Recently, Sunchem’s catalysts have been successfully and stably operated in the 16,000 tons per year xylitol plant and the 12,000 tons per year maltitol plant. These units are using the raney type of nickel catalysts developed by Sunchem, reflecting the recognition of Sunchem’s strong technical solutions and superior catalyst performance in the sugar alcohol field.
With the change of social life concepts, the quality and nutrition of food have been widely concerned. Food products must not only be visually appealing, fragrant, and flavorful but also safe and nutritious. Sugar alcohols, known for their low-calorie content, non-cariogenic properties, and low glycemic response, have become a major demand driver in the food and beverage as well as health supplement industries. Over the past few years, the average annual compound growth rate of sugar alcohol production has exceeded 10% in China. Specifically, sorbitol has grown at an annual compound rate of over 7%, maltitol at over 10%, and xylitol at over 5%.
RaneCAT series, Raney type of nickel catalysts independently developed by Sunchem are suitable for the hydrogenation of aldehydes to alcohols in sugar molecules, and are applicable to the production of sugar alcohols in the process of chemical synthesis.
Key features of RaneCAT series catalysts:
- High Activity: Enables rapid hydrogenation to sugar alcohols, improving conversion rates and ensuring high purity and yield.
- High Strength: Effectively prevents catalyst fragmentation during high-speed flow in reactors, reducing sedimentation issues, loss, and high consumption.
- Wear Resistance: Minimizes the generation of fines, preventing metal residues in the final product and enhancing product quality.
- Advanced Manufacturing: Utilizes DCS (Distributed Control System) and SIS (Safety Instrumented System) for full-process control, ensuring product stability and high-quality delivery.
Industrial Application Data:
Conversion Rates:
- Maltitol: >99%
- Sorbitol, Xylitol: >99.9%
Yields:
- Maltitol: >95%
- Sorbitol, Xylitol: >98.5%
RaneCAT series, Raney type of nickel catalysts for carbonyl hydrogenation, has been successfully applied in the production of various sugar alcohols, including sorbitol and xylitol, earning a good reputation in industrial applications.