Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. Contracted the Licensing and Basic Engineering Order for PBT Production Process in China
TOKYO & BEIJING–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. (TOKYO:1970) has concluded a contract with China Petrochemical International Co., Ltd. (SINOPEC) (chairman: Jiang Zhenyin, head office: Beijing) to license its polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) production process for use in a plant with a yearly capacity of 60,000 tons; in addition, the company will also carry out basic engineering work related to this project. Plant construction and the production of PBT polymer are scheduled to start in February 2010 and early 2011, respectively. This is Hitachi Plant Technologies’ first contract for the supply of a PBT production process to a plant in China.
PBT is a highly-functional thermoplastic polyester produced through esterification1 and polycondensation2 of terephthalic acid3 and 1,4-butanediol4. In addition to high levels of both heat and weather resistance, it benefits from excellent dimensional stability and molding flexibility; accordingly, this material is widely employed in the manufacture of automobile electrical components, general electrical and electronic components, and many other products. As the corresponding industries are currently undergoing particular expansion in China and Southeast Asia, the market for PBT polymer in these areas is expected to grow rapidly.
*1 Esterification: A dehydration condensation reaction in which an acid and an alcohol form a polymer, esterification is the first stages in the production of polyester.
*2 Polycondensation: A polymerization process whereby a number of compounds bond while extracting water and other small molecules from each other, polycondensation is the final stages in the production of polyester.
*3 Terephthalic acid: An aromatic carboxylic acid with the chemical formula C8H6O4, terephthalic acid is used in the production of plastic bottles, fibers, and the like.
*4 1,4-butanediol: An organic compound with the chemical formula C4H10O2.
In 2000, Hitachi Plant Technologies successfully developed and commercialized a production process for PBT polymer based on expertise and experience acquired over many years of processing ultra-high-viscosity polymers and on numerous technical achievements in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Prior to winning of the new contract, the company had already supplied PBT production processes to plants in three different countries – Japan, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia. PBT polymer manufactured at existing plants employing these process technologies has won an excellent reputation for quality within the polymer industry, and this has been a highly significant factor in winning of the new contract.
Hitachi Plant Technologies’ PBT processing approach offers a range of advantages: The esterification reaction benefits from high-speed, highly-efficient heating; with the polycondensation reaction achievable at low temperatures as a result of application of the company’s technical expertise in the stirring of ultra-high-viscosity polymer, less colored PBT polymer can be produced; furthermore, the switching of product grades requires but a short time to complete, and a diverse array of products can be produced.
In addition to PBT polymer, Hitachi Plant Technologies also offers production processes for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), and polylactide (PLA). Using the business of licensing these technologies as a core, the company plans to further expand its provision of special chemical equipment and its comprehensive engineering, procurement, and construction solutions.
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【About Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd.】
Hitachi Plant Technologies’ polymer production process technologies
Hitachi Plant Technologies has developed and commercialized production processes for a wide range of polymers such as PET, PC, PBT, and PLA. In terms of PET production plants, the company has provided over 100 systems to countries all over the world, including the world’s largest plant, which has an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons. And the largest PBT plant in the world, producing 60,000 tons per year, has also installed a Hitachi Plant Technologies’ production process.
In response to the background of rising environmental awareness over recent years, bioplastics are in greater demand than ever before. One such plastic is PLA, and Hitachi Plant Technologies has just won a new contract to supply a process for the production of this material to a plant in Japan. As part of the development of this and other new processes, the company makes use of a pilot plant at its Kasado Industrial Equipment Production Division, which are located in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture.