zhao Chen also pointed out that the current propane feedstock required for all PDH installations in China depends on imports from the US or the Middle East, but the recent escalation of Sino-US trade friction has also brought uncertainty to imported propane.
Yu Chunmei, senior engineer of Jilin Design Institute of China Petroleum Northeast Refinery Engineering Company, reminded enterprises that in the industrial chain, it is necessary to study the regional market of target products, and whether there are downstream users in the surrounding areas, which can save transportation costs and increase profits. , must fully consider the application of by-products.