| SABTEC was established in 2002 as the licensing platform for SABIC's technologies. It continue the polyethylene and hydrocarbon licensing activities formerly performed by Stamicarbon. SABTEC, with the support of SABIC polyethylene and SABIC Research, offers licensees in polyethylene a comprehensive range of services. As well as a state-of-the-art design package for a licensed plant, licensees will also have access to all the latest developments and advanced product qualities produced using CTR® LDPE technology.
History of SABTEC CTR® tubular LDPE technology
The single line capacity of 200 ktpa, first developed and started by SABIC Polyethylenes in 1993, remained the world largest for many years. Ongoing developments in technology have enabled us to keep this leading position in line size, investment and production cost.
Our Clean Tubular Reactor (CTR®) LDPE technology is the result of combined operational and design experience, gained through many years of enhancements and improvements. Which is why we can now offer line sizes up to 400 ktpa in single line, giving you unrivalled profitability potential in the polyethylene industry.
Process developments
Process developments are focused on improving quality and increasing uptput, while reducing costs. Recent developments include:
- A line size increase from approx 50 ktpa to the most recent design of 400 ktpa in a single line
- An increase in ethylene conversion rates, from approx 20% to current conversions up to 40% for certain grades
- A gel count that is superior to all tubular LDPE products, which are known to be much better than gasphase LLDPE
- Due to its superior process ability over C4-LLDPEs CTR® LDPE has a much better draw down figure, even better than other LDPEs
Profitability
The Clean Tubular Reactor LDPE process has the lowest cost price of any polyethylene process available. In addition, LDPE carries a premium over LLDPE of between US$ 50 - 100 per tonne - a position it has held for more than 15 years. This premium is based on its superior process ability and optical properties. The combination of the lowest cost price and best market price result in margin advantage of US$ 70 - 150 per tonne over LLDPE.
Calculating this advantage as net present value over 1 10-year period results in an additional profit of US$ 100 - 200 million, compared to gasphase LLDPE processes.
Quality
One of the well-known benefits of LDPE is its optimum process ability, and the Clean Tubular Reactor LDPE process further enhances this. It offers a consistently high level of product quality, thanks to the constantly optimized operating conditions and ease of production. The absence of fouling, even at low melt index grades, gives the additional advantage of excellent optical properties.
What's more, the product can be processed a high speeds and low energy consumption at converters. Draw down figures are also impressive, with levels reaching 8 to 10 micron, thanks to the very low gel levels.
Investment costs
Investment costs are lower in comparison with other LDPE tubular processes, for a number of reasons:
- The revolutionary reactor concept, developed for the non-pulsing CTR® LDPE process, makes the reactor cheaper and more efficient.
- Due to the constant operating pressure there is no need for a complex sequential system (automatic pressure fluctuation device) for the let-down valve.
- There is no need for a reactor cleaning unit due to the absence of reactor fouling
The investment costs for the Clean Tubular Reactor LDPE technology are therefore lower than those of any LDPE process. Furthermore, they are even more cost-effective than gasphase processes of similar size.
Operating costs
Also the operating cost are the lowest of any polyethylene process, for a number of reasons:
- High reliability with extremely stable operation. On-stream times as high as 97%
- Low energy consumption with ethylene conversion rates as high as 40%
- Total raw material consumption is near the theoretical minimum
- 1005 kg/tonne of LDPE
- No need for costly catalysts or co-monomers, or dependence on catalyst producers
- Less consumption of additives due to the higher stability of LDPE
- High flexibility in grade changes with minimal wide-spec product due to low residence times
- Off-spec product is almost zero
- Minimized stock-run lengths are typically only one day per grade
- No mechanical fatigue, resulting in low maintenance costs. For instance, there is no need to replace reactor tubes.
Safety
The clean Tubular Reactor has an outstanding history of safety performance. Compared to an industry average decomp rate of 3-5 per LDPE.
For more information please contact Hofung Technology or send an email to sales@hofung-technology.com.
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