Clariant (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com), a world leader in specialty chemicals, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by Dongguan Grand Resource Science & Technology Co. Ltd. to develop a new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit in cooperation with CB&I (The Hague, the Netherlands; www.cbi.com). The project includes the license and engineering design of the unit, which is to be built in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China.
The Dongguan plant will be one of the largest single-train dehydrogenation units in the world. Clariant’s technology partner CB&I will base the plant’s design on its Catofin catalytic dehydrogenation technology, which uses Clariant’s tailor-made Catofin catalyst and heat-generating material (HGM).
The Catofin dehydrogenation process is a proven, highly reliable route for the production of isobutylene, propylene or amylenes from isobutene, propane or isopentanes respectively. To maximize the conversion of propane and generate a high yield of propylene, the process operates at optimum reactor pressure and temperature. This also results in low investment and operating costs. The integration of HGM in the Catofin process further enhances the performance advantages.
HGM is an innovative metal-oxide material which is designed to significantly increase the selectivity and yield of Catofin units. The material is loaded into the catalyst bed with the catalyst where it undergoes oxidation and reduction during the operating cycle, produces heat and drives the dehydrogenation reaction. These factors boost yields and save energy, as well as reducing emissions.
HGM has already demonstrated excellent performance at several propane dehydrogenation plants in China and Korea. The innovative technology was selected as a finalist in the 2015 Kirkpatrick Award for Chemical Engineering Achievement in recognition of its significant step-change contribution of feedstock utilization efficiency.
Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President & General Manager Business Unit Catalysts at Clariant, stated, “We are proud to be part of this important project for Dongguan Grand Resource in China. As proven in previous cases, the Catofin catalyst and the HGM technology will not only bring our new client significant commercial advantages, but will also help them to reduce emissions.”
Philip K. Asherman, President & Chief Executive Officer of CB&I, added, “CB&I is pleased to have been selected by Dongguan Grand Resource to provide the Catofin technology license for this new petrochemical facility in China. Our Catofin technology continues to demonstrate low cost of production while providing proven reliability and flexibility to our customers.”