CrystPX^SM

CrystPX^SM is GTC's crystallization technology for production of paraxylene, offered in alliance with Lyondell Bassell.  This process separates paraxylene by slurry phase crystallization and separation of the paraxylene crystals from the remaining liquid.  CrystPX^SM technology is applicable with high or low concentration paraxylene feedstocks, and provides a lower-cost alternative to adsorption methods for paraxylene production.  GTC takes advantage of recent advances in crystallization techniques and improvements in equipment to create an efficient method for paraxylene recovery and purification.

Advantages:

• High paraxylene purity and recovery (99.8+ wt.% purity at up to 95% recovery)
• Crystallization equipment is simple and operationally trouble free
• Compact design requires small plot size, and lowest capital investment
• System is flexible to meet market requirements for paraxylene purity
• System is easily amendable to future requirement for incremental capacity increases
• Feed concentration of paraxylene is used efficiently
• Technology is flexible to process a range of feed concentrations (75-95 wt.% paraxylene) in a 1-stage refrigeration system
• Design variations are used to recover paraxylene efficiently from feedstocks (-22% PX) in a multi-stage system, competitive with adsorption-based systems