Guangxi Petrochemical’s 1.2 million tons/year ethylene plant has completed water interconnection

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Guangxi Petrochemical completed the preparation work to start operating the “three major pumps” in just 7 days, which is half the time originally planned. On August 26th, with the reinstallation of the components in the quench oil tower finished, the last internal component of Guangxi Petrochemical’s 1.2 million tons per year ethylene plant was found to meet the quality requirements for operation, marking the successful completion of the 15-day water testing phase for this ethylene plant that took place from August 5th to 20th. This water transport operation covers approximately 5,500 meters of process pipelines and 114 key pieces of equipment within the ethylene plant, serving as a comprehensive test of the performance of the plant’s quenching system as a whole.   As the cornerstone of chemical production, the preparation for starting up an ethylene plant involves the coordination of multiple parameters and processes, with stringent technical requirements that permit no room for errors; water interconnection is a key part of this preparation process. At the beginning of the water-cooling operation, the quench oil tower posed difficulties in level monitoring due to the lack of on-site level gauges, which directly affected the progress of the water-cooling operation as well as the safety of the equipment. The technical team promptly held a special seminar and developed an innovative \"on-site temporary visualization\" solution. They coordinated with the construction party to install transparent plastic pipes at designated locations in the quench oil tower; the level of liquid inside these pipes allowed for an accurate indication of the liquid level within the tower. This information was then used as a reference to calibrate the data from the remote liquid level gauges installed indoors, thus successfully resolving the issue of liquid level monitoring. “The testing of the quench oil pump and quench water pump must be carried out flawlessly, as this is key to the stable operation of the plant. ”The words of engineer Zhang Zhan represent the principles upheld by the technical team.   The quench oil circulation pump, the quench water circulation pump, and the ultra-high pressure boiler feed pump are the “three key pumps” in an ethylene plant. As core equipment, they must be tuned simultaneously during the commissioning phase to ensure precise adjustment of speed, pressure, and flow rate. During the debugging phase, technicians worked in 24-hour shifts to monitor the equipment’s operational data. They successfully identified and resolved various potential issues such as reversed instrument wiring, abnormal noises in pump bearings, and minor leaks in the pump seals. Repair plans were developed promptly to ensure that each pump operated in optimal condition. To address the issue of slow water supply to the system in the early stages of water-cooled operation, which prevented the pumps from starting, the young employees held a brainstorming session. By taking into account the actual conditions of the installation, they came up with the idea of \"simultaneous water supply from multiple points\" – by installing water inlets at key locations such as heat exchangers, filters, and pumps, it was possible to control the flow rate accurately and thus replenish water quickly. Ultimately, the preparation work to start up the pumps for systems such as quench water and quench oil was completed in just 7 days, cutting the time required in half compared to the original plan.   Details determine success or failure. During the water-cooling period, the local departments are divided into 3 working units – cracking, quenching, and compression – each with 4 operating teams that work 24 hours a day to ensure the steady operation of the plant. The employees voluntarily formed a \"pipeline inspection team\"; braving high temperatures and sudden rain, they walked back and forth through the plant area every day to carefully inspect each pipeline, valve, and connection, covering over 20,000 steps per day in their inspections. Among them, young worker Gao Leijiang covers over 30,000 steps per day on average during his inspections, consistently ranking first on the group’s WeChat fitness tracking page.   The water transport site is not only the main battlefield for overcoming challenges but also a practical training ground where Guangxi Petrochemical implements the \"mentor-apprentice\" and \"passing on knowledge from experienced to junior staff\" mechanisms. During the production preparation phase, the project operation and maintenance team selected 6 experienced craftsmen with over 15 years of experience, pairing them up in one-on-one mentor-mentee relationships with young employees who had joined in the past 3 years, thereby integrating knowledge transfer throughout the entire water transport process. Taking advantage of a lull in the heavy rain, experienced worker Wang Wei guided his apprentice Li Wenhui through the operation of the indoor DCS system. Based on the actual conditions of the quenching process, he provided detailed explanations regarding the layout of the system interface, parameter adjustments, and emergency response procedures. During the subsequent emergency cooling water operation, under the guidance of Master Wang Wei, Li Wenhui was able to carry out indoor DCS operations independently. In the face of slight fluctuations in the system’s liquid level, he remained calm, adjusted the parameters accordingly to stabilize the level, and completed the task excellently. By the end of the water transportation training, the young employees who graduated in the past three years had mastered the basic operational skills required for their roles; 12 of them were able to handle simple equipment malfunctions independently, thereby achieving learning through practical application and training driven by real-world challenges.