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Industrialization of High-Temperature Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Technology Author/Source: China Chemical Industry News Date: 10-08-2018 Clicks: 41 On September 26, reporters learned from Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. that the 100,000-ton capacity industrial demonstration plant for high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, built with investment from the company, successfully completed its first trial run on September 19 and operated at full capacity for 168 consecutive hours without any issues. This is China’s first industrial demonstration plant for high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, built using technology that was independently developed and for which full intellectual property rights are owned. Its completion and commissioning laid the technical foundation for the construction of million-ton-scale industrial facilities in China, and it also marked that high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology was fully ready for industrial application. Upon learning this good news, the academicians and experts who had previously visited Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. to inspect the construction and testing of the project commented: “The successful development of high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology means that we have **gained another powerful tool for a great nation.” ” Data from the device’s operation show that the reaction temperature of this demonstration unit ranges from 300°C to 370°C, with a CO conversion rate exceeding 99%, which is **better than the design value. The conversion rate of syngas is 92%; the hydrocarbon products obtained are mainly olefins, accounting for over 60% of the total, while the carbon number distribution of the liquid-phase products is primarily below C20. The high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology used in this demonstration project was independently developed by a research team led by Dr. Sun Qiwen, General Manager of Shanghai Yankuang Energy Technology R&D Co., Ltd., Director of the Key Laboratory for Coal Liquefaction and Coal Chemical Engineering, and Chairman of Shaanxi Future Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. This technology innovatively uses an iron-based catalyst and a fixed fluidized-bed reactor, resulting in low direct investment, high catalyst activity, low specific consumption, and the possibility of online catalyst replacement. It also offers good production stability, a high operational rate, and reduced costs for operation and maintenance. The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis operates at high temperatures, enabling the generation of high-quality steam at 4.0 MPa as a by-product, which facilitates the comprehensive utilization of energy and reduces the energy consumption per unit of product. It is reported that high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis differs significantly from low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in terms of process flow, catalysts, and reaction conditions. Its synthetic products have a narrower carbon number distribution and a higher content of olefins, especially alpha-olefins. By employing advanced separation and deep processing technologies, it is possible to produce fine chemicals and specialty chemicals that are difficult to obtain through conventional petrochemical routes. In particular, 1-octene can be used as a third monomer in the synthesis of high-end polyolefins, and its production can break foreign monopolies and fill the gap in China’s production capabilities; 1-decene can be used to produce poly-alpha-olefins (PAO), thereby addressing the shortage of high-end lubricants in the country; C11–C13 compounds can be further processed to yield detergent alcohols, linear alkylbenzene (LAB), and alpha-olefin sulfonates; while C14–C18 compounds can be synthesized to produce high-value chemical products such as heavy alkylbenzenes. Furthermore, the odd-carbon α-olefins in the product can be used to produce higher-carbon alcohols through formylation. The industrialization of this technology will promote the development of industries in China such as high-end polyolefins, highly clean petroleum products, and high-end fine chemicals, and further strengthen the organic integration between China’s coal chemical and petrochemical industries. High-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis technology was developed starting in 2002 by the team led by Sun Qiwen at Shanghai Yankuang Energy Technology R&D Co., Ltd. After breakthroughs were achieved in key technologies such as the process flow, reactors, and catalysts, a pilot plant with a capacity of 5,000 tons was built at Lunan Fertilizer Plant in 2007 and brought into successful operation. Subsequently, the R&D team continued to optimize the performance of the catalysts used in high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, as well as the reactor design and process flow. In June 2017, they invested in building an industrial demonstration plant with a capacity of 100,000 tons per year within the facility of Shaanxi Future’s first-phase 1 million tons per year coal-to-liquid demonstration project. The installation was completed on August 25, 2018, and a successful trial run with feed material was carried out on September 19, resulting in the production of products.