【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Equipment】2783-2025: Ningbo Juhua’s world’s largest integrated PDO/PTT plant comes online
Thread Content
Let’s give praise and support to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Great Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】Regular updates and summaries are available – feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** The world’s largest PDO/PTT integrated production facility came online. On October 19th, Ningbo Juhua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd.’s 150,000 tons per year PDO/PTT integrated facility began operations successfully, producing its first batch of qualified products right from the start, thus achieving a successful commissioning in just one attempt. The successful operation of this facility marks China’s ability to break the long-standing foreign technological monopoly in the field of polyester materials. PTT is known as the \"king of polyesters\"; thanks to its excellent resilience, dyeing properties, and environmental-friendly characteristics, it is widely used in key fields such as high-end textiles and engineering plastics. The facility built by Ningbo Juhua is the world’s largest PDO/PTT integrated production plant in terms of single-unit capacity. It is understood that Ningbo Juhua, in collaboration with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Huanyu Engineering Co., Ltd., has, through years of dedicated research, developed an engineered multi-phase catalytic process for the hydroformylation of ethylene, achieving the world’s first industrial application of single-atom catalysts. The project employs advanced chemical processes, and by introducing, assimilating, absorbing, and re-innovating these technologies, it has successfully overcome technical barriers. Compared to the mainstream international biological approaches, this technology offers significant advantages in terms of process stability and raw material supply security. It not only eliminates dependence on external technologies but also establishes an efficient closed-loop circular production system for the entire process.
Project Overview: On July 4, 2023, Zhejiang Province held a ceremony to launch a series of major projects under the “Thousand Projects, Trillion Yuan” initiative, and the 150,000 tons per year production facility for special polyester chips at Ningbo Juhua was put into operation. Project Name: 150,000 tons/year Special Polyester Chip New Material Project
Project Investment: Approximately 1.576 billion yuan
Nature of Construction: Expansion
Project Implementer: Ningbo Juhua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd.
Construction Location: No. 501, Yuejintang Road, Ningbo Petrochemical Economic and Technological Development Zone. No new land is required for this project; all construction will take place within the existing site.
Expected Completion Timeline: Completion is planned by the end of October 2024, with trial operation to begin at the end of 2024.
Construction Contents: The main components of the southern plant include a PDO unit, a PTT unit, a 1,3-propanediol storage area, a PTT warehouse, heat transfer oil boilers, modifications to the motor control cabinets, renovations to the loading and unloading platforms in the southern plant, and upgrades to the control room. The PDO unit, PTT unit, heat transfer oil furnace, crude PDO tank area, ethanol storage tanks, etc. will be constructed on the existing open space in the southern plant area. The main construction tasks in the northern plant area include the construction of an ethylene oxide tank farm and the renovation of the loading and unloading platforms there. A new external ethylene oxide pipeline will be constructed from Fude to the North Plant area (a stainless steel pipeline with a total length of 4.6 km). Product plan: The main plant for producing 7.2 tons per year of PDO (of which 10,500 tons are in the form of finished products and 61,500 tons per year are intermediate products), along with 15 tons per year of PTT, along with the associated infrastructure. In this project, PDO (1,3-propanediol) is produced using the ethylene oxide method; the process consists of two steps: first, ethylene oxide is hydroformylated with syngas to produce 3-hydroxypropanal, and then 3-hydroxypropanal is hydrogenated to yield PDO. The advantages of this technology are: a very low amount of catalyst required, which significantly reduces costs; high conversion rates; easy separation of reaction products from the catalyst; few by-products with high boiling points; an advanced process; and good economic efficiency. In this project, the main raw material for PTT production, 1,3-propanediol, is supplied by the PDO (1,3-propanediol) production facility. Titanium-based compounds are used as catalysts, titanium dioxide serves as a matting agent, and 1,4-butanediol is used as a modifier. Pure terephthalic acid (PTA) and 1,3-propanediol (PDO) are combined through direct esterification and dehydration to produce the monomer polyethylene terephthalate glycolate (BHPT), which is then polycondensed to yield the final product, polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PTT). The polyester melt production line adopts a four-reactor process, namely two-stage esterification, pre-polycondensation, and final polycondensation. From the feed preparation to the granulation unit, this process operates as a closed system; as a result, there are few sources of pollution, and the collection rate of waste materials is high. The main raw materials for this project are ethylene oxide, syngas, hydrogen, and PTA. The syngas comes from Siming Chemical, utilizing existing syngas transmission pipelines ； The hydrogen comes from Sinopec Petrochemical, utilizing existing hydrogen delivery pipelines ； The ethylene oxide comes from Zhenhai Refining & Chemical / Fude Energy; the ethylene oxide sourced from Zhenhai Refining & Chemical is transported by tank trucks to the northern plant for temporary storage. A new pipeline for transporting ethylene oxide from Fude Energy to Juhua’s southern plant has been installed so that the material can also be stored temporarily in the northern plant ； CICC Petrochemical’s PTA plant can supply PTA, another key monomer required by the PTT plant, locally.
Project Investment: Approximately 1.576 billion yuan
Nature of Construction: Expansion
Project Implementer: Ningbo Juhua Chemical Technology Co., Ltd.
Construction Location: No. 501, Yuejintang Road, Ningbo Petrochemical Economic and Technological Development Zone. No new land is required for this project; all construction will take place within the existing site.
Expected Completion Timeline: Completion is planned by the end of October 2024, with trial operation to begin at the end of 2024.
Construction Contents: The main components of the southern plant include a PDO unit, a PTT unit, a 1,3-propanediol storage area, a PTT warehouse, heat transfer oil boilers, modifications to the motor control cabinets, renovations to the loading and unloading platforms in the southern plant, and upgrades to the control room. The PDO unit, PTT unit, heat transfer oil furnace, crude PDO tank area, ethanol storage tanks, etc. will be constructed on the existing open space in the southern plant area. The main construction tasks in the northern plant area include the construction of an ethylene oxide tank farm and the renovation of the loading and unloading platforms there. A new external ethylene oxide pipeline will be constructed from Fude to the North Plant area (a stainless steel pipeline with a total length of 4.6 km). Product plan: The main plant for producing 7.2 tons per year of PDO (of which 10,500 tons are in the form of finished products and 61,500 tons per year are intermediate products), along with 15 tons per year of PTT, along with the associated infrastructure. In this project, PDO (1,3-propanediol) is produced using the ethylene oxide method; the process consists of two steps: first, ethylene oxide is hydroformylated with syngas to produce 3-hydroxypropanal, and then 3-hydroxypropanal is hydrogenated to yield PDO. The advantages of this technology are: a very low amount of catalyst required, which significantly reduces costs; high conversion rates; easy separation of reaction products from the catalyst; few by-products with high boiling points; an advanced process; and good economic efficiency. In this project, the main raw material for PTT production, 1,3-propanediol, is supplied by the PDO (1,3-propanediol) production facility. Titanium-based compounds are used as catalysts, titanium dioxide serves as a matting agent, and 1,4-butanediol is used as a modifier. Pure terephthalic acid (PTA) and 1,3-propanediol (PDO) are combined through direct esterification and dehydration to produce the monomer polyethylene terephthalate glycolate (BHPT), which is then polycondensed to yield the final product, polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PTT). The polyester melt production line adopts a four-reactor process, namely two-stage esterification, pre-polycondensation, and final polycondensation. From the feed preparation to the granulation unit, this process operates as a closed system; as a result, there are few sources of pollution, and the collection rate of waste materials is high. The main raw materials for this project are ethylene oxide, syngas, hydrogen, and PTA. The syngas comes from Siming Chemical, utilizing existing syngas transmission pipelines ； The hydrogen comes from Sinopec Petrochemical, utilizing existing hydrogen delivery pipelines ； The ethylene oxide comes from Zhenhai Refining & Chemical / Fude Energy; the ethylene oxide sourced from Zhenhai Refining & Chemical is transported by tank trucks to the northern plant for temporary storage. A new pipeline for transporting ethylene oxide from Fude Energy to Juhua’s southern plant has been installed so that the material can also be stored temporarily in the northern plant ； CICC Petrochemical’s PTA plant can supply PTA, another key monomer required by the PTT plant, locally.
Introduction to PTT and PDO: PTT, short for polytrimethylene terephthalate, is a new type of polyfiber material that stands out among polyester fibers. It not only boasts excellent processability, mechanical properties, thermoplasticity, ductility, high elastic dimension stability, and dyeability, but also outperforms PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PA6 (nylon 6) in terms of performance; it is thus regarded as a \"replacement for PET\" and has become a leader in the high-end polyester market. ◇ The special properties of PTT give it a wide range of applications, not limited to textiles alone, but also extending to industries such as engineering plastics and films. Globally, many well-known international fiber companies, including Shell and DuPont in the United States, as well as Asahi Kasei, Toray, and Teijin in Japan, and Huvis, Hyosung, and Sehan in South Korea, are all engaged in the production of this new type of fiber and the development and application of fiber-based products. At the same time, PTT fibers exhibit great potential in the field of textile and apparel fabrics thanks to their unique properties. It not only has excellent anti-stain properties, but is also easy to dye, soft to the touch and elastic; its stretchability is comparable to that of spandex fibers, and its processability is better than that of spandex fibers, making it highly suitable for use in textile and clothing fabrics. Furthermore, PTT possesses properties such as dryness and stiffness, which make it likely to gradually replace polyester and nylon in the near future, becoming the mainstream choice for major fibers in the 21st century. ◇ Application areas of PTT. PDO, namely 1,3-propanediol, is also widely used as a colorless and odorless liquid with strong hygroscopic properties and a transparent, viscous texture. It is widely used in many fields such as cosmetics, inks, printing and dyeing, coatings, lubricants, etc., and is also an important polymer monomer. ◇ Properties and applications of PDO: DuPont has held a leading position in the production of PDO via sugar-based methods for 20 years, but in recent years, with the successful development of new synthesis routes by a team from Tsinghua University and the commercial production by companies such as Meijingrong Chemical, the bio-based 1,3-propanediol industry has seen new opportunities for development. However, the number of participants in this industry remains relatively limited at present, and aspects such as technical level and productivity are still in the stage of exploration and research. The technology introduced for Ningbo Juhua’s 150,000 tons per year new special polyester chip project will inject new momentum into the development of this industry.
【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】2773-2025: Hycor Technology unveils the world’s first offshore 1,000 cubic meter PEM electrolyzer and hydrogen production system https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-5703646-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum)
【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】2748-2025: Bohai Equipment Achieves Domestic Production of Key Components for High-Power Flue Gas Turbines https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-5703099-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Engineering Forum)
【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】2742-2025: Historic Progress in China’s Exploration for Natural Hydrogen – The first scientific exploration well for natural hydrogen was drilled in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-5703031-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Engineering Forum)