Clariant Catalysts receives special mention for ICIS Innovation award 2014
- Special Mention in Best Process Innovation category ICIS Innovation Awards 2014
- Breakthrough Heat Generating Material concept - significantly increases selectivity and yield of CATOFIN® on-purpose olefin production units
- Improved process achieves superior on-stream efficiency and reduced CO2 emission through energy savings
The ICIS judges selected HGM for particular 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 10'000t of CO2 per year. CATOFIN technology based on Clariant's Houdry® catalysts creates a reliable and less complex production process for on-purpose olefins production with efficient energy consumption. Licensed through CB&I is the CATOFIN technology currently used in more than 30 propane and butane dehydrogenation plants around the world.
Metal oxide-based HGM is loaded into the catalyst bed of the dehydrogenation plant. It is oxidised and reduced during the process. This reaction produces heat inside the catalyst bed where it drives the dehydrogenation reaction. It significantly reduces the amount of heat that needs to be supplied and also establishes a more favorable catalyst bed temperature profile. This increases olefin selectivity and consequently the yield, while also saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions.
Several Catofin units utilizing HGM have gone on-stream since 2011, all confirming the advantages of the HGM technology at full commercial scale.
"Shale gas development is creating significant need for on-purpose olefin production, and with HGM we are offering step change improvements to the efficient CATOFIN technology. Several percentage of olefin yield improvement for CATOFIN plants translate into tremendous economic benefit. Further competitive advantages for our customer are brought through sustainability aspects of energy consumption and CO2 emission reduction," said Stefan Heuser, Head of BU Catalysts at Clariant.
