UOP selected by Kumho P&B Chemicals to provide technology for cumene and phenol plants

12-Jan-12

UOP LLC has been selected by South Korea’s Kumho P&B Chemicals, Inc. to provide technology to produce cumene and phenol. Honeywell’s UOP Q-Max and UOP Phenol process technologies will be integrated at Kumho’s Yeosu facility to produce high-quality phenol. The new units, expected to start up in 2013–2014, will produce 900,000 tpa of cumene and 300,000 tpa of phenol. UOP will provide engineering design, technology licensing, catalysts, adsorbents and technical service for the project. The UOP Q-Max process produces high-quality cumene through the alkylation of benzene with propylene. The cumene is subsequently converted to high-quality phenol, with low feedstock and utility requirements, using the UOP Phenol process. The UOP Q-Max process uses a robust and efficient catalyst system, which maximises on-stream time, and minimises raw material and energy consumption.