Selective Hydrogenation for Steam Crackers – OleMax®
We offer several leading products for the purification of petrochemical feedstocks. Our OleMax® series for the selective hydrogenation of olefin streams have become the benchmark in the industry. The operating flexibility and superb performance of these catalysts have led to broad market adoption in all regions.
Major applications include:
- C2 Tail-end Hydrogenation
- Front-end Hydrogenation
- C3 Tail-end Hydrogenation
- C4 Cut Hydrogenation
C2 TAIL-END HYDROGENATION
The OleMax® 200 series catalysts for tail-end acetylene hydrogenation offer flexibility and stability while increasing ethylene production and total profitability of the ethylene plant. OleMax 201 has a long record of performance with users in all regions. OleMax 207 is the latest catalyst development for Tail-End acetylene hydrogenation, and offers significantly higher selectivity, increased stability and very long operating cycles.
These catalysts are tailored to meet the unique needs of each operating plant.
FRONT-END HYDROGENATION
The OleMax® 250 family of front-end acetylene hydrogenation catalysts can be used to treat de-ethanizer, de-propanizer or raw gas streams, for use in isothermal tubular reactors or adiabatic beds. These catalysts are characterized by high selectivity, long cycle length and high operational stability even when achieving very low acetylene slip.
C3 TAIL-END HYDROGENATION
GAS PHASE
The conventional method for the removal of methylacetylene and propadiene (MAPD) from propylene / propane streams is selective hydrogenation in the gas phase over a palladium-based catalyst from the OleMax® 300 family. Operation with OleMax 300 series catalysts increases propylene production and removes MAPD to below 10 ppm for use in polypropylene production.
LIQUID PHASE
OleMax® 350 is the proven catalyst for liquid phase MAPD processes. Using proprietary techniques to control Pd dispersion, OleMax® 350 is significantly more active and more selective than the industry benchmark catalyst. Its high selectivity will increase propylene make, while reducing MAPD to low levels that will ensure the product can be used in downstream processes.
C4 CUT HYDROGENATION
The steam cracker C4 cut consists of approximately 50 wt. % 1,3-butadiene and 1 wt. % acetylenes in a mixture of butenes and butanes. Purification of this stream requires several hydrogenation steps that depend on the downstream application.
VINYLACETYLENE SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION
The crude C4 stream typically contains 0.5 - 2 wt. % vinylacetylene and ethylacetylene. These components can drastically impact the efficiency of the butadiene extraction solvent system, and must be removed by selective hydrogenation.
OleMax® 456 uses an enhanced promoter that significantly improves butadiene loss and operating time.
SELECTIVE BUTADIENE HYDROGENATION
OleMax 452 and OleMax 454 are used for butadiene hydrogenation in combination with high butene-1 to butene-2 isomerization activity.
C4 / C5 CUT TOTAL HYDROGENATION
Total saturation of C4 and / or C5 streams is carried out over palladium-based catalysts.