Clariant’s Catalysts business has been awarded three new contracts by China’s Lihuayi Group for its upcoming petrochemicals production units, according to Hydrocarbonprocessing.
The agreements include three of Clariant’s high-performance catalysts for the production of ethylene, styrene, and propylene.
From Clariant’s ethylene catalyst line, Lihuayi chose the OleMax 101 catalyst for its 1000 KTA olefins plant for high-value olefins recovery from cracked gas and off-gas streams. The OleMax 100 series is used to purify gas streams for acetylene, dienes, oxygen, nitrogen oxides, and heavy metals, in a single reactor, enabling highly cost-efficient olefins production.
Lihuayi’s new 720 KTA styrene plant will rely on Clariant’s StyroMax UL 3 rib-shaped styrene catalyst. The catalyst is able to produce styrene monomer extremely efficiently due to its high activity, excellent selectivity, and reliable performance at ultra-low steam-to-oil conditions. Combined, these factors provide a greater yield of high-quality styrene with higher efficiency, as well as reduced energy consumption and lower CO2 emissions.
The third Lihuayi plant for propane dehydrogenation will have a design capacity of 600 KTA and operate with Clariant’s tailor-made CATOFIN catalysts and heat generating material. CATOFIN is a proven, highly reliable dehydrogenation catalyst used for the production of olefins, such as propylene or isobutylene, from light paraffin feedstocks. Since 2017, CATOFIN technology and catalysts have been selected for 33 new projects, representing more than 23,000 KTA of new propylene capacity globally. Over half of them are or will be constructed in China.
As MRC wrote previously, Clariant has recently announced that its StyroMax UL3 catalyst is demonstrating successful results at Risun’s new styrene monomer (MS) plant located in Tangshan, China.
We remind that in October 2020, Clariant announced the construction of a new state-of-the-art catalyst production site in China. This project represents a significant investment which further strengthens Clariant’s position in China and enhances its ability to support its customers in the country’s thriving petrochemicals industry.
The new facility will be primarily responsible for producing the Catofin catalyst for propane dehydrogenation, which is used in the production of olefins such as propylene. Thanks to its excellent reliability and productivity, Catofin delivers superior annual production output compared to alternative technologies, resulting in increased overall profitability for propylene producers, says the company. Construction at the Dushan Port Economic Development Zone in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province was scheduled to commence in Q3 2020, and Clariant expects to be at full production capacity by 2022.
Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints.
MRC