Haldor Topsøe announces second SNG plant in China

17 November 2014

Haldor Topsoe A/S announced that Huineng, a large-scale SNG (Substitute Natural Gas) plant, went successfully on-stream near the city of Ordos, located in Inner Mongolia in the northern part of China. Topsoe has designed the methanation section of this plant, which is the company’s second large-scale coal-based industrial SNG reference to begin operations in China following last years’ opening of Qinghua, the world’s largest SNG plant located in the Xinjiang region.

The Huineng SNG plant is owned and operated by the private Chinese company Huineng Coal Electricity Group and represents an investment of USD 1.1 billion. The plant will have an annual output of approximately 400 million normal cubic meters of SNG based on coal gasification.

The SNG produced at Huineng will be liquefied into LNG. Annually, the facility expects to reach a total production of 280,000 tons. The LNG will be transported to gas stations in Ordos and the area surrounding the city.

The Huineng plant uses Topsoe catalysts and the company’s TREMP™ methanation technology to produce SNG from synthesis gas derived from coal. In the methanation process carbon oxides react with hydrogen to form methane, i.e. SNG. Since the methanation process is highly exothermic, an efficient heat recovery scheme is key to maintain an attractive plant economy.

As part of the Huineng methanation unit, Topsoe has designed a hot steam superheater which allows steam production at a temperature of 530°C. This steam is used to generate electricity, improving the overall energy efficiency of the entire plant complex.

Source: Haldor Topsoe