Enter a new stage of development! The sulfuric acid industry is transitioning toward higher-end development, intelligence, and sustainability

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“The sulfuric acid industry is transitioning toward higher-end, smarter, and greener operations, entering a new stage of development. ”On May 28th and 29th, at the 2024 Annual Conference of the Sulfuric Acid Industry and the 5th Meeting of the 8th Board of Directors of the China Sulfuric Acid Industry Association, held in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, Li Chong, Secretary-General of the China Sulfuric Acid Industry Association, set the tone for the new stage of development in this industry. 　　Li Chong emphasized that at this critical stage of pursuing high-quality development in our country, sulfuric acid, as a traditional industry, needs to sprout new vitality by proactively adapting to the new demands arising from the development of strategic emerging industries, and by making continuous efforts in areas such as equipment renewal and technological upgrades. Not only that, guiding the industry toward artificial intelligence is also one of the key tasks of the association this year. The association will guide industry enterprises to focus on technological advancements in areas such as the industrial Internet, big data, clean energy, and artificial intelligence. At the same time, it will seek to utilize advanced technologies and methods including Internet of Things technology and industrial robots to develop devices, equipment, and materials related to sulfuric acid production, thereby pushing sulfuric acid production facilities toward automation, unmanned operation, intelligence, and sustainability. 　　“Although artificial intelligence has not yet been widely applied in the sulfuric acid industry, basic applications are already emerging. At the same time, as equipment upgrades increase costs related to labor and talent development, durable, reliable, and intelligent equipment has become an essential requirement for businesses; this may drive further adoption of artificial intelligence-based equipment in the sulfuric acid industry. ”Liao Kangcheng, deputy secretary-general of the China Sulfuric Acid Industry Association, said. 　　Reporters also noted that this year, the intelligent transformation of equipment in sulfuric acid manufacturing enterprises is on the rise; it helps to reduce safety risks and improve the technical level of these facilities, thereby enhancing their competitive advantage in the market. For instance, the two BP-designed sulfuric acid production plants, each with an annual capacity of 800,000 tons, developed by Nanjing Hailu Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., have enhanced the level of automation in the raw material handling section. They enable fully unmanned operations throughout the entire process—from unloading and warehousing to material distribution and dispatch. The entire process of sulfuric acid production, from raw materials to the final delivery of the product, can be carried out automatically. The APC advanced control system of Yunnan Sanhuan Sinochem Fertilizer Co., Ltd. ensures the safe and stable operation of large-scale sulfur-based acid production plants. It enables better control over various parameters during the production process, allowing for automated adjustments and precise optimization, thereby improving production efficiency, reducing waste during production, and ultimately lowering production costs. Moreover, as a major national enterprise for producing acid from pyrite, Tongling Huaxing Chemical Co., Ltd. continues to increase its investment in automated and intelligent systems. It has introduced DCS systems as well as digital factory operation service platforms, thereby raising the level of digitalization in the daily production management of pyrite-based manufacturing processes. This has led to reduced energy consumption and production costs per unit of product, while also strengthening the company’s core competitiveness. 　　This conference was jointly hosted by the China Sulfuric Acid Industry Association and Jiangsu Qingfeng Engineering Group Co., Ltd. Li Bin, vice president of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, and Lu Qingsheng, president of the China Sulfuric Acid Industry Association, attended the meeting.