Successful Application of the Acrylonitrile Catalyst SANC-11 at Shanghai Petrochemical Company

The new-generation catalyst SANC-11 for synthesis of acrylonitrile developed by SINOPEC’s Shanghai Petrochemical Research Institute has been applied in the commercial-scale commissioning of the 1000A reactor of the Shanghai Petrochemical Company, when the reactor of this unit came on stream successfully at the first attempt. The analysis of data obtained in a month during preliminary tests of the catalyst SANC-11 has revealed that the catalyst reached high acrylonitrile yield during its acclimation period under full load of the unit operating at high space velocity and high ammonia ratio. Especially on July 31, 2014 after termination of catalyst acclimation period the reactor load was increased to 105%, resulting in an acrylonitrile yield of 81.81% and a high cyano-compounds (acrylonitrile+acetonitrile+hydrogen cyanide) yield of 90.03%. Currently this unit is operating smoothly, and the related tests on operating regime and long-cycle and stable operation of the catalysts will be carried out in the next phase.