Lummus awarded PDH contract in China

Lummus Technology says that it has been awarded a contract from Ningbo Kingfa Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. for two propane dehydrogenation units in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. Lummus’ scope includes technology licensing, process design package and technical services, and catalyst supply through its partner Clariant.

Read: China’s Hengli starts up world’s largest dehydrogenation plant using Catofin tech

Each unit will have a production capacity of 600,000 tonnes/year for a total additional propylene production capacity of 1.2 million tonnes/year. This is the second Catofin PDH contract from Ningbo Kingfa. In 2011, Lummus licensed its Catofin technology for the first PDH unit at the same site.

Catofin technology is a unique process for the production of olefins, such as propylene (from propane) and iso-butylene (from iso-butane). Lummus has exclusive worldwide licensing rights to this technology. The catalyst is produced by Swiss materials firm Clariant that also develops process catalysts.

Due to its superior thermodynamic operating conditions of vacuum and lower temperature for reactors, Catofin provides the highest conversion and selectivity for conversion of paraffins to olefins. Even when co-producing propylene and isobutylene, high conversions can be maintained. The Catofin process employs multiple reactors operating in a cyclic manner with an automated program so that the flow of process streams is continuous.