Pilot production of next-generation coal-based ethylene glycol technology successful

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The quality rate of premium products reached 88%, with costs reduced by over 1,000 yuan. Source: China Chemical Industry News. On September 9, at the seminar on modern coal chemical industry and the next generation of coal-based ethylene glycol production held in Guiyang, the results of the pilot-scale industrial tests for the next generation of coal-based ethylene glycol technology (NCTEG) were announced: the production cost per ton of product was approximately 3,985 yuan, which is more than 1,000 yuan less than the cost using the first-generation technology. Li Shousheng, president of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, said that the development of new-generation technologies will guide the innovation in coal-based ethylene glycol technology and enhance the competitiveness of such products. 　 Based on the assessment results, the comprehensive energy consumption per unit of product is 2.097 tce/t, the raw gas consumption is 3006.1 Nm3/t, the selectivity for ethylene glycol is greater than 95%, and the rate of high-quality products reaches 88.4%. Compared to the previous generation of technologies, the catalyst cost for the new generation is reduced by over 60%. 　 “Based on the assessment results, this industrial trial was successful; the process flow was established, and the overall operation was stable. Compared to previous generation technologies, the new technology further optimizes the production process, enhances environmental and safety controls, significantly improves catalyst performance, results in higher-quality ethylene glycol products, and offers lower production costs. We look forward to the early industrialization of this new technology. ”Hu Qianlin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Petrochemical Federation and Secretary-General of the Coal Chemicals Committee, provided comments on this technology. 　 It is reported that the new generation of coal-based ethylene glycol production technology was developed by the Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, through nearly 10 years of research and effort, building on the foundation of the first-generation technology. According to Yao Yuangen, the technical leader and researcher at the Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the new technology establishes a completely new technological process ； Three new catalyst systems were developed, enabling the efficient use of precious metals and the substitution of the toxic metal chromium ； The cost of the catalyst for ton of ethylene glycol has dropped from 300 yuan to below 100 yuan. “In addition, the acid-containing wastewater from new technologies has an acid content of less than 0.01% after being treated in a dilute nitric acid catalytic reduction unit; nitrogen-containing exhaust gases are discharged up to standard levels after absorption treatment, while exhaust gases containing hydrogen and carbon are discharged up to standard levels after combustion in flares. ”Yao Yuangen said. 　 The kiloton-scale pilot industrial test project for this technology was carried out jointly by the Fujian Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Guizhou Xinchun Energy Co., Ltd. The project commenced in February 2017, and the entire production process was operationalized by May 2018. To date, more than 1,000 hours of industrial testing have been carried out, resulting in the production of qualified ethylene glycol products. The industrial demonstration process package for this technology at a capacity of 300,000 tons per year is currently under development, while the 600,000 tons per year coal-based ethylene glycol project will be implemented in Xingren County, Qianxinan Prefecture, Guizhou Province. 　 At the meeting, Li Shousheng put forward suggestions for the future development of coal-based ethylene glycol: first, to promote technological progress so that the product quality meets the requirements for polyester production ； Secondly, it focuses on the high-quality and differentiated development of products; while paying attention to in-depth applied research in the fields of high-end polyesters and silk-like materials, it develops technical approaches for producing polyglycolic acid and polycarbonates from coal through dimethyl oxalate and dimethyl carbonate ； Third, it involves integrated development with the fiber industry, promoting the diversification of fiber raw materials, implementing demonstration projects for coal-based fiber raw materials, and facilitating the relocation of the polyester industry to western regions ； Fourth, establish an industrial technical standard system for coal-based ethylene glycol.