UOP licenses propane dehydrogenation technology for major China project
Honeywell’s UOP said Thursday has been selected to provide key production technology to produce propylene via propane dehydrogenation in China.
Zhangjiagang Yangzi River Petrochemical Co. will use UOP’s C3 Oleflex process technology to convert propane to propylene, which is used in the production of materials such as films and packaging.
The project is the ninth propylene project Honeywell's UOP has announced since the beginning of 2011, helping meet growing demand globally, the company says.
"UOP's combined Oleflex projects will help increase propylene production by nearly 5 million metric tons globally in the next three years," said Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president and general manager for process technology and equipment at UOP.
"This technology has been used extensively in China due to the region's accelerated propylene demand, and we look forward to working with Zhangjiagang Yangzi River to continue to produce this vital petrochemical."
The new unit, expected to start up in 2014, will produce 600,000 tpy of propylene at the facility in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu Province, China.
Honeywell's UOP will provide the engineering design, technology licensing, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, staff training and technical service for the project.
The C3 Oleflex process uses catalytic dehydrogenation to convert propane to propylene.
Compared with competing PDH processes, Oleflex technology provides the lowest cash cost of production and the highest return on investment, enabled by low operating and capital costs, high propylene yield and reliability, and maximum operating flexibility, the company says.
Since the technology was commercialized in 1990, UOP has commissioned nine C3 Oleflex units for on-purpose propylene production, with the 10th unit scheduled to start-up this year in Russia.
Since the beginning of 2011, Honeywell's UOP announced eight similar projects in China, Abu Dhabi and North America.
Zhangjiagang Yangzi River Petrochemical Co. is a joint venture of Oriental Energy Co., Huachang Chemical Co. and Feixiang Chemical Co. It is headquartered in Zhangjiagang City in Jiangsu Province.
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