On March 13, 2019, the (7th) International Conference on Comprehensive Utilization of Light Hydrocarbons was held in Xiamen, Fujian. More than 300 representatives—including renowned experts in the field of light hydrocarbons, research institutes, processing enterprises, and related support service providers—attended the conference. Ge Lijun, Technical Director of KaiRui Company; Wang Pan, Deputy Chief Engineer; Gong Yeling, Deputy Chief Engineer; and Pang Zhisheng, Sales Director, were invited to attend the conference.

Key topics at the conference included how to adjust the comprehensive utilization of light hydrocarbons under the ethanol-blended gasoline policy; the future of MTBE plants—which serve as the link between upstream and downstream operations—as C4 processing units; discussions on the deep processing of C3 and C4 fractions following the conversion of MTBE production; and further exploration of deep processing technologies for C5 and other fractions. During the conference, at the invitation of the organizers, Kaier Company, in collaboration with the Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, delivered a special technical presentation on the comprehensive utilization of C4. This presentation addressed the aforementioned issues and played a constructive role in guiding the healthy development of the entire industry.

As Ren Guoqi, General Manager of the Publications Division at the China Chemical Information Center, pointed out at the conference, the light hydrocarbons industry is currently exhibiting a number of new characteristics and trends. A series of opportunities and challenges—including the rapid emergence of large-scale refining and petrochemical projects, the trend toward lighter feedstocks in refining and petrochemicals, the promotion of fuel ethanol-blended gasoline, and the rapid growth of the coal chemical industry—are reshaping the development of the light hydrocarbons industry. As the industry undergoes transformation and upgrading, advanced technologies and solutions will be crucial.

Ren Guoqi, General Manager of the Publications Division at the China Chemical Information Center

In light of the new policies on ethanol-blended gasoline, how can existing MTBE units be repurposed to address the challenges they face? And how can isobutylene be deeply converted following the phase-out of MTBE? These are pressing issues that downstream C4 deep-processing facilities—such as those producing 1-butene and methyl ethyl ketone—are eager to resolve. Wang Pan, Deputy Chief Engineer at KaiRui Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., has proposed a solution.

Wang Pan, Deputy Chief Engineer, KaiRui Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.

Wang Pan noted that, for companies, decommissioning MTBE units represents a significant waste and would also have a major impact on downstream C4 deep-processing units, as processes such as 1-butene separation, methyl ethyl ketone production, and direct alkylation all require the complete or partial removal of isobutene. MTBE is currently the only technological method capable of completely separating isobutene and 1-butene. Enterprises that require 1-butene or other olefins will inevitably continue to use MTBE technology to separate C4, yet there is no market for the resulting MTBE. Deputy Chief Engineer Wang Pan provided detailed introductions to the company’s technical solutions, including deep isobutene removal technology, indirect alkylation technology (a collaboration between KaiRui and the China National Petroleum Corporation Research Institute; the Shijiazhuang Refining and Chemical Plant currently operates the country’s only indirect alkylation unit designed for petroleum products), MTBE cracking technology, and ETBE. These presented new approaches for enterprises to address ethanol-blended gasoline policies.

Regarding the MTBE cracking and ETBE pathways, Ge Lijun, Technical Director of KaiRui Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., discussed the industrial application prospects of catalytic distillation technology.

Ge Lijun, Technical Director, KaiRui Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.

Catalytic distillation is a chemical engineering technology that couples catalytic reactions with distillation operations. By combining these two steps into a single process, this technology reduces costs and improves efficiency in many industrial applications. The technology began to be adopted and gained attention around the 1980s; however, its introduction in China was relatively late, and its development has been slow. It is best known for its application in MTBE plants. Ge Lijun believes that this technology can actually be applied in a wider range of chemical engineering fields to help enterprises reduce production costs. The limited domestic application of mature, industrial-scale catalytic distillation processes stems from insufficient in-depth research into fundamental principles; industrial production often fails to achieve design targets, and there is a lack of internal tower components suitable for catalytic distillation. Matching the reaction with the distillation process has become a technical challenge. Ideal catalytic separation internals should be able to regulate the reasonable distribution and coordination of reaction and separation functions within the tower based on structure-property relationships.

To promote the development of catalytic distillation technology in China and create a platform for technical cooperation and communication, Tianjin University, KaiRui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., and the China Petroleum and Chemical Research Institute jointly established the Engineering Research Center for Catalytic Distillation in the Petroleum and Chemical Industry and developed MTBE cracking and ETBE process technologies and catalysts.