Author: Chris Fang
Affiliation: Junyuan Petroleum Group
Corresponding author: Edward Wang
Selecting a refinery sulfiding agent requires a clear understanding of product quality, application requirements, handling precautions, and delivery conditions. Junyuan Petroleum Group offers TBPS—di-tert-butyl polysulfide for hydroprocessing catalyst presulfiding and continuous sulfur addition.
This article presents Junyuan’s published TBPS specifications and a practical qualification framework for refinery purchasing teams, process engineers, and startup personnel.
1. Product and Application Scope
TBPS, identified by CAS number 68937-96-2, is an organic polysulfide product. Junyuan’s published application scope includes catalyst presulfiding in hydrotreating and hydrocracking units, as well as continuous sulfur addition.
For procurement purposes, these applications should be treated as distinct requirements. A startup purchase may involve a defined campaign quantity and delivery deadline, while continuous sulfur addition may require a recurring supply arrangement. In either case, the refinery should specify the intended service before requesting a quotation.
Product selection should also distinguish between published material properties and plant operating instructions. A decomposition-temperature range does not, by itself, establish an injection temperature or a complete sulfiding procedure.
2. Published Product Specifications
Junyuan’s published TBPS specifications provide an initial basis for technical screening and purchasing discussions.
Table 1. Published specifications for Junyuan TBPS
| Property | Published specification |
|---|
| Chemical name | Di-tert-butyl polysulfide |
| Product abbreviation | TBPS |
| CAS number | 68937-96-2 |
| Appearance | Dark brown or brown-yellow liquid |
| Total sulfur content | 52.0–56.0 wt% |
| Density at 20 °C | 1.09–1.18 g/cm³ |
| Flash point, open cup | ≥100 °C |
| Pour point | ≤−40 °C |
| Initial decomposition temperature | 125–150 °C |
| Ash content | ≤0.05 wt% |
These are published specification limits and ranges, not measured values for every shipment. Delivered-batch quality should be checked against the certificate of analysis and the acceptance requirements agreed in the purchase contract.
Quality documentation
Before approving a supplier or placing an order, buyers should request the current product specification, applicable test methods, and batch documentation requirements.
A certificate of analysis and a safety data sheet serve different purposes. The COA documents batch-quality results, while the SDS communicates hazards and handling information. OSHA’s guidance on safety data sheets explains the information provided on chemical properties, hazards, protective measures, and handling precautions.
Handling and application review
Junyuan’s product information describes a relatively mild odor, a high flash point, and decomposition characteristics intended to support controlled sulfur release. These descriptions should be considered alongside the current SDS and the refinery’s operating requirements.
A higher flash point does not eliminate handling hazards, and odor should not be used as a substitute for exposure assessment. Storage, unloading, transfer, and use should follow the applicable safety documentation and site procedures.
Published product specifications help identify a candidate material. Demonstrating performance requires operating records from the intended application.
An anonymized diesel hydrotreating startup case illustrates the types of measurements that can support a refinery evaluation. The supplied records described a 2 Mt/a unit that used an organic polysulfide sulfiding agent during a June 2023 startup.
Table 2. Reported results from the anonymized startup case
| Parameter | Previous procedure | Case procedure |
|---|
| Sulfiding-agent consumption | 40.9 t | 34.0 t |
| Total sulfiding duration | 34 h | 28 h |
The records also reported diesel sulfur concentrations of 0.1–3.0 μg/g during initial operation and a recorded value of 0.5 μg/g following operating adjustments.
This case involved a different product. It is included to illustrate evaluation metrics, not as a trial result or performance claim for Junyuan TBPS. The available documentation is insufficient to attribute the differences solely to the sulfiding agent.
Recommended evaluation records
For a Junyuan TBPS qualification campaign, the refinery can establish an evaluation plan covering:
- Actual batch quality and total sulfur content.
- Catalyst inventory and calculated sulfur requirement.
- Injection rate, cumulative consumption, and injection duration.
- Temperature stages, holding periods, and reactor-bed temperature differences.
- Circulating-gas hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide analysis.
- Product sulfur results after feed introduction and during subsequent operation.
- Utility consumption measured over a defined period.
The approved procedure should address the specific unit and catalyst system. For facilities subject to the U.S. standard, OSHA’s Process Safety Management requirements provide a regulatory framework for process-safety information, hazard analysis, operating procedures, and the review of applicable changes.
Interpreting results
A useful comparison identifies differences in catalyst inventory, operating conditions, measurement methods, and completion criteria.
Shorter elapsed time or lower material consumption should not automatically be interpreted as better performance. The refinery should review those results alongside completion of the approved procedure, temperature behavior, and post-startup product quality.
Junyuan TBPS should therefore be assessed through its own documented application results rather than through assumed equivalence to another product.
4. Procurement and Supplier Qualification
A focused procurement inquiry allows commercial and technical requirements to be reviewed together.
Table 3. Suggested supplier-qualification checklist
| Review area | Information to request or confirm |
|---|
| Product identity | Product name, CAS number, and specification revision |
| Batch acceptance | COA requirements, test methods, and acceptance limits |
| Safety documentation | Current SDS and applicable handling information |
| Intended application | Catalyst presulfiding or continuous sulfur addition |
| Quantity | Trial quantity, campaign requirement, or recurring demand |
| Packaging | Proposed package type, net quantity, and unloading requirements |
| Delivery | Destination, required arrival date, and quoted lead time |
| Commercial terms | Price basis, quotation validity, payment terms, and delivery terms |
| Technical approval | Review against the refinery’s intended service and procedure |
This checklist describes information to confirm during qualification. It does not imply that particular packaging, delivery commitments, or technical services have already been agreed.
Assessing commercial value
Unit price is one part of a purchasing decision. Buyers can also consider delivered cost, agreed quality requirements, logistics, documentation, and measured application performance.
Any claim of reduced hydrogen consumption, shorter startup time, or lower total operating cost should be supported by a documented comparison. This article does not guarantee those outcomes for Junyuan TBPS.
A practical qualification decision combines an acceptable product specification, satisfactory documentation, an approved application approach, and suitable commercial terms.
5. Request a Technical Review
Refinery buyers considering Junyuan TBPS can begin with a technical inquiry or request for quotation. A complete inquiry should include:
- Refinery unit type and intended application.
- Required quantity and delivery schedule.
- Delivery destination and preferred commercial terms.
- Packaging and unloading requirements.
- Product acceptance limits and required documents.
- Whether the request concerns a qualification sample, trial campaign, or routine supply.
Use the inquiry options on Junyuan Petroleum Group’s TBPS product page to request the current specification, safety documentation, batch-quality requirements, and a project-specific quotation.
Providing these details at the outset helps establish a clear basis for product qualification and supply discussions—before the refinery commits to a purchase or operating trial.