فن آوری سازگار با محیط زیست کاتالیستی برای تولیدات پالایشگاهی و پتروشیمی : بررسی های اخیر از فعالیت های مربوط به R & D در چین

The more and more stringent requirement for environmental protection becomes now the major driving force for technological progress. The impact is significant for refining and petrochemical industry in China as well as in the world. Looking forward to 21st century, the technologies for waste treatment should be continuously improved, and meanwhile, the technologies of green processes should be developed. The technologies of green processes are demanded both for revamping the existing units and for designing new units during the capacity expansion of China’s petrochemical industry in the next century. A green process is a highly selective chemical process using green raw materials, catalysts, and solvents, producing green products. Since most of the petrochemical processes were developed in 1940–1950s, technological breakthrough based on entirely new scientific knowledge is necessary for developing green processes. Catalysis, the key element for many chemical processes, will still play an important role in the development of green chemistry and hence in the greening of chemical processes or clean production. Historical review reveals that technological breakthrough occurs generally through the discovery and application of new catalytic materials or new reactor engineering. The R&D activity in China in the field of catalysis has come to a rapid development stage since 1980s, which results in a series of technological innovations [1], [2] and [3]. A number of unique catalytic technologies have been invented and commercialized in China, such as deep catalytic cracking (DCC) for maximum production of gaseous olefins, distillate selective cracking accompanied by alkene polymerization (DSCAP), liquid phase selective hydrogenation for propene fraction using a single stage adiabatic reactor, medium pressure hydro-upgrading process for production of low sulfur and low aromatics diesel fuel (MHUG), etc. A variety of new catalysts has been developed and commercially applied in refining and petrochemical industry. Scientists in China from universities and research institutions of Chinese Academy of Sciences and industrial sectors have also made contributions to the basic research and applied basic research in different areas of catalysis, including those areas related to green chemistry. In recent years, a state key applied basic research project, “Catalytic Chemistry and Reaction Engineering for Developing Environmentally Friendly Refining and Petrochemical Technology”, has been established and jointly supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and China Petrochemical Corporation (SINOPEC). The present paper reviews the recent work related to developing environmentally benign refining and petrochemical technology.