Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2005)
Abstract
Furfural production using continuous feeding process was discussed by using the
Westpro modified Chinese Huaxia Furfural Technology as an example. The technical
process, equipment required, raw materials needed, unit operations, operation
parameters, operation staff, available byproducts, economic considerations, possible
markets, and land area considerations are mentioned. The production and uses of some
important furfural derivatives, such as furfuryl alcohol, tetra hydro furfuryl alcohol,
acetyl furane, furoic acid, methyl furane and tetrahydrofuran THF are identified.
Current world production of furfural is about 250,000 t/a, at a stable price of $1,000/t;
and it is being projected to 225 thousand metric tons per annum.
Keywords: Batch process, cellulose, continuous processes, corn cobs, fixed-bed
reactors, oat hulls, pentosans, rice hulls, sugar cane bagasse, Quaker Oats technology.
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For example the capital for equipment is Current world production is ca. 250,000
only $500,000 for a furfural plant with an t/a; and the price is usually static at $1,000/t.
annual capacity of one thousand metric tons. The world operating capacity is estimated to be
The typical size of plants using this technology approaching 225 thousand metric tons per year
is 500 ~ 6000 metric ton furfural per annum. (SRI Consulting, 2004).
About twenty personnel are sufficient to World furfural consumption is shown in
operate the plant, and the land requirement is table 2. U.S. consumption of furfural is
only about 5,000 m2. The expected annual expected to stabilize at an average annual rate
profit before taxes is estimated to be between of 2.0% over the next five years. Restructuring,
US$ 1 and 2 million (Westpro 2004). Furfural de-emphasis, plant closures and inexpensive
is the only organic compound derived from furfural imports from China and the Dominican
biomass that can replace the crude oil based Republic have prompted the closure of many
organics used in industry (Dalin Yebo Trading U.S. plants. Four furfural plants were shut
2004). down in the United States between 1995 and
Most furfural plants are located close to 2003, causing an annual capacity loss of 90
available raw materials. Dictated by the thousand metric tons. Currently there is only
harvest of agricultural products, most plants one U.S. producer, Quaker Oats-Pepsico,
operate on a 7-8 month schedule. which uses oat by-products to make furfural.
Downstream products include furfuryl European overall consumption of furfural
alcohol, tetra hydro furfuryl alcohol, acetyl remained constant at over 40 thousand metric
furane, furoic acid, methyl furane and tons from 1996 to 2000. Japanese furfural
tetrahydrofuran THF (Brenkem Consultants consumption declined to about 2.5 thousand
Asia Co. 2004). Furfuryl alcohol, used mainly metric tons in 2000. The largest furfural market
in the production of furan resins for foundry used to be for furfuryl alcohol production. But
sand binders, is the major market for furfural. It the largest market now is lube oil refining.
is also widely used industrially as a refining Little or no growth is projected to 2005 (Levy
solvent in the manufacture of synthetic rubber. and Yokose 2004).
Furfural can be used for the production of
lubricants; specialist adhesives and plastics; Westpro Modified Huaxia Technology
and nylons. It is the starting material for
cycling shorts (Hebei Furan Chemical The Chinese Huaxia Furfural Technology
Economic & Trade Ltd. 2004). uses fixed-bed reactors and continuous
World production of furfural shifted from dynamic refining, and gives a high yield of
developed countries to developing countries furfural and byproducts at a low production
during the early 1990s. Western European cost. It is a popular example of a continuous
production was significantly reduced, while process that has replaced the less efficient
Chinese production increased. At present the batch processes, which characteristically gives
largest producers of furfural are China and the yields of about 50% only. The process was
Central Romana Corporation in the Dominican modified by Westpro (2004).
Republic (see Table 1). In China furfural is The steps involved are pretreatment,
produced from corncobs in the northern hydrolysis, refining and byproduct recovery.
provinces. Many small plants and several large Technical details are mentioned below. The
ones exist, particularly in Shandong Province hydrolysis step, developed in 1970s, was
(Brenkem Consultants Asia Co. 2004). Over modified in the 1980s with the use of
the next five years Chinese production of controlled electrical discharge components.
furfural and furfuryl alcohol is projected to The refining process and byproduct recovery,
increase at an average annual rate of 5% developed in 1980s, has been continuously
provided no shortage of raw material improved by using advanced US control
(corncobs) is experienced. China is the only technology.
major region where increased furfural This greatly improved byproduct yield,
production is expected in the next five years. especially acetic acid recovery. Most furfural
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AU J.T. 8(4): 185-190 (Apr. 2005)
addition of organic and/or inorganic acids, within reach of many small communities. Thus
reacts explosively producing intense heat. furfural may aptly be dubbed “Gold from
It is used in the production of furane resin, Garbage”
surface coatings, pharmaceuticals, mortar,
specialty polymers, chemically resistant References
resin, etc., boiler and floor grouting,
adhesives used in foundry cores and moulds. Ashland Specialty Chemical Co. 2001. No-Bake
High interest is evident in a paper where Binder. Foundry Management & Technology,
three binder suppliers - Ashland Specialty May.
Chemical Co., Dublin, Ohio; HA BASF. 2002. BASF and Lyondell Boost THF
International, LLC, Westchester, Illinois; Production (China/US). Specialty Chemicals,
and Hormel Foods Corp., Austin, Minnesota October 2002.
- forecast how their core binders will adapt Brady, J.E.; Russell, J.W.; and Holum, J.R.
to meet the future demands of environmental 2000. Chemistry-Matter and Its Changes, 3rd.
regulations, extended shelf life and tighter ed. Pp. 1055-7. John Wiley, New York, NY,
dimensional accuracy facing the metal USA.
casting industry (Tackes 2001). Brenkem Consultants Asia Co Ltd. 2004.
(d) As tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. Widely used Info:info@brenkem.com
precursor for specialty chemicals. Used as a Sales: sales@brenkem.com
binder in catalyst for the new pebble bed http://www.brenkem.com/furfural.htm 19/87
reactors (Crandell 2003). Soi Rewadi 64, Muang Nonthaburi,
(e) As tetrahydrofuran [THF]. Precursor for Nonthaburi, Thailand 11000.
wide range of chemical syntheses (BASF. Crandell, G. 2003. Putting GMBOND to the
2002; Penn Specialty 2001). Starting Test. Foundry Management & Technology, 1
material for PTMEG. [Polymeg / Spandex]. August.
Dalin Yebo Trading, 2004.
Other Opportunities http://www.dalinyebo.co.za/dyT/FurfuralMark
et.htm
As furfural has unique properties a host of Hebei Furan Chemical Economic & Trade Ltd.
opportunities are available provided the 2004.124 Guanghua Rd. Shijiazhuang China.
production cost can be reduced. Drug and http://www.furfuryl.com/yingwen/cpjs.htm
specialty chemical manufacture; replacement of Levy, J.; and Yokose, K. 2004. Chemical
phenol in foundry resins; and specialized Economics Handbook Report
polymers are some possibilities. For example, http://ceh.sric.sri.com/Public/Reports/660.500
di-furfural is stronger than other high strength 0/
polymers. McMurray, J.; and Fay, R.C. 2004. Chemistry,
A derivative of current interest is 4th ed., pp 1010-11. Pearson Education Inc.,
tetrahydro-2-furanmethanol (THFA) - Prentice Hall, New York, NY, USA.
C4H7OCH20H. It is a transparent motile liquid Penn Specialty. 2001. Penn Specialty Completes
with characteristic odor. It is being developed as 80 MM lb/yr THF Plant, Hydrocarbon
a solvent for cleaning electronic components; as Processing, April.
chemical coupling agent in organic syntheses; SRI Consulting, 2004. 4300 Bohannon Drive,
and making vinyl resin, dyes, and rubber. Suite 200, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
(Brenkem Consultants Asia Co Ltd, 2004). http://ceh.sric.sri.com
Tackes, G. 2001. Core Binders: A Look to the
Future, Modern Casting, 31 Oct.
Conclusion Westpro, 2004. Westpro, PO Box 927833, San
Diego, CA 92192-7833, email: news@
Furfural is a utility chemical. The westprochem.com, Fax: (858) 277-6726
manufacture is simple, the raw material is http://www.westprochem.com/page0008.htm
agriculture waste, the capital is reasonable and
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AU J.T. 8(4): 185-190 (Apr. 2005)
FF Production
FF Consumption
Country/Continent Sales (tpa)
Furfural PTMEG & Others Furfuryl Alcohol
Europe 12,000 7,000
USA 8,000 20,000 20,000
Middle East 7,000
Japan 6,000 15,000
Taiwan 5,000 5,000
South America 5,000 10,000
China 5,000 6,000
Australia/Souh Africa 2,000 6,000
UK 12,000
Germany 18,000
Others up to 50,000 31,000
Subtotal 50,000 - 100,000 20,000 130,000
Total 200,000 - 250,000
FF Pricing
Date Price Range ($/t) Comments
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