[Haichuan Chemical Salary News] The highly selective YS-9010 silver catalyst has begun to be used in ethylene oxide plants
Thread Content
The YS-9010 highly selective silver catalyst, developed independently by the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology, was put into use last year in the two ethylene oxide production units at the Yangzi Petrochemical Olefins Plant. The plant carried out thorough work to \"train\" the catalyst and optimize the operation of the units. Recently, the performance test results of this catalyst showed that its selectivity was above 86%, the temperature in the reactor drum was below 225°C. The low reaction temperature ensured good activity and minimal side reactions, meeting the stage objectives specified in the contract between the two parties. This demonstrates that the YS-9010 silver catalyst has been successfully applied in the two ethylene oxide plants operated by Yangzi. Silver catalysts are the only catalysts used in the ethylene oxidation process to produce ethylene glycol and ethylene oxide. The use of a more selective silver catalyst means a higher conversion rate of ethylene, less generation and emission of the by-product carbon dioxide, and lower production costs for the facility. This achieves the goal of \"increasing the production capacity and operational efficiency of ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol plants, raising their output and economic performance indicators, reducing costs while improving efficiency, and maximizing the profitability of these plants.\" In the second half of last year, the two ethylene oxide units at Yangzi Petrochemical’s olefin plant adopted the YS-9010 high-selectivity silver catalyst developed independently by Sinopec Beijing Research Institute, replacing the 400-9 high-selectivity silver catalyst from SD Company of the United States, which had reached the end of its service life. It is reported that the YS-9010 silver catalyst achieves a maximum selectivity of 90% and an average selectivity of no less than 88%. It is planned to be used in Yangzi Petrochemical’s two ethylene oxide plants for three years. The Olefins Plant at Yangzi Petrochemical, in collaboration with the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology, is conducting industrial application tests of this catalyst on those two ethylene oxide plants. The process engineers at the ethylene glycol plant worked closely with catalyst technology experts from the Beijing Institute of Chemical Technology to carry out thorough work on catalyst \"acclimatization\" and the optimized operation of the plant. They monitored the situation in real time, collecting and recording over 22,000 process parameters. Key parameters such as reaction temperature, ethylene concentration at the inlet and outlet of the reactor, oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide levels, and the amount of dichloroethane (EDC) added were adjusted as necessary. By sharing information, analyzing problems, and exchanging technical knowledge, both parties ensured stable catalyst performance and allowed the plant to operate at high capacity. At present, the selectivity of this catalyst remains at around 88%, while the rate of high-quality products from ethylene glycol and ethylene oxide production stays at 100%. The material consumption during operation of the plant has decreased significantly compared to before; the average monthly reduction in ethylene consumption per ton-equivalent of ethylene oxide is nearly 20 kilograms. The plant has achieved the goals of increasing capacity, boosting production and efficiency, reducing costs, and operating in a cost-effective manner.
Silver catalysts come in two forms: metallic (wire mesh or silver particles) and carrier-supported types. Metallic silver catalysts are used for the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde and the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethanol to acetaldehyde. Although these two production routes are quite old, their technology is mature and they are still in use today. The most important industrial application of supported silver catalysts is the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide, and it has been in use since its development in 1930. This catalyst generally uses α-Al2O3 as a carrier, with a silver content of 10% to 30%. To improve the performance of catalysts, promoters such as rubidium, cesium, calcium, and barium are often added. The typical preparation method involves impregnating the Al2O3 carrier with an silver nitrate solution, followed by thermal decomposition to produce the catalyst. It was later found that by further decomposing through organic silver compound (such as ethynylsilver) intermediates, catalysts with finer silver grains and better dispersion could be obtained, resulting in a significant increase in selectivity. In addition, supported silver catalysts are also used as catalytic electrodes in fuel cells (Ag/activated carbon) and in the petrochemical industry for the disproportionation of toluene to produce p-xylene (Ag/Al2O3).
Professional research and development of this series ---------------------------------------- Industrial application of domestically produced highly selective silver catalysts Author: Yin Guohai Publication date: 2012-11-27 According to reports from our newspaper, the highly selective YS-8810 silver catalyst developed by the Yanshan Branch of the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology has successfully passed its one-year evaluation at Shanghai Petrochemical’s No. 2 ethylene glycol production facility. The catalyst’s selectivity reaches advanced levels comparable to those of similar foreign products, while its activity as well as the quality of the ethylene glycol produced are at international leading levels. This marks Sinopec’s acquisition of the capability to independently develop and produce highly selective silver catalysts, as well as its possession of internationally competitive core technologies for ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol production. Currently, 17 ethylene glycol plants in China are in operation and use highly selective silver catalysts; their production capacity accounts for over 86% of the total domestic production capacity for ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol. However, the highly selective silver catalysts used in these 17 sets of devices are all imported and expensive. To break foreign monopolies, the Yanshan Branch of the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology adhered to a path of independent innovation in technology, developing new types of highly selective silver catalysts. By the end of 2009, it successfully created the YS-8810 silver catalyst, which achieved a maximum selectivity of 89%. In 2011, the Science and Technology Development Department of Sinopec decided that the Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Technology and the Shanghai Petrochemicals and Catalysts Branch would jointly carry out industrial application tests of the YS-8810 silver catalyst on Shanghai Petrochemical’s 380,000 tons per year ethylene glycol production facility. On October 20, 2011, the YS-8810 silver catalyst was successfully used in the operation of Shanghai Petrochemical’s 380,000-ton-per-year ethylene glycol production plant. Subsequently, the YS-8810 silver catalyst went through four stages: initial acclimatization, achievement of high activity and stability, rapid improvement in selectivity, and a steady increase in selectivity at higher reaction temperatures; it is now in a stable operation phase. (Yin Guohai) Source: Sinopec News
This is good; I heard that the silver content in the YS catalyst and its dust control are both excellent. Selective activity is acceptable, as is the reaction temperature. There’s room for further improvement; it’s necessary to break the monopoly of SD and Shell in the EOEG industry by using domestic products
:victory::victory::victory::victory::victory:
【HaiChuan Chemical Forum】Another breakthrough: Wuhan Petrochemical uses domestic silver catalysts https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3002183-1-1.html (Source: Hua Hai Chuan Liu – HaiChuan Chemical Forum Website)
Catalysts are the core technology in production, and it is not easy to break monopolies. Once domestic production is achieved, catalyst prices drop from being expensive to being very cheap; achieving domestic production is truly not easy.