MOSCOW (MRC) -- Thyssenkrupp and BASF said that they have signed a joint development agreement to expand their cooperation on the STAR dehydrogenation process, said Chemweek.
The proprietary technology developed by Thyssenkrupp produces propylene from propane feedstock, or iso-butylene from iso-butane feedstock. Under the collaboration, the partners aim to significantly increase the resource and energy efficiency through targeted improvements in catalyst and plant design. Thyssenkrupp will focus on process and BASF on catalyst development. The aim is to lower plant investment and operating costs and to reduce CO2 emissions in the in the future.
"…This cooperation combines BASF’s expertise as a world-leading catalyst manufacturer with our plant engineering competence,” says Uwe Boltersdorf, head of chemical & process technologies sales at Thyssenkrupp. “With our combined knowhow we can further reduce consumption of energy and resources. New catalyst shapes will enable a smaller reformer design, which also lowers the investment costs of dehydrogenation plants."
Detlef Ruff, senior vice president/process catalysts at BASF, says, “The cooperation between BASF and Thyssenkrupp is another example of our successful approach to collaboration with engineering companies and technology providers. We contribute our unique knowhow as a world-leading catalyst manufacturer, and together with our partners, drive the implementation of new processes and innovative future technologies."
"We will specifically address topics like reducing precious metal content. This lowers catalyst costs and additionally reduces feedstock and energy consumption through increased selectivity," said Adrian Steinmetz, vice president/global chemical catalysts & adsorbents at BASF.
We remind that BASF has restarted its No. 1 steam cracker following a maintenance turnaorund. Thus, the company resumed operations at the plant on September 30, 2019. The plant was shut for maintenance in mid-August, 2019. Located at Ludwigshafen in Germany, the No. 1 cracker has an ethylene production capacity of 235,000 mt/year and a propylene production capacity of 125,000 mt/year.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing PE and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 721,290 tonnes in the first four month of 2020, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments grew partially because of the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 347,440 tonnes in January-April 2020 (calculated by the formula production minus export plus import). Supply exclusively of PP random copolymer increased.
BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries. BASF generated sales of EUR59 billion in 2019.
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