A Heat Generating Material (HGM) concept, developed by Clariant, a producer of specialty chemicals, has received a special mention in the Best Process Innovation category of the ICIS Innovation Awards 2014.
“The HGM finds mention as it has proven to significantly improve the efficiency of Catofin on-purpose olefin production units,” Clariant said.
The ICIS judges selected HGM for recognition because of its step-change contribution to feedstock utilization efficiency through increasing olefin selectivity and yield by several percent.
“The new concept reduces the carbon emissions of a typical Catofin unit by several 10,000 tons of CO2 per year and the Catofin technology creates a reliable and less complex production process for on-purpose olefins production,” Clariant said.
In the process, metal oxide-based HGM is loaded into the catalyst bed of the dehydrogenation plant, which is oxidised and reduced during the process.
This reaction produces heat inside the catalyst bed where it drives the dehydrogenation reaction and significantly reduces the amount of heat that needs to be supplied and also establishes a more favorable catalyst bed temperature profile.
Clariant added, “This increases olefin selectivity and consequently the yield, while also saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions.”
Licensed through CB&I, the CATOFIN technology is currently used in more than 30 propane and butane dehydrogenation plants around the world.
