Clariant in propylene process "first" at Chinese plant

Munich, Germany – Clariant has announced the "successful" implementation of its ‘heat generating material’ (HGM) technology at a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant of Ningbo Haiyue New Material Co. Ltd in Ningbo City, China.

The Chinese plant produces 600 kilotonnes per annum of propylene using CB&I’s Catofin catalytic dehydrogenation process for producing propylene from propane, The process is based on Clariant’s Catofin catalyst.

The process is designed to operate at optimum reactor pressure and temperature to maximise conversion to maximise yields and reduce investment and operating costs, said an 18 March statement from the German chemicals company.

HGM is a metal-oxide material which is designed to significantly increase selectivity and yield of Catofin units, while also saving energy and reducing emissions.

The material is loaded into the catalyst bed with the catalyst where it undergoes oxidation and reduction during the operating cycle, producing heat and driving the dehydrogenation reaction.

Ningbo Haiyue is the first PDH plant to operate using HGM, though several commercial-scale Catofin units using HGM for isobutylene production have in operation since 2011,.

“Only 36 months after the project was awarded, the unit was on stream with feed,” said Clairian. “Furthermore, on spec propylene was produced within three days of introduction of propane feed, and 100 percent design capacity was available in less than 30 days.

“The plant has fully met its performance guarantees, and is currently operating at over 105 percent capacity. Including Ningbo Haiyue, Catofin technology is currently used to produce over 1.5 million tonnes of light olefins in China.”

HGM reinforces the position of Catofin as “the technology of choice for propane dehydrogenation,” said Stefan Heuser, senior vice president & general manager, business unit catalysts at Clariant, “The process and catalysts will be of particular benefit to our customers in China as propylene demand continues to soar.”