Domestic ethylene glycolsilver catalyst is international leading
Author: Chen Jianshe August 26, 2014 Source: China ChemicalIndustry News
Upto yesterday's report, high selectivity silver catalyst YS-8810 developed by YanshanBranch, Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry has been used for 31months in No. 2 EO / EG (ethylene oxide / ethylene glycol) of Shanghaipetrochemical company, selectivity of which remains above 88%. Catalystselectivity, drum temperature and other properties reached the world advancedlevel, and its activity and ethylene glycol product quality achieved theinternational leading level. Domestic and foreign EO / EG productionenterprises showed a strong interest on the YS-8810 silver catalystperformance, and a number of enterprises sent their staffs to Shanghaipetrochemical company for investigation.
Atpresent, there were more than 30 sets of EO / EG production plants in China,and showed a large-scale trend. Prior to the development of the YS-8810 silvercatalyst, the high selectivity silver catalysts used in these devices were alldependent on imports and were very expensive. In order to break the foreignmonopoly, Yanshan branch of BRICI began to develop high selectivity silvercatalyst in 1997. Through many years’ research, although selectivity ofcatalyst reached 88%, because of the catalyst life problems, it was alwaysunable to be used in industrial applications.
Researchershave made great efforts to study the carrier and catalyst formulation,preparation technology, application technology and technical services. In 2006,the researchers developed a new type of carrier which could improve stabilityof silver catalyst, and it brought hope for solving the life problem of highselectivity silver catalyst. However, the carrier with the new formulation hadadvantages in terms of carrier pore structure and specific surface area, butnew requirements had been made in forming. The improved catalyst had highselectivity, but there were new problems in domestication and stability. Throughthe improvement of the catalyst preparation process, adjusting the preparationformula, and optimizing the evaluation conditions, scientific researchpersonnel finally in 2010 developed YS-8810 silver catalyst with its selectivityof up to 90%, which could be used in the space-time yield 210 kg/h/m3conditions for more than 2 years. Then they completed the pilot-scale test, single-tubeevaluation and the formation of independent intellectual property rights ofhigh selectivity silver catalyst preparation technology, and successfullypassed the identification of Science and Technology Department of SINOPEC.
InOctober 2011, YS-8810 silver catalyst was put into commercial operation in ShanghaiPetrochemical 2# EO/EG device. After acclimation and adjustment, the catalystshowed good activity and its selectivity increased over time.InJune 2012, the catalyst selectivity was over 88% and the drum temperature wasonly about 225 degrees C. After further optimizing the process conditions, inMay 2013, the catalyst selectivity was more than 89%, and drum temperature was242 degrees C. These indicators have been leading level in the world. Atpresent, the catalyst has been used for 31 months and the selectivity is stillabove 88%. The performance of the catalyst had gained recognition and appraisalfrom Shanghai petrochemical company.
Thesuccessful application of YS-8810 silver catalyst has break the monopoly offoreign companies on high selectivity silver catalyst, forced foreign companiesto reduce the competition price in the market, reduced the purchase silvercatalyst cost for domestic EO/EG production enterprises, created good socialbenefits and profits. In March this year, YS-8810 silver catalyst was awardedthe second prize in Sinopec science and technology progress.