CPI – South America

Formaldehyde Overview
TIET Telecon
March 21st 2006
1037
 FA Production Routes
Perstorp
 Oxidation Process – air used in excess
 MeOH = 99,9 %w/w
 Explosion limit = 6,5% meoh in air (21% O2) at T = 150ºC
 MeOH @ 8.5 - 8.9% molar and 10% v/v of O2 in feed stream (with absorber off-gas parcial recycling)
 MeOH is pre-filtered, vaporized and heated up to 150ºC. Air is also pre-filtered and heated up to the
same temperature. Both raw-materials are mixed before being fed into the plant catalytical reactor
(Mo2O3 plus inert in layers at T =260-300 ºC)
 Formaldehyde @ 37-55%w/w with less than 0.9%w/w of residual meoh
 Product Quench: down to 150ºC (steam @ 15 kgf/cm².g/Sat –> HTF = Dowtherm A)
 MeOH Specific Consumption = 0.43 (ton meoh/ton FA)

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical

 Oxidation Process and Dehydrogenation – methanol used in excess
 MeOH = 85 or 99,9%w/w
 Molar ratio air/meoh = 1.9 -> Steam Addition x Explosion Range -> 2.2-2.3
 Molar ratio steam/meoh = 1-1.2
 MeOH is pre-filtered, vaporized and heated up to 125ºC. Air is also pre-filtered and heated up to the
same temperature. Both raw-materials are mixed with steam before being fed into the plant
catalytical reactor (metalic silver at T = 630-665ºC)
 Formaldehyde @ 37%w/w with less than 3% w/w of residual meoh
 Product Quench: down to 200ºC (steam @ 2 kgf/cm².g/Sat –> demi water)
 MeOH Specific Consumption = 0.47 (ton meoh/ton FA)
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 FA Main Reactions

CH3OH  HCHO + H2 (1)

CH3OH + ½ O2  HCHO + H20 (2)

Side Reactions

CH3OH + 3/2 O2  CO2 + 2 H20 (3)

CH3OH + O2  HCOOH + H2O (4)
HCHO  CO + H2 (5)
CH3OH + O2  CO + 2 H2O (6)
2 CH3OH  CH3OCH3 (di-methyl eter)+ H2O (7)
n HCHO + H2O  HO(CH2O)nH

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 FA Production Comparison

OPERATING DATA FORMOL OX SOR FORMOL OX CAM FORMOL AG CAM

Average Capacity 195 135 150 - 170
(tons FA @ 37% / day)
MeOH in Feed 8,9 8,5 In excess
(% v/v)
MeOH Typical Residual < 0,90 < 0,60 < 2.00 - 3.00
Content (%w/w)
Catalyst Bed Typical 11 11 5.5 - 12
Campaign (months)
Catalyst Typical KH-44 mix and pure KH-44 mix and pure Ag = 150 - 156 kg
Profile KH-26L = 3.101 kg KH-26L = 1.750 kg
Operating Change MeOH in feed at 9,5% MeOH in feed at 9,3% Cat Bed 200 kg Ag New
For and KH-44L mix and and KH-44L mix and
Capacity Increase pure KH-26 pure KH-26
MeOH Residual Content < 0,8 < 0,8 1,0 – 1,5
Goal (% w/w) (projection Perstorp) (projection Perstorp) (Jan & Feb/2003)
Projected Capacity
After Change 215 149 155
(tons @ 37% / day)
Nbr. Of Cat Bed 1 1 4
Changes After DBN
Operating Year (days) 330 350 340

Capacity Gain After DBN 6.600 4.900 1.725

(tons/year)
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 FA Producers

Brazil
 Copenor - 3 plants (50,000 MTPY Mitsubishi plus 111,000 MTPY Perstorp)
 Synteko - 4plants ( 180,000 MTPY Alder)
 Borden - 2 plants ( 169,000 MTPY Borden)
 Dynea - 1 plant (66,000 MTPY Perstorp)
 Elekeiroz - 1 plant (66,000 MTPY Perstorp)
 GP - 1 plant (60,000 MTPY Mitsubishi)
 Crios - 1 plant (42,000 MTPY Borden)
 Royal - 1 plant (42,000 MTPY Mitsubishi)
 Sulana - 1 plant (6,000 MTPY Mitsubishi)

Overseas
 Perstorp (Sweden)
 Polialco (Spain)
 Oxiquim (Chile)