C2 Front-End hydrogenation Hydrogenation Catalyst
The C2 front-end hydrogenation process is a critical step in the purification of ethylene-rich streams obtained from steam crackers or Methanol-To-Olefins (MTO) plants. It is performed upstream in the ethylene (C2H2) recovery section, across several stages, and focuses on removing impurities such as acetylene, methylacetylene-propadiene (MAPD), and carbon monoxide to prepare the C2 fraction for downstream separation and polymer-grade ethylene production.
The catalyst formulation minimizes "green oil" formation, which can cause fouling. Excess hydrogen can be removed downstream in the demethanizer column.