Hefei: The world’s largest ethanol production equipment, boasting an annual output of 600,000 tonnes, commenced its trial phase on Thursday in Huaibei City, situated in the eastern part of China’s Anhui Province, reported Xinua.
This cutting-edge facility can transform coke oven gas into ethanol, presenting a substantial opportunity to enhance the value of coal significantly. Moreover, it offers a viable avenue for fostering the low-carbon development of the steel and petrochemical industries.
Constructed by Tanxin Technology Co., LTD. under the Huaibei Mining Group, the equipment incorporates advanced technology developed collaboratively by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co., Ltd.
According to Liu Zhongmin, the leader of the research team and director of DICP, who is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, there is a significant demand for ethanol in China. He noted that the shortfall in fuel ethanol in the country was approximately 10 million tonnes in 2022.
The research team has developed an advanced technology known as DMTE, utilizing syngas as a raw material to produce absolute ethanol through the carbonylation of dimethyl ether, followed by the hydrogenation of methyl acetate. Continuous enhancements to the technology and catalyst, along with optimizations to the reaction process, have laid a robust foundation for large-scale industrialization.
Tanxin Technology Co., LTD.’s general manager, Li Wei, confirmed that the trial operation of the equipment has validated the advanced nature and reliability of DMTE.
Liu further disclosed that the research team has already signed 13 sets of DMTE technology implementation license contracts, including the export of two sets.
Highlighting the broader implications, Liu emphasized that the large-scale production of non-grain ethanol plays a pivotal role in safeguarding China’s food security, energy security, chemical industry chain, and supply chain security.
