Lummus Technology, a leading process technology licensor company of the USA, on Tuesday, obtained the seal of approval for its commissioned cumene and phenol expansion plants in Nimbo, China by Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation. 

Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation is a Taiwan-based company that specializes in the manufacturing and trading of petrochemicals, plastics, and textile chemicals. The engineering design of Formosa’s existing cumene and phenol plants having production capacities of 450 and 300 KTPA, respectively, were also provided by Lummus, back in 2010.

These plants ingrained with advanced technological features have consistently delivered performance and contributed to reducing carbon emissions. Expert solutions and client satisfaction has generated trust and cordial relation between the two companies, following which Lummus was given the contract to provide the technology and design for expanding these facilities in 2017. With the successful expansion of these plants, the installed capacities have been enhanced to 600 KTPA for cumene and 400 KTPA for phenol.

Lummus’s cumene process exploits a regenerable PBE-1 zeolite catalysed alkylation reaction of benzene for selectively producing cumene (of more than 99.95% purity) in high yields. The system is marked by its feed-poison tolerance and five-year run-length capabilities. Lummus’s phenol producing plant conducts aerobic oxidation of cumene feeds to hydroperoxide followed by its decomposition to generate phenol in combination with acetone.

As per ChemAnalyst, “The expansion of the cumene and phenol plants will contribute to suffice the growing demand for these chemicals in the end-use industries for paints & coatings, high octane fuel production, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals etc. Furthermore, the enhanced production volumes will strengthen the market competitiveness of Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation at a global level.”