Developments in the polyethylene and industrial refrigeration industries drive continued growth in demand for isopentane
Isopentane, also known as 2-methylbutane, also known as 2-methylbutane, has the chemical formula C5H12. It is an aliphatic saturated hydrocarbon with a colorless and transparent liquid appearance. , the chemical formula is C5H12, has an aromatic smell, is insoluble in water, is slightly soluble in ethanol, is soluble in most organic solvents such as hydrocarbons and ether, and is easily volatile. It is mainly used as a solvent for the production of linear low-density polyethylene and full-density polyethylene. Foaming agent for expandable polystyrene, polyurethane foam, etc.
At present, the technical route of isopentane includes: hydrogenation to remove olefins and distillation separation process. There are many domestic studies on the hydrogenation olefin removal process. When using the above two methods to produce isopentane, if the raw material has a high sulfur content or some products (such as solvents, foaming agents, aerosols, etc.) have different requirements for sulfur content, then the raw materials must be processed before hydrogenation or fractionation. It can be desulfurized sequentially through alkali washing and the action of a high-efficiency desulfurization catalyst to reduce the sulfur content and meet product requirements.
Isopentane can be used as a solvent for the production of polyethylene, a blowing agent for expandable polystyrene, a blowing agent for polyurethane foam systems, and can also be used as refrigerants. Among them, polyethylene and industrial refrigeration are its main applications. Application fields: In 2022, the demand for isopentane in the polyethylene field will account for about 45%, and the demand for isopentane in the industrial refrigeration field will account for about 28%.
According to the “2023-2028 Isopentane Industry In-Depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Suggestions Report” released by the Industrial Research Center, recently In recent years, China’s isopentane industry has developed well, and the isopentane production process, production efficiency and production quality have been greatly improved, better meeting the needs of downstream application fields; at the same time, the development of the downstream polyethylene industry, And the expansion of the scale of industrial refrigeration applications has promoted the increase in isopentane market capacity, and the market demand for isopentane has grown year by year. In 2022, domestic isopentane demand will be 160,000 tons.
At this stage, because isopentane is a hazardous chemical, flammable, harmful to the human body, and poses major safety hazards in storage and transportation, the production of isopentane is subject to stricter supervision and management by the state. As domestic environmental protection and production safety policies become stricter, , rectification efforts have been intensified, and some companies have adjusted their business structures and withdrawn from the isopentane market. Therefore, the industry concentration is relatively high. The main companies in the industry include Dongying Junyuan Petroleum Technology Development Co., Ltd. and Guangzhou Help Chemical Co., Ltd. , Heze Xileng Chemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Jingbo Petrochemical Co., Ltd., etc.
Industry analysts said that isopentane in my country is mainly used in the fields of polyethylene and industrial refrigeration. At present, my country’s polyethylene, especially high-end LLDPE linear low-density polyethylene and HDPE high-density polyethylene, still needs to rely on imports. There is still room for further development in the polyethylene industry. With the deepening of supply-side reform in the future, my country’s polyethylene industry will remain relatively stable. The good development trend will promote the growth of isopentane demand.
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