Chiyoda is aiming to supply the catalyst for diesel oil in order to meet sulfur content regulation, which will be reinforced globally over the coming years.
Chiyoda said that, although the titantia catalyst is known to be more effective at removing sulfur content than the usual alumina catalyst, in the past, technical difficulties had prevented its commercial application. However, Chiyoda has come up with a proprietary method to overcome this difficulty.
The titania catalyst, which has been jointly developed by Axens and Chiyoda, has very high activity for hydrodesulfurization and allows oil companies to produce sulfur-free diesel at a lower temperature than the alumina catalyst.
Axens is currently working on the final adjustment of industrial operating parameters and has scheduled the production of first commercial batches of titania precursor and hydrotreatment catalyst in the first quarter of 2008.
The companies hope that they will be able to begin supplying the commercialized product globally, starting in Europe, where sulfur-free regulation starts in 2009.
Axens is a global company with activities that include process licensing in the fields of refinery and petrochemical industries, and manufacture and sales of various catalysts used in those fields. Axens is a leading process licensor in the hydrodesulfurization of gasoline and diesel oils, and supplies the catalysts for such processes.
