SINOPEC’s Success in Fixed-bed Methanol-to-Propylene Pilot Scale Tests

The first in China pilot tests of fixed-bed methanol-topropylene unit were successfully implemented at the Yangzi Petrochemical Company (YPC).

It is told that this technology has opened up a new process for production of propylene through coal gasification, and China has possessed both the fluidized-bed methanolto-propylene process (F-MTP) and the stationary-bed methanol-to-propylene (S-MTP) process. The 5 kt/a MTP unit at the Yangzi Petrochemical Company is one of the ten priority technical projects sponsored by SINOPEC. This project using the proprietary patented technology of the SINOPEC Shanghai Petrochemical Research Institute is fully buttressed by the existing steam cracker of YPC, featuring good compatibility, less investment and shorter construction period. By the end of 2013 YPC had successfully performed all scheduled pilot-scale S-MTP tests, which have verified the viability of the process technology as evidenced by the smooth operation with all technical indicators reaching the design requirements. The operating cycle of this pilot unit has surpassed the design target with recycling of pure water and raw methanol, and meanwhile this unit has provided a lot of basic data needed for development of a packaged technology for running a commercial S-MTP unit to laid a solid foundation for working out the PDP of an 1.8 Mt/a MTP unit in the forthcoming phase.