【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Tsinghua University’s first 10,000-ton-per-year industrial pilot project for converting carbon dioxide into aromatics has commenced operations in Inner Mongolia
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On June 5, the 10,000-ton industrial pilot project for converting carbon dioxide into aromatics, developed through a partnership between Tsinghua University and Jutai Group, commenced construction at the Dalu Industrial Park in the Jungeer Economic Development Zone in Inner Mongolia. It is understood that for this carbon dioxide-to-aromatics project, which is now under construction, Jutai Group and Tsinghua University established a joint technology center for carbon dioxide-to-aromatics conversion in the early stages; through this effort, they have overcome various world-class challenges, including the low-temperature conversion of carbon dioxide and the synthesis of thin-walled catalysts. Through relentless efforts, the pilot-scale development and engineering design were completed, meeting the requirements for industrialization. As the world’s first carbon dioxide utilization project of 10,000 tons per year producing hydrocarbons, it has a significant impact on the clean and efficient use of coal, as well as on the development of new materials, renewable energy sources, and high-end chemicals in the context of the \"dual carbon\" goals.
Joint Research Center for Carbon Dioxide-to-Aromatics Technology, Tsinghua University-Jiutai Group. In 2020, Jiutai Group and Tsinghua University embarked on a collaborative project; the two parties reached an agreement to work together on the development of industrial-scale technologies for producing aromatics through one-step synthesis from fluidized syngas (FSTA) as well as for producing dienes through fluidized oxidation-dehydrogenation (FODH). In April 2020, they jointly established the “Joint Research Center for Fluidized Syngas-to-Aromatics Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University – Jiutai Energy (Ordos) Co., Ltd.” The syngas used in the one-step synthesis of aromatics can also be replaced by carbon dioxide through technical advancements. In 2020, JiuTai Group and Tsinghua University jointly submitted an application for a major special project in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region titled \"Research on Key Technologies for Converting Tons of Carbon Dioxide into Aromatics\". The project passed the expert review in June, was approved in August, work on drafting the project plan and budget began in September, it was approved after review in November, and on November 27, a meeting was held to launch the project and conduct expert evaluations of the implementation plan.
Technology for producing aromatics from carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important greenhouse gas and a key factor contributing to global warming. As restrictions on carbon emissions increase worldwide, the efficient and clean utilization of the large amounts of carbon dioxide generated in coal chemical processes is not only a focus of academic research but also a challenge that the industry will face in the future. Due to the extremely high chemical inertness of carbon dioxide as the highest oxidation state of carbon, its clean and efficient conversion has become a key focus of research. Aromatics are important platform chemicals that serve as key raw materials for synthetic fibers, engineering plastics, and high-performance plastics. In China, the annual consumption of these chemicals exceeds 20 million tons. In 2018, China’s apparent demand for xylene amounted to 26 million tons, with an import dependence of around 60%, making it the chemical substance that requires the most foreign exchange in terms of individual product categories.
By combining Tsinghua University’s outstanding research and development capabilities in the efficient and clean utilization of fossil fuels with Inner Mongolia Jutai Group’s strong engineering expertise in the coal chemical industry, and by building on a deep understanding of efficient catalysts and multiphase flow reaction engineering, this project develops a set of technologies for the production of aromatics through fluidized carbon dioxide in a single step, with independent intellectual property rights. An industrial demonstration plant with a capacity of tens of thousands of tons will be established, thereby providing next-generation technological solutions to address future carbon emission restrictions and the need for efficient and clean utilization of carbon dioxide. It features high conversion efficiency and excellent atomic economy, making it highly promising for development in carbon cycle technologies. The establishment of a 10,000-ton industrial demonstration facility in the future will provide a promising technical pathway for the development of new coal chemical industries and the clean utilization of coal. It will enable China to gain an advantage in international competition, holding significant strategic importance and social value; it represents a prominent symbol of the \"Advancing Mongolia through Science and Technology\" initiative. At the same time, it can help to address to some extent the issue of excessive reliance on petroleum-based raw materials in China’s aromatic hydrocarbon production. It will provide a solid foundation for establishing million-ton-scale facilities for producing aromatic hydrocarbons from coal-based syngas, thereby enabling an industrial pathway for high-value coal-based chemicals (aromatic hydrocarbons). This will allow for effective integration with industries that generate substantial economic value, such as the chemical fiber and apparel industry, high-end resin industries based on aromatic hydrocarbons, and pharmaceutical intermediates. It will also contribute to industrial upgrading and the stimulation of domestic demand, laying the groundwork for a new development model characterized by a domestic circulation as the core, with simultaneous promotion of both domestic and international circulations.
It can partially address the issue of excessive reliance on petroleum-based raw materials in China’s aromatic hydrocarbon production. It will provide a solid basis for establishing million-ton-scale facilities for producing aromatic hydrocarbons from coal-based syngas, thereby enabling an industrial route for high-value coal-based chemicals (aromatic hydrocarbons)
I think this is hype; carbon dioxide produces usable chemicals, but where does the energy come from?