Package Technology for Extraction of Styrene from Pyrolysis Gasoline Passed Appraisal

Recently the project “Development of package technology for regeneration of styrene through extractive distillation of pyrolysis gasoline (STED)” undertaken jointly by the SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing (RIPP) and other institutions has passed the appraisal held in Beijing. The expert group attending the appraisal meeting has admitted that this technology demonstrates excellent performance and good economic benefits to command an international leading position.

The unit for extracting styrene from pyrolysis gasoline working in tandem with the large steam cracking unit is an important process for reasonable utilization and optimization of aromatic resources. At present, China boasts more than ten ethylene units rated at 1.0 Mt/a apiece, and application of this technology can produce 300 kt/a of styrene along with some 500 kt/a of xylene with low ethylbenzene content as premium feedstock for the PX unit capable of saving enormous hydrogen resource and extending the service life of catalyst for first-stage hydrotreating of pyrolysis gasoline.

The STED package technology has been firstly smoothly operating at long cycle in commercial scale at the New Hua’ao Petrochemical Company in Guangdong province, with the major technical indicators apparently exceeding the similar overseas technology. Currently RIPP has applied for 10 China invention patents on the STED technology, among which three patents have been granted.