【Haichuan Chemical Salary News】China’s first FTO synthesis tail gas aromatization product produced at Lu’an
Thread Content
“At 11:30 on September 9, the pilot plant for the aromatization of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis exhaust gases achieved successful initial feeding, and by 7:00 p.m., the entire process was operational, enabling the successful production of aromatic products! ”Sun Peng, the director of the FTO synthesis workshop at Lu’an Coal-based Synthetic Oil Company, told the reporters excitedly.
Since the beginning of this year, Lu’an Group’s Coal-Based Synthetic Oil Company has been continuously optimizing its production processes, and progress has been made on several projects. After the gasifier set a new record by operating stably for 230 days under complex coal quality conditions, the FTO synthesis off-gas aromatization unit also operated stably for 160 hours, successfully producing aromatic products. Sun Peng told reporters, “The successful operation of the pilot plant for the aromatization of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis off-gases has filled the gap in this area in China, and it provides new impetus for the comprehensive utilization of such off-gases.” ”
It is understood that the project for the development of catalysts and reaction processes for the aromatization of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis off-gases is part of a major low-carbon coal-based technology initiative funded by the Shanxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology. This project is carried out by Lu’an Group and the Shanxi Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, with the aim of developing technologies for the further processing of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis off-gases. Its technical advantages and features lie in the fact that, compared to platinum reforming processes, ethylene production processes, and catalytic cracking processes, it does not rely on petroleum feedstocks, thereby saving petroleum resources. Moreover, the price of FTO off-gases is low, and the BTX produced has high economic value, which can effectively improve the profitability of coal-to-oil enterprises. At the same time, this project utilizes inexpensive zeolite molecular sieves as catalysts in its technical process; these catalysts exhibit excellent properties in terms of aromatization, isomerization, alkylation, and resistance to carbon deposition. They are non-corrosive and do not cause pollution, and can be regenerated repeatedly. Their mature technology, low investment requirements, and high safety levels are all advantages. The mature technical conditions along with their good economic value give this approach excellent market prospects.
The successful production of aromatized products from F-T synthesis off-gases can further enhance the shape selectivity and stability of molecular sieve catalysts, thereby improving the selectivity of the catalytic conversion process as well as the catalyst’s service life. It also enables research on raw material compatibility and basic processing techniques. When added to gasoline, this product increases its octane rating, that is, its resistance to knocking, making it more resistant to combustion.
On November 3, 2018, the daily oil production of Lu’an Group’s coal-based synthetic oil company exceeded 530 tons for the first time, reaching 532.87 tons – the highest level ever recorded since the start of oil production at that facility. This achievement provided valuable insights and technical expertise that contributed to improving the production capacity of Lu’an’s coal-to-oil operations. (Yu Qiang)
Looking at this equipment diagram, it seems to be a fixed-bed gasification process – is Sydeng’s MTG technology being used? What are the components of FTO off-gases? What is the level of alkane content?