【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Equipment】Successful pilot production of cosmetic-grade white oil using non-precious metal catalysts from 1533 to 2024

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2024: A year of blooming flowers and joy on the forum **********************【Ten years of rapid development in chemical processing equipment】Regular updates to this summary post are available; feel free to join the discussions at https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Forum Website) ***************** On March 22, 2024, China National Offshore Oil Corporation used a self-developed non-precious metal lubricant hydrogenation catalyst system to carry out industrial tests on No. 10 cosmetic-grade white oil, producing qualified products as a result. 　　According to available information, white oil is a special type of mineral oil that is colorless, odorless, and non-corrosive; it is obtained through thorough refining to remove impurities such as aromatics, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. It is mainly classified into five categories: crude white oil, industrial white oil, cosmetic-grade white oil, food-grade white oil, and pharmaceutical-grade white oil. The latter three categories are collectively referred to as high-grade white oils. Currently, the production processes for high-grade white oils require precious metals as catalysts for purification, but replacing them with non-precious metal catalysts can reduce costs by over 80%. 　　To address the aforementioned issues, CNOOC Research Institute of Chemicals and New Materials (hereinafter referred to as CNOOC RICNM) used hydrogenated reformulated diesel as a raw material to independently develop a technology for producing cosmetic-grade white oil through a non-precious metal catalyst system and a hydrogenation-based solidification reduction–supplementary refining process. Through processes such as process optimization research, scheme design, and industrial plant modification, industrial trials were carried out at the 300,000 tons per year precision distillation plant of CNOOC Asphalts Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as CNOOC Asphalts). The white oil produced had an ultraviolet absorbance value of 0.07 for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which is comparable to the performance of cosmetic-grade white oil produced using precious metal catalysts for supplementary refining. 　　It is understood that during the pilot-scale testing phase from June 2022 to October 2023, the research team conducted hundreds of analyses on key indicators of cosmetic-grade white oil, such as the ultraviolet absorbance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the tendency to form carbon deposits, thereby collecting first-hand data on the impact of different catalyst systems on the properties of the target product. Based on the pilot test results, CNOOC Materials Science Institute and Zhongli Company developed a detailed industrial transition plan by taking into account the actual operating conditions of the facility. Industrial tests were carried out, confirming that high-activity non-precious metal lubricant hydrogenation catalyst systems can be used to produce 10# cosmetic-grade white oil, thus setting a precedent in China for the use of non-precious metal catalysts in the production of high-quality white oil. 　　CNOOC Materials Science Institute is a key research institute focused on the mid- and downstream sectors of CNOOC, while Zhongli Company serves as CNOOC’s production base for heavy traffic asphalt and lubricants. In September 2023, CNOOC Materials Science Institute and Zhongli Company jointly established a collaborative innovation center. Within just half a year, the two parties worked together to successfully carry out pilot production of cosmetic-grade white oil using catalysts refined from non-precious metals.