Big breakthrough! Sinochem helps China's coal to natural gas catalyst technology to achieve independent control

Recently, China's self-developed methanation catalyst recently in Xinjiang Qinghua large-scale coal-to-natural gas project, a one-time success, marking a breakthrough in China's self-developed large-scale coal-to-natural gas methanation technology. 
Among them, the coal-to-natural gas methanation catalyst independently developed by the Southwest Chemical Research and Design Institute Co., LTD. (hereinafter referred to as the Southwest Institute), which is owned by SinochemChina, plays a key role. The catalyst has the advantages of high temperature resistance, high activity, high stability and anti-carbon accumulation, which can fully meet the production requirements of large-scale coal-to-natural gas industry.
As we all know, the energy structure of our country is rich coal and less gas. Coal to produce natural gas is an effective way to use coal clean and efficient. A major breakthrough has been made in China's large-scale coal-to-natural gas technology. The coal-to-natural gas methanation catalyst developed by the Southwest Research Institute of Sinochem achieved stable operation at 110% load for the first time in the large coal-to-natural gas project of Xinjiang Qinghua Energy Group, and the methane concentration obtained was 61.7%, nearly 3 percentage points higher than the imported technology.
The smooth integration of natural gas products into the west gas pipeline network marks a major breakthrough in the large coal-to-natural gas methanation technology independently developed by our country, and the realization of whole industry chain technology localization in the field of coal-to-natural gas, which is of great significance for ensuring national energy security.
It took us 20 years to do this
In the past, China's coal-to-natural gas methanation catalysts have been dependent on imports, with long supply period, high price and the risk of supply interruption, which has been a difficult problem to be broken through in the industry.
As the supporting unit of "National Carbon Chemical Engineering Technology Research Center", Southwest Institute is determined to crack the "hard bone" of methanation catalyst in order to realize the autonomous control of coal-to-natural gas technology.
In 2010, Southwest Institute initiated a project to study the technology package and key catalyst of coal-to-natural gas
In 2013, the Southwest Institute completed 350Nm³/h methanation model test.
In 2014, the pilot test of the first 2000m³/h coal-to-natural gas methanation process cooperated by Southwest Institute and CNOOC succeeded.
In 2021, Southwest Institute signed an agreement with Xinjiang Qinghua Energy Group to conduct side-line test of coal-to-natural gas catalyst. After 1400 hours of side-line test, various performance indexes of coal-to-natural gas catalyst met the design requirements.
In 2022, Southwest Institute signed a formal supply contract with Xinjiang Qinghua Energy Group. On July 28, the coal-to-natural gas plant reached full capacity. On July 31, the coal to gas catalyst passed the 72-hour performance assessment, the maximum production load of the device reached 110% of the design index, the daily production of 4.6 million standard cubic meters of natural gas, and successfully incorporated into the national west-east gas pipeline network, China's first domestic coal to gas catalyst whole-furnace industrial application achieved complete success!
72 patents have been filed
Compared with domestic and foreign technologies, the achievements of coal-to-natural gas methanation technology in Southwest Institute are innovative and advanced. At present, the coal-to-natural gas technology of Southwest Institute has applied for 27 patents related to methanation key technologies, and obtained 13 patents.
Innovation highlight 1——better activity
By improving the dispersion and surface structure of the active components of methanation catalyst, the technical parameters such as high temperature resistance, stability, catalytic selectivity and strength are improved, so that it has higher active metal load, larger specific surface area, and better methanation activity under high load.
Innovation Highlight 2—— Higher conversion rate 
The catalyst performance is improved by adding additives to ensure a higher total conversion rate of carbon monoxide + carbon dioxide (≥98.5%) at high airspeed. 
Innovation highlight 3——Lower costs 
By optimizing the configuration of the methanation process, the energy consumption is reduced, and the size of the methanation reactor and heat exchanger is reduced, the equipment investment is reduced, and the operation cost is reduced. 
Innovation highlight 4——Better indicators 
After using the technology and catalyst of Southwest Institute, the synthetic natural gas with methane content ≥97% and hydrogen content ≤2% can be produced, which is superior to the first-class product gas index of the national standard of "coal-to-synthetic Natural gas".
It's not just coal to gas. Is the catalyst really that important? First of all, let's understand what a catalyst is 
Simply put, a catalyst is an "agent" that allows chemical reactions to be more precise and controlled. It is the core of the chemical industry, known as the "chemical engine". 
Catalysts can effectively improve the chemical reaction rate of reactants. About 90% of industrial processes need to use catalysts, especially in petroleum, chemical, biological, pharmaceutical and other fields. 
There are many kinds of catalysts, most of which are divided into active component, support and cocatalyst. Under normal conditions, catalyst can produce certain selectivity to substances, that is, only for special substances to produce relevant chemical reactions, or to accelerate some chemical reactions.
The catalyst family of Southwest Yard
Southwest Institute is a well-known catalyst supplier in China, with more than 50 kinds of catalysts independently researched and developed. Since 1980s, the catalysts of Southwest Institute have been exported to more than 20 countries and regions, and many catalytic technologies are at the world's advanced level.
Met hanol synt hesis catalyst
Since the mid-1970s, Southwest Institute has been conducting research on methanol synthesis catalysts, and has developed series of middle and low pressure methanol synthesis catalysts such as C302, C312, XNC-98, etc., which have been successfully applied in more than 130 sets of large, medium and small sized methanol synthesis plants in China. The results of methanol catalyst research have won the Second Prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award, the Second Prize of Science and Technology Progress Award of the Ministry of Chemical Industry, the International highest Gold Medal of the Third Einstein World Invention Expo and other awards.
Refinery Gas Vapor Reforming Catalyst
Since the 1960s, Southwest Institute has been conducting research on gaseous hydrocarbon conversion catalysts and processes, and has successfully developed a series of first-stage conversion catalysts, such as Z107, CN-8, Z110Y, Z111-6YQ, CN-16YQ, CN-23, and CN-28YQ. It has been successfully used in more than 300 sets of ammonia, methanol and hydrogen production units at home and abroad. The research achievements of hydrocarbon conversion catalysts have won the second prize of National Science and Technology Progress twice, the third prize once, the first prize of Science and Technology Progress of the Ministry of Chemical Industry and other awards.
(Hydrocarbon conversion catalysts -- first-stage conversion catalysts CN-16YQ and CN-28YQ)
Superfine purifying agent
In 2006, Southwest Institute began to conduct research on superfine purifying agent, and successively developed multiple types of superfine purifying agent, which is applied in more than 30 sets of deep desulfurization and purification devices for syngas, coke oven gas, pyrolysis gas and other process gases, and can remove organic and inorganic sulfur in raw gas to less than 0.02ppm.
Methanol steam conversion catalyst for hydrogen production
Since the 1980s, Southwest Institute began to conduct research on methanol steam conversion process and catalyst for hydrogen production. At present, this type of catalyst and process technology has been successfully applied in more than 100 sets of domestic large, small and medium-sized methanol water steam conversion units.
Dimethyl ether catalyst
CNM series of dimethyl ether catalysts have been successfully used in more than 80 sets of dimethyl ether units at home and abroad.
Human production and life can not be separated from chemistry, and the development of chemical industry can not be separated from catalyst. Sinochem will continue to adhere to the concept of "science first", relying on profound accumulation of innovative technologies and professional scientific research team, continue to explore multiple catalytic technologies, develop more high-tech catalyst products, and drive the high-quality development of China's chemical industry.