A new facility with an annual output of 600,000 tons of ethanol began trial operations on December 28 in Huai Bei, Anhui Province, eastern China.
The trial operation of the world’s largest ethanol production facility has confirmed the advanced and reliable nature of a new technology called DMTE, according to Li Wei, director at Tanxin Technology.
The world’s largest ethanol production facility in Huai Bei, Anhui Province, on December 28, 2023. (Photo: CMG)
The new facility, capable of producing 600,000 tons of ethanol annually, can convert coke oven gas into ethanol, significantly enhancing the added value of coal and providing a viable solution for developing low-carbon steel and petrochemical industries. This equipment was manufactured by Tanxin Technology, a subsidiary of Huai Bei Coal Group, utilizing advanced technology developed in collaboration with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group.
Researchers have developed the DMTE technology, which uses syngas as a raw material for producing ethanol through the carbonylation of dimethyl ether followed by the hydrogenation of methyl acetate. They continuously upgrade the technology, catalysts, and optimize the reaction processes, laying a solid foundation for large-scale industrialization.
Ethanol is an excellent gasoline additive and an important basic chemical. It is primarily produced by the United States, Brazil, and several other countries, with feedstocks typically being crops like grains and sugarcane.
China’s ethanol market is experiencing significant demand, according to the research team leader Liu Zhongmin, director of DICP and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He added that China faced a shortfall of approximately 10 million tons of ethanol fuel in 2022.
Liu stated that large-scale production of non-grain ethanol plays a crucial role in ensuring food security, energy security, the chemical industrial chain, and supply chain security in China.
