As of March 16th, the 60 tons/year pilot plant built with the catalytic hydrogenation of ethanol acetate and the technology developed by Shanghai Wuzheng Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. has been stable for more than 6,000 hours, and the conversion rate of acetate has been improved. Above 96%, ethanol selectivity is above 98%. This marks a breakthrough in the industrialization of independent coal-to-ethanol production in China.

The new process developed by Shanghai Wuzheng Catalyst has good stability, high selectivity, mild reaction conditions, and high space-time yield of ethanol. The reaction by-products are mainly high value-added butanol.

In the three years of technology development, R&D personnel conducted in-depth research on key issues such as catalyst and engineering technology amplification, and developed a process technology that uses catalysts as the core for the hydrogenation of ethanol from acetate to ethanol.

At present, Shanghai Wuzheng has already reached an agreement with two domestic companies to establish a 1,000-ton-scale production facility and then build a 10,000-ton-scale facility. This year, it is expected to achieve industrialization.

It is understood that, except for the hydrogenation of ethanol from acetate to ethanol, the process routes for producing ethanol from coal currently include the synthesis of acetic acid by hydrogenation to ethanol, the synthesis of direct ethanol, the synthesis of biogas to ethanol, and the synthesis of low-carbon alcohols ( Ethanol, propanol, etc.) are then separated to produce ethanol.

Compared with synthesis gas hydrogenation to ethanol by acetic acid, the hydrogenation of ethanol from acetate to ethanol is simpler and the separation is simpler, and the catalyst is a conventional copper-based composite catalyst with lower cost. At the same time, due to the weak corrosivity of its raw materials and products, carbon steel materials can be used, and the investment amount is greatly reduced. It is estimated that investment in new process equipment is only 1/3 or less of the former, and its cost is also lower than that of conventional bio-fermentation ethanol production technology.

Direct synthesis of syngas to ethanol is currently still in the pilot stage, and the use of expensive rhodium catalysts, the reaction rate is slow. Syngas bioprocess ethanol production process needs to stay in the fermentation for a period of time, it is difficult to continue production.

At present, China's ethanol production is dominated by grain fermentation, which consumes a huge amount of grain each year. Developing coal-to-ethanol has an important strategic significance in replacing traditional grain fermentation routes and safeguarding food security in China. In addition, the current overcapacity of acetic acid and acetic anhydride in China and the successful development of the hydrogenation of ethanol from acetate to ethanol can find new ways for acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate, and acetate-related enterprises to produce ethanol through technological transformation, and increase corporate profits. ability.