【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】From 1350 to 2023: Modular installation over 3 months, 6 loop reactor units totaling 2,197.5 tons

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At 15:38 on December 17, with the final loop reactor, R-202, of the polypropylene unit in Line 3 of the Baofeng Polypropylene Project in Inner Mongolia successfully hoisted into place, it marked the successful completion of the hoisting task for all 6 loop reactors in this project, thereby creating the prerequisites for the timely installation of the process pipelines. The loop reactor is the core equipment of the Baofeng polypropylene project in Inner Mongolia. It consists of 4 elongated tubes arranged in a cross shape, connected by intermediate beams and bolts; it features numerous connection beams and a complex structure. The size of a single reactor is 7.97m×7.97m×51.25m, and it consists of 4 reaction tubes, 2 180-degree elbows, 37 steel structural beams, 9 layers of steel ladders, 3 layers of combined platforms, and 1 monolithic frame. During the project construction, the Inner Mongolia Baofeng polypropylene project optimized the lifting plan; on the ground, tasks such as the assembly of the components of the loop reactor body, welding of the connecting beams, installation of the auxiliary steel structure platforms, insulation of the equipment, and anti-corrosion treatment of the steel structure were carried out. The loop reactor was lifted into place using modular construction methods and overall lifting techniques. The loop reactor R201 and the loop reactor R202 in the polypropylene plant are two separate units; the R201 unit weighs 365.6 tons, while the R202 unit weighs 344.5 tons. Expansion joints are provided between the operation platforms. Since the pre-polymerization reactor R200 is installed within the framework of the loop reactor R201, it is necessary to temporarily fix R200 to the modules of R201 during lifting, so as to lift and install it together with R201. Meanwhile, the two independent steel structural frames located at a height of 51 meters in the loop reactor were also installed using a modular approach ； The structural framework was fabricated and installed on the ground, followed by the overall lifting and placement of the D203 equipment along with the framework platform. Since the width of the expansion joint at the connection platform between the two loop reactor units is only 10 cm, it poses significant difficulties in lifting and positioning the second loop reactor. The project team actively communicated and exchanged ideas with the client, the design firm, and Maoming Heavy Industry manufacturers. Detailed calculations and analyses were carried out regarding the design of the lifting lugs for the ring reactor, their installation locations, and the stress conditions they are subjected to. Together, they determined all the relevant parameters for these lugs, and coordinated with Maoming Heavy Industry to have the lugs welded at their manufacturing facility; after passing the necessary tests, they were put into use. During the lifting process, the crane operator issues instructions in accordance with the lifting plan, while the crew members, through observation and communication, assist the operator in carrying out operations in those \"blind spots\" in the field of vision. Together, they carry out a series of actions such as lifting, rotating, and positioning, ensuring precise placement and achieving successful lifting in just one attempt, with an accuracy far exceeding the specified control standards. Due to the extremely limited space in the area where the ring reactor units are assembled in the 3-line polypropylene plant, the presence of numerous overlapping tasks, and the tight construction timeline, it was not possible to arrange the assembly of these reactor units side by side within that area. Therefore, the project team carried out careful planning and thorough arrangements; adhering to the principle of not disrupting the civil engineering work, they arranged the reactor units in a linear formation in that area. They also adjusted the sequence of lifting operations to minimize the impact on the assembly process, thereby preventing delays caused by the civil engineering work required for the individual units, and thus ensuring smooth progress in the construction. On October 19, the first-line loop reactor R202 was hoisted into place. On October 29, Line 1 loop reactor R201 was hoisted into place ； On November 17, the second-line loop reactor R202 was lifted into place ； On November 24, the second-line loop reactor R201 was hoisted into place ； On December 10, the third-line loop reactor R201 was hoisted into place ； On December 17, the third-line loop reactor R202 was hoisted into place. From the arrival of the first reactor component to its complete installation, all the workers involved fought against wind and sand as well as extreme cold. Over a period of 3 months, they successfully completed all the tasks related to the modular installation of the 6 loop tube reactors, whose total weight was 2,197.5 tons, thus securing a successful conclusion to this year’s equipment installation efforts.