Chemical Catalysts and Adsorbents

Stationary Emissions Control

At BASF, we know our customers face two great challenges: staying environmentally compliant and staying cost effective. So we develop affordable solutions to meet the ever more stringent emission requirements, delivering results that help our customers meet their goals.

With thousands of our high-performance, low-maintenance environmental catalysts being used right now - including CO oxidation catalysts that remove carbon monoxide and VOC catalysts that remove Volatile Organic Compounds - BASF plays a large role toward helping industrial leaders reduce harmful pollutants.

Alexander Mull

Specialist for DeNOx & N2O Decomposition Catalysts

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Rainer Steeg

Specialist for DeNOx & N2O Decomposition Catalysts

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BASF is the leading oxidation-catalyst supplier to the power generation industry.

We’ve been servicing the power generation industry for more than 30 years, with over 1,000 units currently operating or under construction. And nearly all of the power-generation oxidation catalysts we supplied are still running. Over 300 units are six to 10 years old, and over 200 units are 10+ years old. And there’s no stopping them!

Our breadth of experience encompasses virtually every make, model, and turbine configuration. Our R&D, application, and staff expertise ensure maximum performance for both new source applications, and replacement catalysts for existing applications.

Offering innovative solutions that deliver proven results

At BASF, we understand that our customers must not only comply with environmental standards, but also must keep their operations in service, readily and cost effectively. To successfully meet this challenge, BASF offers years of experience developing innovative solutions that deliver proven results. We are committed to providing our customers with cost-effective solutions to the most complex emissions control problems. We are constantly developing new technologies to meet ever more stringent emission requirements to help our customers to be more successful.

BASF and thyssenkrupp Uhde cooperate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - Collaboration in the field of tertiary N₂O and NOx solutions (EnviNOx^®)

In June 2023, we announced our collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde on the further development new tertiary N₂O catalyst for the Nitric Acid industry. Our partnership combines the expertise in the field of N₂O and NOx abatement, enabling thyssenkrupp Uhde to offer their clients the most innovative solutions for their environmental needs with an effective reduction of nitrous oxide emissions of more than 99% demonstrated.

Together, we are committed to creating environmentally friendly catalyst solutions that not only meet but exceed regulatory standards. Our R&D teams jointly work to design and produce catalysts that are highly effective, durable, and sustainable.

For more information about our collaboration and our range of environmental catalysts, please take a look at our press release and contact our experts or visit the webpage of thyssenkrupp Uhde.

N₂O Decomposition and DeNOx

BASF supplies catalysts and technologies to reduce emissions from stationary sources and industrial processes. Tailor-made solutions, catalyst services and long-term experience in emission reduction help our customers fulfill their sustainability goals.

BASF’s N₂O decomposition technology adsorbs N₂O (laughing gas) and almost eliminates N₂O emissions. The decomposition of 1 metric ton of N₂O has the same effect as of saving 298 metric tons of CO₂. To break down N₂O into its harmless, natural components, (N₂and O₂), BASF has developed a series of decomposition catalysts.

The catalysts can be used to eliminate and reduce harmful substances in a great varierty of applications, such as:

Nitric acid plants

Adipic acid plants

Environmental Catalysts Portfolio

Catalyst	Shape	Size, mm	Density, kg/L	Min. Operating Temperature, °C	Max. Operating Temperature, °C
O3-81	Star extrudates	6 (diameter)	0.9	450	>800
O3-85 (secondary catalyst)	Star extrudates	3, 4.8, 6 (diameter)	0.85-1.0	750	>900
O4-89	Extrudates	4.5 (diameter)	1.1	180	450

N₂O (laughing gas) Catalysts Benefits

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Your benefits:

Long catalytic lifetime
Durability saves up to 50%
No leaching into the HNO₃
Works with all types of platinum (Pt) gauzes
Extermelylow pressure drop
Good economic value with low investment

Our service:

Full catalyst design based on process simulation
Activity tests
Confidentiality license agreement
Supply of fresh catalyst

CO Catalysts for Power Generation

BASF is the leading oxidation catalyst supplier to the power generation industry. We have been servicing the power generation industry for over 20 years with about 1000 units operating or under construction. BASF customers value our experience and technical expertise as the premier supplier of oxidation catalyst solutions to the power generation industry.

Our breadth of experience encompasses virtually every make, model and turbine configuration. Our R&D, application and project engineering staff expertise ensure maximum performance for both new source applications and replacement catalyst for existing applications. Nearly all of the power generation oxidation catalysts that we have supplied are still running. More than 300 units are six to ten years old and over 200 units are greater than ten years old. No one else in the industry approaches the durability or number of installations of BASF oxidation catalysts for the power generation industry.

Power plants using natural gas to generate electricity are considered serious point sources of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and particulate matter. Plant operators are being challenged to meet strict emission standards. For superior treatment of carbon monoxide emissions from these generators, BASF Catalysts Camet^® oxidation catalyst systems destroy CO and VOCs from natural gas and oil fired turbines and boilers. These gas turbine catalysts have unmatched experience and performance. In addition, BASF's CatCO^™ CO oxidation catalyst technology may be applied for process streams with higher particulate content such as wood fired boilers. These catalysts have been successfully used for many years.

Camet CO Catalysts for Power Generation

BASF Catalysts's Camet^® CO catalyst systems destroy carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by power generation equipment. As power plant emissions have received increased attention by regulators, power generators have been required to meet ever more stringent environmental regulations. Camet technology offers an efficient, cost-effective program for gas or oil fired turbines and boilers to meet these regulations.

CatCO Oxidation Catalysts for Power Generation

BASF's CatCO^™ oxidation catalyst is specifically formulated to provide superior abatement of carbon monoxide (CO) from diesel and natural gas engine applications, wood fired boilers and many other process applications, enabling compliance with today's strict environmental standards. Through the process of oxidation, the CatCO catalyst eliminates CO by converting it to less harmful carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Camet Benefits

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The technology has been proven effective by millions of hours of trouble-free performance in the field. Camet-based catalytic converters have a superior conversion efficiency and low-pressure drop.
The effectiveness of Camet catalysts is a direct result of BASF Catalysts's innovative catalytic core over which the exhaust gases are passed. The core consists of a continuous metal foil that is corrugated, coated with a uniform washcoat containing the catalyst, folded and encased in a steel container. The folded foil's unique herringbone and skew patterns produce the needed turbulence to ensure excellent fluid-to-wall contact, leading to superior conversion efficiency.
The system provides superior conversion efficiency and enables generators to treat large flow rates of exhaust gas with smaller volumes of highly active catalysts.
The metal foil substrate provides enhanced catalyst durability with reduced weight. It is rugged and washable. The system also performs effectively in a broad range of operating temperatures
Camet catalytic systems can be customized to meet the needs of new or retrofit installations, even where space is limited. BASF Catalysts can tailor catalyst composition, cell density and catalyst module shape and dimensions to meet specific requirements.
Camet catalysts can be configured in individual modules for manual handling or, to reduce service downtime, in complete panels for mechanical loading. Test cores in each unit enable accurate and simple monitoring of the catalyst's efficiency through the life of the product.

CatCO Benefits

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Reduced emissions of CO by up to 99%
Ceramic substrate provides high conversion efficiency with low pressure drop
Can be applied to stand-by or continuous operation engines
Can be provided in a standard or custom configuration

Camet ST Sulfur-Tolerant Catalyst

Recently, the quality of natural gas fuels has changed dramatically, and the presence of fracked gas, landfill gas, and other acceptable forms of biogas are commonly contained in pipeline gas. The result has been the unpredictable impact on emission catalysts, especially CO/VOC catalysts used in gas turbine applications.
To mitigate the impact of these gases on oxidation catalysts, a complete re-evaluation of catalysts for these applications is required. BASF has re-engineered the traditional CO/VOC catalyst to provide superior performance, even in the presence of higher levels of sulfur. BASF is now offering the patent pending Camet ST Sulfur-Tolerant Oxidation Catalyst to perform in these very unpredictable environments.

Camet ST Benefits

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Camet ST can perform with sulfur levels up to 2.4 gr/100 ft3 in the gas stream, over 6 times the normal level of sulfur in natural gas pipelines today, while continuing to meet high levels of CO oxidation.
High sulfur tolerance
Excellent stability

VOC Catalysts

BASF Catalysts has long been a leader in the development of highly active, robust and selective catalysts and related technologies for the destruction of volatile organic compounds (VOC). While there are a number of methods to abate VOC emissions, catalytic incineration has become a leading choice because it can be more versatile and economical than other approaches.

VOCat^™

VOCat^™ catalysts convert hydrocarbons (HC) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) into carbon dioxide and water. They are exceptionally efficient and durable, leading often to lower operating costs than other technologies. They control emissions from a wide variety of industrial processes, including chemical processes, paint systems, food processing, printing, electronics, and soil and groundwater cleanup systems, helping customers meet increasingly stringent emissions standards reliably and cost-effectively.

Typical industrial emission applications:

Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA)
Acrylic Acid
Phthalic Anhydride / Maleic Anhydride
Acrylonitrile
Styrene
Phenol / Acetone

Formaldehyde
Ethylene Oxide / Ethylene Glycol
Petrochemical
Rubber
Painting
Printing

The VOCat^TM family includes several individual catalyst products, including:

300 S oxidation catalyst, a standard in the industry for controlling most of the VOCs from a wide variety of processes.
300 H oxidation catalyst, for use at lower temperatures and where more and varied VOC are present in exhaust gas streams.
310 ST sulfur tolerant oxidation catalyst, which maintains high activity for VOC when there is a significant amount of sulfur in the exhaust gas stream. Other oxidation catalysts can be rendered inactive by the sulfur.

Most VOCat^TM catalysts are supported on ceramic honeycomb and all products feature:

Excellent adhesion for long durability
High temperature stability and thermal shock resistance
Low pressure drop
High strength

VOCat^TM PTA

VOCat™ catalysts for PTA processes are used to reduce emissions resulting from the production of purified terephthalic acid (PTA). The exhaust of the PTA process is particularly challenging because it may contain many volatile organic compounds (VOC), such as toluene, methyl acetate, acetic acid, carbon monoxide and methyl bromide.

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The family of VOCat^TM PTA catalysts destroy the VOC and carbon monoxide (CO) even in the presence of a halogenated compound, methyl bromide, commonly found in PTA exhaust gas. Included in this family of products are:

450 series, highly active catalysts designed for low temperature operation in streams containing methyl bromide.
200 series, a base metal offering for economical control of PTA emissions in the presence of methyl bromide.
800 series, highly active catalysts for operating conditions at elevated temperatures.

VOCat^TM PTA catalysts offer customers excellent efficiency and cost effectiveness because the product features: