The technology for producing naphthenic oils through the hydrogenation of the full fraction of coal tar has been successful!

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The technology for producing naphthenic oils through the hydrogenation of the full fraction of coal tar has been successful! Fuyou Technology has become the largest producer of methylcyclohexane in China. Author/Source: Coal Tar Deep Processing and Hydrogenation Technology Collaboration Group. Date: 11-04-2021. Clicks: 11. Just 4 months after its launch, Shenmu Fuyou Energy Technology Co., Ltd., using its own technology for producing cycloalkyl oils through the hydrogenation of coal tar across all fractions, was able to produce 27,000 tons of methylcyclohexane per year, thereby capturing 85% of the domestic market share and quickly becoming the largest producer of this substance in China. Methylcyclohexane is a colorless organic solvent and extractant with low toxicity. It is soluble in ethanol and ether but insoluble in water, and can be used in products such as solvents for paints, rubber, and varnishes, as well as as an extractant for oils. Furthermore, it can also be used in organic synthesis as a solvent and an analytical reagent. With the global trend toward sustainability, methylcyclohexane is widely used around the world and in China due to its low toxicity and environmental friendliness. As demand and supply continue to grow, it often drives an expansion of the market size. In 2020, the global market value for methylcyclohexane was 460 million yuan, and it is expected to reach 530 million yuan by 2025, indicating very promising prospects for this industry. It is evident that Fuyou Technology’s methylcyclohexane products were developed in response to market demands, emerging at the right time and fitting the needs of the market; from the moment they were made available for sale, they have been highly favored by a large number of customers. Over the years, Fuyou Technology has relied on technological innovation as its driving force for development, making full use of its advantages in talent, technology, and quality. By fostering collaboration and innovation among industry, academia, and research institutions, it has developed leading capabilities in technological innovation and enjoys wide influence within the industry. In July 2012, the company’s 120,000 tons per year coal tar full fraction hydrogenation unit was completed and put into operation. After subsequent capacity expansion upgrades, the scale was increased to 170,000 tons per year. In April 2013, the FTH technology passed the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements organized by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. Experts deemed that this technology effectively solved the global challenge of difficult hydrogenation conversion of heavy components such as asphaltenes and resins in coal tar; it was a world-first innovation and represented a leading level of technology. With such high evaluations and remarkable achievements, Fuyou Technology’s efforts in hydrogenation of the entire coal tar fraction clearly have not stopped there; rather, it continues to develop new products and increase added value based on FTH technology. Thereafter, relying on the technical advantages of the **Key Laboratory for Clean and Graded Conversion of Energy Coal – Experimental and Demonstration Base**, Fuyou Technology established an overall strategy for the refined utilization of its products, as well as for the expansion of its industrial chain and pursuit of higher-end development. Given the characteristic of the full-distillate hydrogenation products being rich in naphthenes and other compounds, after thorough research, a decisive decision was made to use the medium- and high-distillate oils obtained through FTH hydrogenation as raw materials for producing naphthenic oils as well as cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane-based products. Through repeated experiments and the optimization of process conditions, a new type of catalyst was developed. Experimental data were obtained by the end of 2013, allowing full mastery of the technology for producing naphthenic oils via hydrogenation of coal tar across its entire range of fractions; this led to the creation of an upgraded version of the FTH demonstration technology. In September 2018, Fuyou Technology commenced construction of a project to produce cycloalkyl oils through the hydrogenation of the full fraction of coal tar, with an annual capacity of 500,000 tons; the total investment in this project was 3.83 billion yuan. The project was completed and put into operation in early May 2021, enabling the company to enter a fast track of development. This project produces and sells more than 30 types of high-quality, high-value coal-based products across 10 categories, including coal-based specialty fuels, cyclohexane-based chemical products, light white oil products, industrial white oil products, rubber plasticizer products, refrigeration oil products, transformer oil products, fuel oils, and coal coke products. These products can be widely utilized in industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, military affairs, aerospace, healthcare, and daily consumer goods. Its successful implementation will effectively address the scarcity of naphthenic crude oil resources in the country.