Portfolio Planning PLUS is pleased to announce the publication of a comprehensive technology description for Tianjin University (TJU)'s proprietary ethanol dehydration technology, representing a significant milestone in China's domestically developed coal-based olefin production capabilities.​

COMMERCIAL BREAKTHROUGH AT XINJIANG TIANYE HUIXIANG

The proprietary technology achieved its first commercial deployment in July 2025 at Xinjiang Tianye Huixiang New Materials Co., Ltd. in Changji Hui, marking China's largest single-train ethanol-to-ethylene unit at 104,000 tonnes/year capacity. The facility successfully achieved one-time startup and reached full-load operation, producing polymer-grade ethylene with 99.96% purity as the core component of Xinjiang Tianye's 225,000 tonnes/year high-performance resin feedstock project. This installation demonstrates exceptional performance characteristics including 99.2-99.6% ethanol conversion, 99.4% ethylene selectivity, and industry-leading energy efficiency consuming only 1.55-1.57 tonnes of steam per tonne of ethylene produced.​​

Photo: 104,000-ton/year ultra-clean dehydration unit of the 225,000-ton/year high-performance resin raw material project of Xinjiang Tianye Huixiang New Materials Co., Ltd. | Credit: Sohu, Ref. Nr. 3

INTEGRATION INTO FULLY DOMESTIC COAL-BASED VALUE CHAIN

The technology deployment is strategically integrated within a comprehensive coal-to-polymers value chain anchored at the sister company Xinjiang Tianye Huihe New Materials Co., Ltd., where coal gasification technologies and subsequent processes produce the ethanol feedstock. This integration establishes a complete "coal–ethanol–ethylene–PVC" industrial chain based entirely on domestically developed Chinese technologies, representing a transformative shift from Tianye Group's traditional high-energy calcium carbide-based PVC production model toward cleaner and more efficient coal resource utilization. The value chain demonstrates China's technological independence across the entire processing sequence from coal gasification through syngas-to-ethanol synthesis, ethanol dehydration to polymer-grade ethylene, and final conversion to high-performance resins and PVC products.​

Xinjiang Tianye Changji Hui Facility | Credit: Baidu

TECHNICAL INNOVATION AND STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE

The TJU technology incorporates several breakthrough innovations including phosphorus-modified ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts achieving 18+ month regeneration cycles, and a patented molecular sieve drying system using product ethylene for regeneration instead of nitrogen, eliminating external gas consumption while improving environmental performance. The successful commercialization establishes China's international leadership in non-petroleum olefin production routes and provides a replicable model for coal chemical industry transformation. ​​

TJU Ethanol Dehydration Technology Main PFD (from CN115055132A, technology description ref. nr. 5)

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