Recommended by Petrochemical Origin: Sinopec’s efficient and environmentally friendly aromatic hydrocarbon technology package, as well as videos of aromatic hydrocarbon production facilities!

Thread Content

Recommended by Petrochemical Origin: Sinopec’s efficient and environmentally friendly aromatic hydrocarbon technology package, as well as videos of aromatic hydrocarbon production facilities! Introduction: Aromatics form the backbone of the chemical industry, and xylene is one of the most widely used aromatic compounds. China’s self-sufficiency rate for xylene is only 50%; one of the key reasons for this is that the technology used in aromatic production has long relied on imports, resulting in high costs and limiting the development of this industry. Sinopec’s “Development and Application of High-Efficiency, Environmentally Friendly Aromatic Hydrocarbon Technology Packages” project has made China the third country in the world to master this technology. Let’s take a closer look at the details together with PetroChina! 3D video of Hainan Refining and Chemicals’ aromatic compounds production facility. On January 8, 2017, Sinopec’s project on \"Development and Application of High-Efficiency, Environmentally Friendly Aromatic Compounds Production Technologies\" was awarded the **Special Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress for 2015\"; this was the second time that Sinopec has received this highest award for scientific and technological progress. Dai Houliang, the lead researcher of this project and a member of the Party Leadership Group of Sinopec Group Company as well as senior vice president of the company, received the award on behalf of the winning project from Party and national leaders. Dai Houliang, the lead researcher of this project and senior vice president of Sinopec, said, “Developing independent aromatic hydrocarbon technology is the dream of several generations of petrochemical industry professionals, as well as the result of the joint efforts of thousands of people who have worked on this project.” Our technology helps solve people’s clothing problems, which is crucial for addressing the conflict over land between grain cultivation and cotton production in our country. ” Aromatic hydrocarbons are a fundamental component of the chemical industry, and they are widely used in three major types of synthetic materials, as well as in fields such as medicine, national defense, pesticides, and building materials. p-Xylene is one of the most widely used aromatic compounds, and it is closely related to people’s lives. China’s self-sufficiency rate for xylene is only 50%; one key reason for this is the long-term reliance on imported technologies for aromatic hydrocarbon production, which are expensive, thereby restricting the development of this industry. Aromatic hydrocarbon production technology is a complex systems engineering endeavor that includes processes such as raw material purification and distillation, aromatic isomerization and conversion, as well as adsorption separation; it features a high degree of system integration and presents significant development challenges. Previously, only two renowned companies, the United States and France, possessed this technology, resulting in very high technical barriers. Sinopec’s achievement in mastering this technology has made our country the third in the world to possess it. Through innovations in principles and methods such as physical chemistry, catalytic materials, intelligent control, and process engineering, Sinopec’s advanced and environmentally friendly aromatic hydrocarbon production technology has reached international leading levels. This has significantly improved China’s technical capabilities in aromatic hydrocarbon production as well as its international competitiveness, making China the third country in the world to master this technology. It represents a truly significant technological breakthrough, along with substantial economic and social benefits; it embodies the concept of \"Made in China\" and holds milestone significance. Using aromatic technology, the chemical fibers produced from p-xylene each year can replace cotton grown on approximately 230 million mu of land. Developing aromatic hydrocarbon projects is necessary for economic development and people's livelihoods, and it is crucial to the nation's economy and well-being. In the 1970s, \"Spandex\" and \"Dacron\", produced from p-xylene as a raw material, brought elegance and beauty to people’s lives. Today, about 65% of textile raw materials and 80% of beverage packaging bottles are derived from p-xylene. Over the past 15 years, China’s consumption of xylene has seen an average annual growth rate of up to 20%. In 2014, China consumed approximately 20 million tons of p-xylene. Chemical fibers produced from p-xylene can replace cotton grown on approximately 230 million mu of land. The cotton fields saved through the application of aromatic hydrocarbon technology can be used for growing crops, making an important contribution to effectively resolving the conflict over land between grain and cotton cultivation and to maintaining the 1.8 billion mu threshold for arable land. The development of complete aromatic hydrocarbon technology in our country has involved over 40 years of hard work and challenges. From 1972 to 2008, Sinopec collaborated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and relevant universities on research, laying the foundation for the development of aromatics technology. Since 2003, in order to achieve the goals of making significant breakthroughs and driving innovation, the **Ministry of Science and Technology and Sinopec have provided continuous support through initiatives such as the 973 Program and various major scientific and technological research projects. In 2009, Sinopec established a dedicated team to work on aromatic hydrocarbon technology, leveraging its institutional advantages and bringing together more than 2,000 technical experts from research institutions, design firms, construction companies, and production units to carry out joint efforts in this area. After more than 40 years of dedicated efforts and relentless pursuit, Sinopec has successfully developed a set of highly efficient and environmentally friendly aromatic hydrocarbon technologies with full independent intellectual property rights. These technologies have significantly improved product separation and the utilization efficiency of aromatic resources, resulting in substantial energy savings, reduced consumption, and decreased solid waste emissions. Five major innovations have been achieved in this process. First, a new green process for raw material refinement was developed. Replacing physical adsorption with chemical reactions led to a principle-based innovation, extending the lifespan of the refining agents by 40–60 times and reducing solid waste emissions by 98%. Second, novel molecular sieve materials for the efficient conversion and separation of aromatics were developed for the first time. The conversion capacity of heavy aromatics increases by 70–80%, the resource utilization rate improves by 5%, and the adsorption separation efficiency rises by 10%. Third, integrated innovative control methods are used to achieve intelligent control. It enables rapid regulation of large flow rate changes over short periods of time, significantly reducing pressure fluctuations in the adsorption tower, thereby ensuring the long-term intrinsic safety and efficient, precise operation of the system. Fourth, a new process for deep energy integration in aromatic compound combined plants was developed for the first time. The operation of this device represents a historic breakthrough, shifting from requiring external power supply to generating power for external use, with the overall energy consumption per unit of product reduced by 28%. Fifth, innovative design methods and manufacturing processes have enabled the creation of key equipment in China. An innovatively designed and constructed world’s largest single-furnace aromatic heating furnace and multi-overflow plate aromatic distillation tower were developed; patented equipment with a new structure for adsorption tower grills was created, resulting in a significant improvement in the uniformity of fluid mixing and distribution. Academics and experts in the industry have given high praise to Sinopec’s efficient and environmentally friendly aromatic hydrocarbon technology package. The successful development of the aromatic hydrocarbons technology package is regarded as a \"milestone\" in petrochemical technology. The project has achieved numerous significant innovations and breakthroughs in areas such as processes, engineering equipment, control methods and systems, as well as adsorption and catalytic materials, reaching an international leading level and holding great value for promotion and application. Sinopec’s advanced, environmentally friendly aromatic hydrocarbon technology suite has earned more than 40 domestic and international patent approvals, resulting in a complete set of independent intellectual property rights. One monograph has been published, and the technology has won 1 China Invention Patent Gold Award, as well as 1 special prize and 2 first prizes for scientific and technological progress at the provincial and ministerial levels. Self-developed sets of technical process packages, engineering design, and management software have enabled our country to become not only a provider of patented technologies but also an EPC contractor for engineering projects, yielding significant social benefits. First, energy and material consumption are significantly reduced, achieving high efficiency and environmental protection. Compared with domestic plants that were put into operation during the same period, Sinopec’s efficient and environmentally friendly aromatic compounds production technology results in 28% lower energy consumption per unit of product; its environmental monitoring metrics far exceed the latest **standards, giving it a clear competitive advantage. Second, it drives the development of the chemical and process manufacturing industries. Through technological innovation, 95% of the equipment for the project was independently designed and manufactured. In addition, it can also drive the development of manufacturing industries such as adsorbents, catalysts, and chemical equipment. It creates new jobs, brings significant social benefits, and embodies the spirit of Chinese innovation. Actively promoting technology exports is of great significance for implementing the Belt and Road Initiative and driving the development of the chemical and process manufacturing industries. Third is to ensure the supply of textile raw materials, the integrity of the industrial chain, and the stability of the economic structure. Our country is a major textile producer, and the development of aromatic hydrocarbon projects is crucial for resolving the conflict over land use between agriculture and textiles, as well as for ensuring a supply of textile raw materials, maintaining the integrity of the industrial chain, and safeguarding the stability of the economic structure. The fiber produced by Hainan Refining & Chemicals from 600,000 tons of p-xylene is equivalent to the cotton produced by all the arable land in Hainan province. The content of this article comes from the Petrochemical Blackboard Newspaper and was compiled and published by Petrochemical Yuan. It is shared here for informational purposes only; if there are any copyright issues, please let us know so that it can be removed!