Researchers at Pardis Technology Park have introduced special catalysts used in reforming units in refineries to produce quality gasoline, the project director said.
"Most of the catalysts used in refineries are imported. Two French and American companies produce over 95% of the world's reforming catalysts. China and Russia have a meager share of the global market but their products are not of high quality. Now we have produced a catalyst using nanotechnology which has a high performance,” Hamzeh Kazerouni was quoted as saying by ISNA.
“The reforming unit is the heart of a refinery and it requires a catalyst to perform the reactions,” he said.
Naphtha reforming catalyst is a bifunctional catalyst with a metal function, mainly platinum, and an acid function, usually chloride alumina.
These are used in catalytic reforming, which is a chemical process used to convert petroleum refinery naphtha distilled from crude oil (typically having low octane ratings) into high-octane liquid products called reformates, which are premium blending stocks for high-octane gasoline.
Referring to the useful life of the catalyst in refineries to be a maximum of 10 years, Kazerouni noted: “If the old catalysts are not replaced, the quality of gasoline will decline, energy consumption of the refinery will increase and production efficiency of the refinery will also be harmed.”
Catalysts play a key role in converting low-value added crude oil to high value-added commodities like gasoline.
They are essential in the production of petroleum, polymers and chemicals, and the petrochemical industry’s growth is intertwined with catalyst production. Likewise, production of most key chemicals depends on catalysts.
Domestic petrochemical plants and oil refineries use $400 million worth of catalysts a year, a large part of which is produced locally.
Local refineries annually need almost 23,000 tons of catalysts of which about 20,000 tons is produced by private firms.
Catalyst consumption is rising and local companies are improving their R&D in the tight race to keep up with the times and not fall behind foreign competitors.
The international catalyst market, now worth $18 billion, is expected to grow exponentially and reach $35 billion by 2025.
Rising demand for catalysts from petroleum refineries, growing demand for polymers as well as growth in chemical output are key factors driving the global catalyst market.
Pardis Technology Park is under the auspices of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
Located in Tehran, PTP’s objectives are to intensify high-tech industrial development; promote cooperation between industries, academic institutions and research centers; create synergy between private and state sectors; commercialize know-how and innovations generated by research centers; and promote R&D.
