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Recently, the project \"Transformative Caprolactam Technology Package and Its Industrial Application\", developed by Sinopec Hunan Petrochemical Co., Ltd. and other organizations, won the First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress from the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. The 600,000-ton/year caprolactam industry chain relocation and upgrading project built in Yueyang, Hunan, using this technology, has become a model project for promoting green and safe development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. As a key organic chemical raw material used in industries such as textiles and apparel, aerospace, and automobile manufacturing, caprolactam has long faced three major challenges: high production energy consumption, significant carbon dioxide emissions, and complex production processes. In particular, traditional production facilities are characterized by high pollution levels and high energy consumption. Hunan Petrochemical’s existing 300,000 tons per year caprolactam plant is located in close proximity to the main urban area of Yueyang City, less than 1 kilometer away from the Yangtze River. To address the problem of chemical industries encircling the river and to safeguard the safety of the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake water systems, Hunan Petrochemical has launched a project for the relocation and upgrading of its caprolactam production chain, with a capacity of 600,000 tons per year. This involves moving the entire caprolactam production chain to the Yueyang Green Chemical Industry High-Tech Zone, which is located 3.1 kilometers away from the Yangtze River bank. This technology became the key factor behind the success of the project. “This technological breakthrough is not a single-point improvement, but rather a comprehensive revolution that has been developed over more than a decade. ”Zong Baoning, chief expert of Sinopec Group and director of the National Key Laboratory of Molecular Transformation and Reaction Engineering in the petrochemical industry, said. According to Zong Baoning, the transformative caprolactam technology suite encompasses three key innovations: first, a newly developed international technique for preparing cyclohexanone through the esterification and hydrogenation of cyclohexene, which completely overhauls traditional production processes and significantly reduces reaction energy consumption as well as emissions of waste materials; second, a domestically pioneered fluidized-bed hydrogen peroxide production technology that greatly improves production efficiency and inherent safety; third, a world-leading technology for refining high-quality caprolactam, ensuring that product quality meets international top standards. The three together form a complete technical chain for producing caprolactam from benzene, enabling systematic innovation in the production process. “Leveraging original innovation and technological advancements, this technology has achieved multiple goals, including a doubling of production capacity, reduced energy consumption, and lower levels of pollution emissions. It has enabled Hunan Petrochemical to build the world’s largest and most technologically advanced caprolactam production facility. ”Zong Baoning said. In the relocation and upgrading project of Hunan Petrochemical’s 600,000 tons per year caprolactam production facility, this technology has provided a remarkable contribution to China’s petrochemical industry through practical application: the project was launched successfully on the first attempt, doubling Hunan Petrochemical’s caprolactam production capacity. Meanwhile, the land area required was reduced by one-third compared to the previous facility, production costs were cut by 20%, emissions of key pollutants per unit of product were reduced by 50%, and the total amount of wastewater discharged was decreased by 70%. In 2025, the project passed the evaluation of scientific and technological achievements organized by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. The evaluation committee, composed of academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences such as Duan Xue and Han Buxing, unanimously concluded that this technology has reached an internationally leading level. “The transformative caprolactam technology suite has enabled China to rise as the world’s largest producer and leader in production technology, driving advancements in caprolactam production techniques worldwide and fostering high-quality development of the caprolactam industry and its downstream supply chains. ”Zong Baoning said.