Partner for Corporate Development
Catalysts
Delion AG (Switzerland) is the advisory and holding company.
Our technology, catalyst and project-delivery business is operated through:
Delion Chem Ltd. Hongkong, an owned subsidiary, supported by regional technology partners.
Catalyst for Dehydrogenation of Isobutane
Isobutane Dehydrogenation using a moving bed reactor is an efficient method for producing isobutene from isobutane. The same type of unit can be used to convert a mixer of isobutane /propane feedstock to the corresponding olefins. Isobutane dehydrogenation is a key industrial process used to produce isobutylene (C₄H₈), an important intermediate in the production of valuable petrochemicals such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), butyl rubber, and other derivatives. The moving bed process ensures continuous operation and efficient catalyst regeneration.
DELION’s dehydrogenation catalyst is well-suited for application in moving bed dehydrogenation units. Its performance has been proven in numerous industrial units worldwide, offering exceptional features that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure long-term reliability.
Catalyst for Dehydrogenation of Propane
Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) using a moving bed reactor is an efficient method for producing propylene from propane. This process is a key technology in the petrochemical industry, meeting the growing demand for propylene—a critical feedstock for polypropylene, acrylonitrile, and other derivatives. The moving bed process ensures continuous operation and efficient catalyst regeneration.
DELION’s dehydrogenation catalyst is well-suited for application in moving bed dehydrogenation units. Its performance has been proven in numerous industrial units worldwide, offering exceptional features that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure long-term reliability. The moving bed propane dehydrogenation process is a highly efficient and reliable approach to propylene production, utilizing continuous catalyst regeneration to maximize operational performance and product quality.
Catalyst for CCR Naphtha Reforming
Continuous Catalytic Regeneration (CCR) naphtha
reforming, often referred to as the CCR reforming process, is a critical refining technology used in the petroleum industry to transform naphtha feedstocks into high-octane aromatic compounds, essential components of gasoline and petrochemical feedstocks. The process involves
converting straight-run or hydrotreated naphtha, rich in C6-C11 paraffins and naphthene’s, into reformate through a continuous moving-bed regenerative system. The process
also co-produces hydrogen as a valuable by-product.
Continuous Catalytic Regeneration (CCR) is a cornerstone technology in modern refineries, offering high efficiency, reliability, and product quality. Its ability to continuously regenerate the catalyst ensures stable operations, maximizes reformate and hydrogen yields, and meets the demands of a growing petrochemical and fuels market.
Dehydrogenation Catalyst for Toluene/MCH LOHC Process
The toluene/methylcyclohexane (MCH) liquid hydrogen carrier process is an innovative and efficient method for storing and transporting hydrogen. This process utilizes the
reversible chemical transformation between toluene and methylcyclohexane to safely and effectively store hydrogen in liquid form, making it ideal for long-distance transport and various end-use applications.
Under high-pressure hydrogen and in the presence of Delion's hydrogenation catalyst, toluene reacts with hydrogen to form methylcyclohexane (MCH). MCH serves as a hydrogen-rich liquid carrier, storing hydrogen in a
chemically bound form. It is then transported to the enduse site, where it is converted back into toluene and hydrogen is released at elevated temperatures in the presence of Delion's dehydrogenation catalyst.
Hydrogenation Catalyst for Toluene/MCH LOHC Process
The toluene/methylcyclohexane (MCH) liquid hydrogen carrier process is an innovative and efficient method for storing and transporting hydrogen. This process utilizes the reversible chemical transformation between toluene and
methylcyclohexane to safely and effectively store hydrogen in liquid form, making it ideal for long-distance transport and various end-use applications.
Under high-pressure hydrogen and in the presence of Delion's hydrogenation catalyst, toluene reacts with hydrogen to form methylcyclohexane (MCH). MCH serves as a hydrogen-rich liquid carrier, storing hydrogen in a
chemically bound form. It is then transported to the enduse site, where it is converted back into toluene and hydrogen is released at elevated temperatures in the presence of Delion's dehydrogenation catalyst.
Catalyst for Cyclohexane Dehydrogenation to Benzene
Cyclohexane dehydrogenation to benzene is an important industrial process widely used in the petrochemical industry. This reaction converts cyclohexane (C₆H₁₂) into benzene (C₆H₆) by removing hydrogen molecules.
Cyclohexane, typically derived from naphtha or refinery streams, is first purified to eliminate impurities that could deactivate the catalyst. The purified cyclohexane is preheated before entering the reactor. The reaction equilibrium favors benzene formation at high temperatures; however, excessively high temperatures can
result in undesirable side reactions.
The benzene produced through cyclohexane
dehydrogenation serves as a critical intermediate in the chemical industry.
Catalyst for phenylacetylene Removal in Styrene
The removal of phenylacetylene from the styrene stream is crucial in the recovery of styrene from cracked gasoline.
Due to the similarity in physical and chemical properties between phenylacetylene (PhA) and styrene, efficiently separating them through conventional extractive distillation is challenging. As a result, selective hydrogenation is widely used to convert phenylacetylene into styrene while minimizing excessive hydrogenation to ethylbenzene.
Although phenylacetylene is present in very low
concentrations, it significantly contributes to the color of the styrene. This catalyst plays a vital role in styrene production and C8 fraction refining processes, providing high selectivity, efficiency, and durability under mild operating conditions.
Catalyst for C9 Fractions Hydrogenation
C9 petroleum resin is a thermoplastic polymer produced by the polymerization of the C9 fraction (mainly vinyl toluene and indene from PyGas). The dark color of C9 petroleum resin after preparation is due to the presence of aromatic rings and alkene structures. When the unsaturated bonds
in C9 petroleum resin are hydrogenated, the resulting hydrogenated C9 petroleum resin is typically colorless, transparent, and stable, with improved physical properties.
Catalytic hydrogenation is commonly employed to modify C9 petroleum resin for broader industrial applications. The purpose of catalytic hydrogenation is to remove ethylenic C=C bonds, aromatic rings, and residual halides formed
during the polymerization process.
C2 Front-End hydrogenation Hydrogenation Catalyst
The C2 front-end hydrogenation process is a critical step in the purification of ethylene-rich streams obtained from steam crackers or Methanol-To-Olefins (MTO) plants. It is
performed upstream in the ethylene (C2H2) recovery section, across several stages, and focuses on removing impurities such as acetylene, methylacetylene-propadiene (MAPD), and carbon monoxide to prepare the C2 fraction for downstream separation and polymer-grade ethylene production. The catalyst formulation minimizes "green oil" formation, which can cause fouling. Excess hydrogen can be removed downstream in the demethanizer column.
C2 Post Hydrogenation Catalyst
The C2 post-hydrogenation process is a critical step in the purification of ethylene (C2H4) streams from steam crackers and Methanol-To-Olefins (MTO) plants, aiming to eliminate
acetylene (C2H2) impurities for polymer-grade applications.
The acetylene content must be reduced to below 5 ppm to meet polymer-grade ethylene specifications, while overhydrogenation of ethylene into ethane should be minimized to maximize ethylene yield and economic value.
Delion's advanced catalyst design ensures no losses of ethylene due to hydrogenation vs. the initial stream.
C3 Liquid-Phase Hydrogenation Catalyst
The C3 liquid-phase hydrogenation process is a crucial step in purifying propylene-rich streams derived from fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units, steam crackers, propane dehydrogenation (PDH), or Methanol-To-Olefins (MTO) plants. This process aims to remove impurities such as methylacetylene (MA), propadiene (PD), and other reactive compounds, ensuring that the propylene meets polymergrade or chemical-grade specifications.
The process selectively hydrogenates impurities (MA and PD) while preserving the maximum amount of propylene and minimizing the formation of green oil. For most of applications, the concentration of MAPD shall be reduced
to less than 10 ppm.
Delion’s catalyst solution is designed to handle feedstocks with a wide range of impurity concentrations and selectively converts MAPD to propylene with approximately 80% selectivity.
The C3 liquid-phase single-step hydrogenation process is a highly efficient and selective method for refining propylene streams, ensuring they meet stringent quality requirements for downstream applications.
Catalyst for C4 Selective Hydrogenation
The catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of butadiene in raw C4 hydrocarbon streams (typically about 0.3-2.0 %), such as those from FCC units, side streams from butene oxidative dehydrogenation unit, ex MTO, and steam crackers, are designed to achieve high selectivity toward the desired olefins (butenes) while minimizing overhydrogenation to butane. Typically, the catalyst is used when the diolefin concentration is up to 2% to reduce it to below 500 ppm using almost stoichiometric amount of
hydrogen. While the catalyst can also be applied to higher concentrations of diolefins, extractive distillation is often a more economical solution for removing and monetizing butadiene. This process is critical in the refining and petrochemical industry, particularly for the purification of C4 streams used in downstream processes such as the production of synthetic rubber, pretreatment of the feedstock for downstream applications or fuel additives
manufacturing.
Catalyst for Saturation of Alkynes and Diolefins
The catalyst is designed for the complete saturation of trace alkynes and diolefins through selective hydrogenation, converting these compounds to butenes while minimizing
the loss of olefinicity. The typical feedstock includes Raffinate I and Raffinate II C4 hydrocarbon streams (polishing treatment). The objective is to pretreat these fractions to meet the specifications required for downstream processes such as alkylate production in refineries, propylene production via metathesis, synthetic
rubber manufacturing, and fuel additive production.
The catalyst is often employed in the pretreatment stage prior to metathesis process because it also performs the selective isomerization of double bond positions in C4-
olefins, catalysing the conversion of butene-1 to butene-2, which then reacts with ethylene to produce propylene.
Catalyst for C4/C5 Saturation Hydrogenation
C4/C5 saturation hydrogenation recovery of butanes and pentanes is commercially proven process with many years of operating experience worldwide for total hydrogenation of C4s, C5s or C4/C5 mixture. In the process, C4s or C5s from an ethylene plant, refinery or MTO unit are hydrogenated to convert the contained olefins, alkynes, and dienes to primarily paraffins. The conversion of the olefins, acetylene and dienes is quite high with >99% saturation being readily achieved on the outlet of the saturation hydrogenation unit (SHU). The product from the
SHU can be used as steam cracker feedstock or be sold as LPG.
Palladium Catalyst for First-Stage PyGas Hydrogenation
The first-stage hydrogenation of PyGas is a critical step in the treatment of pyrolysis gasoline, a high-value by-product of steam crackers. This process focuses on selectively hydrogenating highly reactive dienes and alkynes while preserving valuable aromatic compounds and the majority
of olefins. The feedstock is crude PyGas, which typically contains unsaturated hydrocarbons, aromatics, diolefins, olefins, gum, and sulfur impurities. Tailored design of Delion’s catalyst and precise control of reaction conditions ensure minimal over-hydrogenation of aromatics, retaining their economic value.
Partially hydrogenated PyGas can also be used as a blending component for gasoline. Overall, the first-stage hydrogenation of PyGas is essential for ensuring its stability and quality, enabling efficient downstream processing.
Nickel Catalyst for First-Stage PyGas Hydrogenation
The first-stage hydrogenation of PyGas is a critical step in the treatment of pyrolysis gasoline, a high-value by-product of steam crackers. This process focuses on selectively hydrogenating highly reactive dienes and alkynes while preserving valuable aromatic compounds and the majority
of olefins. The feedstock is crude PyGas, which typically contains unsaturated hydrocarbons, aromatics, diolefins, olefins, gum, and sulfur impurities. Tailored design of Delion’s catalyst and precise control of reaction conditions ensure minimal over-hydrogenation of aromatics, retaining their economic value. Partially hydrogenated PyGas can also be used as a
blending component for gasoline. Overall, the first-stage hydrogenation of PyGas is essential for ensuring its stability and quality, enabling efficient downstream processing.
Second-Stage PyGas Hydrogenation Catalyst
The second-stage hydrogenation process of the C6-C8 fraction, also known as pyrolysis gasoline (PyGas), is a critical step in upgrading the C6-C8 fraction from steam cracker effluent. It aims to remove sulfur- impurities and improve its quality for further processing or use. This hydrotreatment process retains valuable aromatics such as benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) for use as chemical feedstocks while fully saturating any remaining olefins to enhance stability, prevent spontaneous polymerization
during storage or transportation, and improve the thermal stability of the PyGas fraction.
The feedstock for the second-stage hydrogenation is the partially treated PyGas from the first-stage hydrogenation, where diolefins and some sulfur- impurities have already been removed. After the second-stage hydrogenation, the PyGas is either sent to an aromatics plant for the separation of BTX components for chemical feedstock use or used as a high-octane component in gasoline.
Catalyst for 2-Ethylanthraquinone Hydrogenation
The hydrogenation of 2-ethylanthraquinone is a crucial step in the production of hydrogen peroxide via the anthraquinone process. This step involves the reduction of 2-ethylanthraquinone to 2-ethylanthrahydroquinone in the presence of hydrogen and a suitable catalyst. The reduced
compound is subsequently oxidized to produce hydrogen peroxide. A highly selective hydrogenation catalyst, typically based on Pd, is used to ensure the selective hydrogenation of a solution of 2-ethylanthraquinone dissolved in an organic solvent, without over-reducing the aromatic ring. The hydrogenation is conducted in a reactor, usually a fixed-bed or slurry reactor.
Hydrofining Catalyst for Middle and Low Distillate Oil
The hydrofining process is a refining technique used to enhance the quality of middle and low distillate oils, such as naphtha, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel, and light gas oils. This process removes impurities such as sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and trace metals, and saturates olefins to produce
cleaner, more stable, and environmentally compliant fuels or clean feedstock for further upgrading. For example, it can be used to pretreat naphtha feedstock before the CCR reforming process. It also saturates olefins to improve the
thermal and oxidative stability of jet fuel, reducing gum formation during storage and transportation. Hydrofining for middle and low distillate oils is a critical process in modern refineries, ensuring compliance with
environmental standards, preparing feedstocks for smooth processing, and producing high-quality, stable fuels.