China Coal Mengda (Inner Mongolia) methanol to olefins (MTO) plant (1.8 million tons methanol feed) adopting dimethyl ether/methanol to olefins (DMTO) technology was start-up successfully on April 15th, 2016.
The DMTO process converts methanol to light olefin, predominantly propylene, ethylene and water in the presence of an acid catalyst. The process is characterized by its high product yield and selectivity, and low investment cost and energy consumption.
DICP has been developing the DMTO process since 1980s. In 2006, this fluidized bed process was successfully implemented at demonstration scale (16 kt/a Methanol feed) by a research team led by Prof. LIU Zhongmin. Together with industry partners, DICP finished the Process Design Package (PDP) for a commercial unit with a production capacity of 600 kt/a ethylene and propylene. In August 2010, the world’s first commercial methanol to olefins unit was commissioned in Shenhua’s Baotou Coal to Olefins Plant in northern China. So far, DMTO technology has been licensed in 20 commercial units in the domestic market.
DMTO commercial unit-China Coal Mengda (Inner Mongolia) MTO Plant (Image by GUO Chengzhong)
Inner Mongolia China Coal Mengda New Energy Chemical Co., Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Coal Energy Company Limited. The annual output of 500 thousand tons of plastic project is located in Inner Mongolia, the project total investment 10.448 billion RMB accounting for 197 hectares. The core unit is MTO unit, which adopt DMTO technology. The smooth operation of the project is of strategic significance to promote the development strategy of the western China. Furthermore it will realize the diversification of olefins.
Till now, there have been 10 DMTO plants in operation. It means that DMTO technology has already been an advanced, mature and reliable technology with completely independent intellectual property right of China.(Text by MU Xin/Image by GUO Chengzhong)
Contact:
Dr. LU Xinyi
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China,
Tel: 86-411-84379201,
E-mail: luxinyi@dicp.ac.cn