Propylene via Propane Dehydrogenation (Oxydehydrogenation)

Propylene is a major component of the global olefins market and is widely used as an intermediate for an array of chemical and plastic products. Propylene is produced as a byproduct in steam crackers and through fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes. However, due to the increased availability of inexpensive ethane from shale gas, ethane has been preferentially used as a feedstock in steam crackers over naphtha, a practice that results in minor propylene production. In this context, on-purpose propylene production routes are of great interest to the petrochemical marketplace. Among them, propane dehydrogenation (PDH) technology is an attractive option, and has been applied in several plants around the world. The process The PDH process depicted in Figure 1 is similar to the STAR (steam active reforming) process (Uhde GmbH; Dortmand, Germany; now ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions; www.thyssenkrupp.com), which applies the oxydehydrogenation principle. Two other PDH processes were previously discussed in this column (Chem. Eng., Feb. 2013, p. 33 and Jan. 2014, p. 27). Figure 1. Propane dehydrogenation process similar to the Uhde (now ThyssenKrupp) STAR process[/caption] The STAR process was the first to apply the oxydehydrogenation…