Introduction
Ethylbenzene is a basic organic raw material to produce styrene. The dilute ethylene is by-product of FCC off gas, which contains 20% - 50% ethylene. The process technology of using dilute ethylene to produce ethylbenzene provides an option for effectively use of ethylene, which is meaningful to reduce the production cost of ethylbenzene and increase the economic profit of refinery. SINOPEC has developed SGEB technology of using dilute ethylene to produce ethylbenzene with the SEB series alkylation catalyst and the AEB series transalkylation catalyst. Both the technology and its matched catalysts are commercially used in China.
Technical Characteristics
1. The SEB series catalysts are used for the alkylation of benzene with dilute ethylene. The catalysts show high conversion of ethylene, high selectivity to ethyl, long regeneration cycle and long catalyst life, less xylene impurities in the products.
2. The AEB series catalysts are used for the transalkylation of benzene with multi-ethylbenzene and xylene in product is decreased. The catalysts also exhibit high resistance to poison.
3. Before entering the alkylation reactor, the dilute ethylene is pretreated to remove the propylene to decrease the benzene consumption.
4. No corrosive catalyst or chemical is used in this technology. The plant can be built by using carbon steel. No residual or exhaust is discharged. The process is environmental friendly.
5. The reaction heat and process heat could be fully recovered.