In July 2017, MOL installed Clariant’s SynDane catalyst at their Danube maleic anhydride (MA) production plant in Százhalombatta, Hungary. The unit reached its nameplate capacity of 22 000 tpy a few weeks after start-up. Now, the plant’s latest figures reveal that the performance and operability of the catalyst boosted productivity in 2018 by 17% vs its previous all-time high, allowing MOL to achieve its highest maleic anhydride yield to date.
Clariant’s SynDane catalyst is designed for partial oxidation of n-butane in fixed-bed tubular reactors – the most efficient technology known for maleic anhydride production. The catalyst’s innovative microstructure and chemical composition increases yield and selectivity and aims to protect against by-product formation and downstream polymerisation. Fewer undesired products, such as acrylic and acetic acids, minimise plant downtime needed for equipment cleaning, and thus reduce operating costs.
Zsolt Marton, Technological Supervisor at MOL Group stated, “We were very pleased with Clariant’s expert guidance, which included monthly catalyst performance evaluations and optimisation, as well as regular visits for technical consultation and operational recommendations. Their competence and their catalyst contributed greatly to MOL’s record production year.” Marton also confirmed that Clariant catalysts will be used for the plant’s next refill in 2021 and will play an increasingly important role as MOL expands its MA production capacity in the years to come.
MOL is an oil, gas and petrochemicals company, headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, with operations in over 30 countries, and 26 000 employees worldwide. The company’s exploration and production activities are supported by 80 years of experience in the field of hydrocarbons. MOL Group received the prestigious ‘Energy Company of the Year’ award in 2018 from the Petroleum Economist.
Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President & General Manager Business Unit Catalysts at Clariant, welcomed the results, commenting, “We are proud to be part of MOL’s outstanding success. Our close collaboration with the company demonstrates our commitment to adding value to our customers’ business – not only through market-leading technology, but also through our customer-first philosophy.”