The EPC general contract for Sichuan Petrochemical’s fuel cell hydrogen project at the Southwest Branch has been completed!
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On June 15, Shihua Yuan learned that a signing ceremony for the intermediate handover and acceptance was held at the site of the EPC project for fuel cell hydrogen production with a capacity of 2000 Nm3/h, carried out by Southwest Chemical Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd. for Sichuan Petrochemical Co., Ltd. of China National Petroleum Corporation. This marked a successful intermediate handover of the project, transitioning it from the construction phase to the preparation phase for commissioning. It is understood that this project is the first hydrogen facility in the CNPC system to be constructed by Southwest Research Institute using the EPC approach. It not only extends Sichuan Petrochemical’s product range but also enhances the value of industrial hydrogen. According to the person in charge of the project, it uses industrial hydrogen obtained from the purification processes of Sichuan Petrochemical’s integrated refining and chemical processing facilities as raw material. Through the proprietary PSA purification technology developed by Southwest Research Institute, the hydrogen produced meets the quality standards required for use in fuel cells. After being pressurized, it is supplied to industries that rely on hydrogen as well as to hydrogen refueling stations. At the same time, the project utilizes the proprietary technical solutions and modular design developed by the Southwest Research Institute specifically for Sichuan Petrochemical, which helps reduce the required floor space. It adopts a project management system based on \"three controls, three managements, and one coordination\" approach to optimize the timing of design, procurement, material delivery, and construction as much as possible. The intermediate handover in engineering is an important milestone in construction projects; it signifies the completion of construction and installation, marking the transition from individual unit testing to joint system testing. Next, the Southwest Research Institute will continue to work closely with the supervision and construction teams to carry out all necessary tasks such as the three inspections and four verifications prior to material feeding, joint commissioning tests, adsorbent loading, and debugging after material feeding, in order to ensure that the facility achieves the set goal of a successful first start-up and compliance with requirements from the first attempt. By the end of 2019, Southwest Chemical Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd. merged with the former Sichuan Tianyi Technology Co., Ltd. On January 1, 2020, Southwest Chemical Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as Southwest Chemical) made its debut. Founded in 1958, Southwest Chemical focuses on the research, development, and dissemination of technologies related to pressure swing adsorption for gas separation, the recycling of industrial exhaust gases, C1 chemical processing, hydrogen energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, as well as specialized catalysts. It offers services such as technology licensing, engineering design, project contracting and management, technical consulting and support, as well as product production and sales. Its technologies and products are widely applied in industries such as chemicals, petrochemicals, food processing, metallurgy, steel manufacturing, energy, environmental protection, and materials science, driving industry progress and facilitating technological upgrades. Southwest Chemical has built the world’s largest PSA unit as well as Asia’s largest liquefied natural gas production facility using coke oven gas. It was also the first in China to develop a hydrogen production plant using coke oven gas. Its hydrogen production technology has contributed to ensuring a stable supply of hydrogen for the Beijing Winter Olympics. As a model project under the Belt and Road Initiative, it provided a super-large PSA unit for the Hengyi Brunei PMB petrochemical project. The company conducted feasibility studies for Bo Coal Group’s projects related to hydrogen production from coke oven gas. For the first time, Southwest Chemical’s PSA technology has made its way into the European Union market… These various advantages constitute Southwest Chemical’s strong assets for showcasing environmentally friendly, low-carbon, and clean energy technologies and services to the world. Southwest Chemical Industry is the host institution for various organizations such as the “Key Laboratory for Comprehensive Utilization of Industrial Emission Gases”, the “Carbon-1 Chemistry Engineering Technology Research Center”, the “Research and Promotion Center for Pressure Swing Adsorption Gas Separation Technology”, the National Gas Standardization Technical Committee, the Coal-to-Chemicals Subcommittee of the National Coal Chemicals Standardization Technical Committee, the National Natural Gas and Carbon-1 Chemicals Information Center, as well as a “Technological Innovation Demonstration Enterprise” and a “Corporate Technology Center”. It is also a high-tech enterprise, an innovative pilot enterprise, and a patent operation pilot enterprise recognized at the national level. The company publishes the Chinese core journal “Natural Gas Chemistry” and holds qualifications in areas such as engineering design, engineering consulting, project management, and special equipment design; it has obtained the “Three Standards Integrated” certification. Over the years, Southwest Chemical Industry has undertaken **key research and development programs, the 973 Program, the 863 Program, science and technology support programs,** major initiatives for the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements,** as well as provincial and ministerial-level key projects. To date, over 800 scientific research projects have been completed, and more than 100 science and technology awards at the provincial and ministerial levels have been received, including 2 first prizes for scientific and technological progress, 5 awards for outstanding Chinese patents, and 1 special prize for scientific and technological progress in Sichuan Province ； 712 patent applications have been filed (of which 593 are invention patents), and 459 patents have been granted (of which 368 are invention patents) ； More than 160 international and **standards have been developed and revised; many of these achievements have reached international advanced levels and been put into industrial use, playing an important role in providing technical support and guidance for the industry.
On January 26, 2022, the inauguration ceremony for the hydrogen station (hydrogen refueling hub) project of Tianjin New Hydrogen Energy Development Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “New Hydrogen Energy”) was successfully held in the Lingang area of the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone. It is understood that Tianjin New Hydrogen Energy Development Co., Ltd. is a joint venture established by **Power Investment Group, Tianjin Bohua Group, and Tianjin Lingang Holding Company. It is primarily engaged in the construction of hydrogen refueling stations, as well as the production, sales, and comprehensive utilization of hydrogen. It also focuses on the research, development, and application of hydrogen storage technologies and equipment. The first phase of this newly commissioned hydrogen production hub has a production capacity of 2,000 standard cubic meters per hour, with an annual output of 1,600 tons. The purity of the hydrogen produced can reach 99.999% or higher, meeting the requirements for high-purity hydrogen as well as the quality standards for hydrogen used in fuel cells. This project is an important part of the infrastructure development for the hydrogen energy industry in the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone, and it will provide a hydrogen supply source to support the establishment of a demonstration city cluster for fuel cell vehicles in the Binhai New Area. According to tests conducted by domestic specialized institutions, the purity levels of the hydrogen produced at the hydrogenation hub meet all the required standards, satisfying the purity requirements for hydrogen in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. To assess the quality of hydrogen, the project team collaborated with Tianjin New Hydrogen Power Technology Co., Ltd. – a company that manufactures fuel cell systems and forklifts (a subsidiary of Lingang Marine Group, hereafter referred to as “New Hydrogen Power”) – using the hydrogen fuel cell forklifts produced by this company as experimental platforms. Hydrogen from previous uses and hydrogen supplied by hydrogen refueling stations were used in these tests, and comparisons were made regarding three criteria: the ability to increase power to 10 KW within 10 minutes, performance over one complete cycle, and the amount of hydrogen remaining after operation. The results showed no difference between the two types of hydrogen. “\"Dual\" certification indicates that the high-purity hydrogen produced at these hydrogen refueling stations meets all the requirements of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This high-purity hydrogen source will help the free trade zone become a hub for hydrogen supply, providing the necessary hydrogen support for the development of the fuel cell vehicle demonstration areas in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
On the evening of March 8, 2021, Baotailong issued a announcement regarding its external investments: in order to optimize the company’s industrial structure and enhance its profitability, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Qitaihe Baotailong New Energy Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the “New Energy Company”), plans to invest in the construction of hydrogen purification and filling facilities for a fuel cell hydrogen production project with an output of 2,000 Nm3/h. The total investment for this project amounts to RMB 26.1427 million. The company’s board of directors approved the relevant resolutions on that day; this matter does not need to be submitted to the shareholders’ meeting for approval. According to the announcement, the construction period for this project is expected to be 9 months. Once it is in operation, the annual sales revenue is projected to reach 28.816 million yuan, while the annual profit amount is expected to reach 6.7992 million yuan over a period of five years. Baotailong stated that \"once these three mines are completed, the production cost of raw coal will be much lower than the cost of purchasing it from outside, which in turn will significantly increase the company’s net profit and cash inflows. The project is expected to generate good economic benefits.\" ”The projects funded by this raise constitute a solid foundation for the company to reduce production costs and improve its profitability. Baotailong possesses advantages in raw materials and technology for the development of hydrogen energy. The company generates a large amount of hydrogen as a by-product during its production process, with an annual output of up to 30,000 tons – enough to supply 200 hydrogen refueling stations in the country. Additionally, the company is able to increase its hydrogen production capacity, with a maximum output of 145,000 tons per year, sufficient to supply gas to nearly 1,000 hydrogen refueling stations, giving it a significant advantage in terms of raw materials. The product of this project is high-purity hydrogen with a purity of over 99.97%. Once operational, it will be able to meet the hydrogen requirements of certain high-end processing industries, and it is expected to exhibit good profitability and market competitiveness. Baotailong stated in its announcement that Qitaihe City, where the company is located, is a leading city in hydrogen energy utilization in Heilongjiang Province. To promote the implementation of hydrogen energy utilization projects, the company has adopted a development strategy centered on \"adapting to local conditions, sustainable development, long-term planning, and giving back to society.\" The company plans to first use the hydrogen energy it produces within Heilongjiang Province for public transportation and public vehicles, in order to serve as a model for promotion.