On 1st July, the XMTO pilot plant built by SWRDICI and Tsingtao Benzo Chemicals passed the on-site inspection successfully.
Via 72 hours continuous running under 100% load, methanol conversion was above 99.5%; One-way selective of ethylene and propylene was between 66 and 69%; and CTP overall selectivity of C2~C4 olefin was about 79%. Body of experts agreed unanimously that inspection of the pilot plant had been approved because its indexes concerning running load, equipments, automatic control, safety and environmental protection measures all met or even surpassed those of the engineering; in addition, expecting goals of catalysts and process development had been also realized.
Taking advantage of her traditional scientific accumulation, the research team from C1 Research Center strives to make technological breakthrough and have completed research on key catalysts and related process. The scale-up preparation and Large-scale original particle test evaluation for the molecular sieve based catalysts had been competed in 2012 and 2013, respectively. A new process has been developed, through which methanol to olefin and High-carbon alkanes decomposition to propylene could be realized by the same catalyst, which is characteristic with high regeneration cycle and multiple regeneration. Compared with its counterpart using fixed bedding process, our technology is with low reacting temperature, high yield of ethylene & propylene, low content of oil and waste water recyclable. Based on the ZSM-5 molecular sieve catalyst and C4+ decomposition, the technical package “coal based methanol to Low carbon olefins” has been developed. This technical package adopts fixed-bedding process. Via it, investment and running cost could be reduced and product added value could be increased by adjusting selectivity of Olefin/aromatic hydrocarbon.
With regards to this technology, several patents have been granted covering catalysts, processes, reactors, etc. The technical achievements with independent intellectual property rights as well as applicable for commercial plant have been formed. The design, building and running of the pilot plant will be technical support for development, engineering and running for commercial plant