1. Converting Methanol to Propylene
(MTP)
M. Daftari
Gh. Joukar; NPC-RT General Manager
S. Sahebdelfar; Head of NPC-RT Catalyst Group
A. Firouzi; Head of NPC-RT Process Group
M. Asadi; NPC-RT Catalyst Group
H. Alaiee; NPC-RT Engineering Group
S. Zeinali; NPC-RT Process Group

2. Outline Natural Gas, Methanol and Propylene Chain
Joint MTP® Technology
Process
Catalyst
NPCRT’s new PVM® Technology
Economy
Methanol to Propylene
Gas to Propylene
Process Integrations

3. Natural Gas Huge resources of NG in Iran (world’s second resources)
Constant developing markets in:
Direct usage as less carbon-intensive fuel (distribution networks)
Power generation (power plants)
Transport to international markets (pipelines, LNG shipping)
Added value chemicals production (petrochemical complexes)

4. Methanol, domestic supply & demand
Several domestic plants in operation
Shiraz Petrochemical Complex (200,000 T/A)
Khark Petrochemical Complex (660,000 T/A)
Fanavaran Petrochemical Complex (1,000,000 T/A)
Zagros Petrochemical Complex (2×1,650,000 T/A)
Ongoing domestic plants
Khark Petrochemical Complex (1,300,000 T/A)
Kaveh Petrochemical Complex (2,100,000 T/A)
Marjan Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A)
Bushehr Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A)
Veniran Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A)
Petrochem Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A)
Kimia Pars Khavarmianeh Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A)
Farsa Shimi Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A)
Dipolymer Arian Petrochemical Complex (1,650,000 T/A …
Supply is more than domestic demand, and major part of product are being exported

5. Methanol, worldwide supply & demand
Thousands of metric tones

6. Propylene, worldwide supply & demand
Thousands of metric tones

7. olefins paraffins aromatics methanol Catalyst
Methanol to Olefin
olefins
paraffins
aromatics
methanol
Catalyst
شركت پژو هش و فناوري پترو شيمي

8. What is Special about Zeolites?
Pores with molecular dimensions leads to shape selectivity
Narrow range of pores sizes in the solid because of crystalline giving better selectivity than non-crystalline materials

9. Shapes Selectivity

10. Conversion of MeOH to Olefin
DME
(CH3OCH3)
Other C=
series NG
(CH4)
MeOH
(CH3OH)
Water
(H2O)
C2=
(C2H4)
Acidic Behavior
ɣ-Alumina
C3=
(C3H6)
Narrow pore Zeolites
SAPO- 34
SAPO- 18
Chabazite
Medium pore Zeolites
ZSM -5
ZSM- 11
Wide pore Zeolites
Mordenite
ZSM-4
Faujasite (X and Y)
Paraffins
LPG, Gasoline
Water
(H2O)

11. Converting MeOH to Propylene
No Oxygenate
C3=
(32 Kg/Hr)
LPG
(4 Kg/Hr)
Gasoline
(8 Kg/Hr)
Water
(56 Kg/Hr)
C2=*
(~ 2 Kg/Hr) NG
(CH4)
MeOH
(CH3OH)
DME
(CH3OCH3)
Other C=
series
Natural Gas
CH4, Pure
Methanol
Grade AA
CH3OH
(100 Kg/Hr)
Di-methyl Ether
CH3OCH3 (40% Mole)
Water
H2O (40% Mole)
Methanol
CH3OH (20% Mole)
C2=
(C2H4)
C3=
(C3H6)
SynGas Processes
CO, H2
Paraffins
LPG, Gasoline
Water
(H2O)
* By default, recycles back to reaction

12. Joint MTP® Project with Lurgi Oel.Gas.Chemie
Started at 2003
Joint development of a commercial scale of MTP® process
Research studies on pilot plant scales
Design, construction and startup of the first semi-commercial MTP Demo Plant in the world
Basic engineering of the first commercial MTP plant in the world

13. MTP, Block Flow Diagram Unit 1000 Steam System
HP Steam
HP Condensate
DM Water
Flare
Unit Steam System
Unit Cold Water System
Unit Refr. System HC
MeOH, DME
C3=
Unit 100 Reaction
Unit Gas Separation
Unit 400 Compression
Unit 500 Purification
LPG
MeOH
Gasoline
Unit 200 Regeneration
Nitrogen, Plant Air, Instrument Air, Electrical Power, Fuel, LPG for startup, etc.

14. MTP Key Features High propylene yield (more than 65% mole, on C basis)
Simple process (low-cost propylene production)
Simple fixed-bed adiabatic reactor system
Simple well-known purification section
Low pressure operation
Added value by-products (LPG, Pyrolysis Gasoline)

15. NPC-RT Facilities Several microrecator setups with online analyzers
Lab and pilot scale catalyst production setups
4×100 gr catatest setup (parallel beds)
1500 gr catalyst pilot plant with main separation units
Semi-comercial catalyst production setup
MTP demo plant with complete comercial features (worlds first semi-comercial MTP plant)
Complete analytical facilities
Expert research and engineering team

16. NPCRT activities More than 8000 hours pilot plant run
Development of a new catalyst with great performance, and
Commercializing NPCRT‘s PVM® catalyst (patented)
Process integration studies with focus on GTP, and combinition to existing olefin plants
New separation concepts
New innovative reactor (patent preparation)

17. Scale-up History

18. Extruded NPC-RT catalyst

19. NPCRT proprietary catalyst
Developed by NPC-RT (issued as patent)
Zeolite type
Promoted and improved formulation
Confirmed in lab, bench and pilot scale performance tests
Flexibility of catalyst for gasoline production (MTG)
Low methane production
Lower heavy hydrocarbon and higher light olefins production versus commercial sample under MTP process conditions
Increased selectivity to propylene by using some specific promoters

20. Highlights of NPCRT catalyst
Competitive performance (propylene selectivity, methanol conversion & lifetime) versus commercial counterparts
Mild processes conditions for catalyst manufacturing (100 ºC, 1 barg and non-corrosive starting materials)
Economic manufacturing unit for mass catalyst production
High mechanical strength (top & side)

21. Chemical composition of NPC-RT catalyst

22. Reaction: T= 480˚C, WHSV=0.9h-1, P=atm, MeOH/ H2O=1/1wt%,
Once-through pilot test results
Reaction: T= 480˚C, WHSV=0.9h-1, P=atm, MeOH/ H2O=1/1wt%,

23. MTP Combination with other Processes
MTP as reaction section of a conventional naphtha based olefin plant
Better C3= to C2= ratio, better economies
Moderate process condition (lower P and T) vs. olefin furnaces
Not to much changes to existing plant
Complete natural gas to propylene chain; GTP or GTPP
Possibility for lower MeOH purification, better economies
Possibility for using MTP process water for Syngas generation, better economies
MTP integrated with power plant
Possibility for using MTP process water for power generation, better economies
DME with MTP
Bigger DME section, more plant production flexibility

24. MTP Economies

25. GTP Economies
Much better economy
Propylene Price

26. Conclusions
Methanol could have a key position in natural gas value chain in natural-gas based petrochemical industries
Methanol can be effectively used as a supplement or alternative to naphtha
NPC-RT has developed effective catalysts and technology to convert methanol to value added higher hydrocarbons
The technology has demonstrated in pilot and demo scales

27. Conclusions (cont’d)
The technology could be integrated with a number of conventional petrochemical and refining technologies

28. Thanks
M. Daftari