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Hubei Fertilizer Uses Waste Heavy Oil Emulsifier in Combustion for the First Time Author/Source: Sinopec News Network Date: 2020-09-17 Clicks: 75 On September 4, Hubei Fertilizer Company successfully used 9 barrels of waste heavy oil emulsifier, totaling 1,530 kilograms, in its high-pressure coal-fired boilers. This approach enabled a pollution-free, green treatment process; it also saved on disposal costs and eliminated safety risks, offering multiple benefits. Heavy oil emulsifiers are flammable surfactants with special surface activity, used to modify the combustion properties of heavy oil; their high and low calorific values are 45.964 MJ/Kg and 43.079 MJ/Kg respectively. To address the problem that there were no specialized manufacturers willing to recycle the emulsifiers for 9 barrels of expired heavy oil, and that this posed safety risks, the company conducted a thorough cost-benefit analysis and decided to recycle these emulsifiers. By using the wastewater pumps from the ethylene glycol production unit to feed these emulsifiers into the pipelines of the high-pressure coal-fired boilers, they were able to use them as fuel in the boilers, thereby maximizing benefits and contributing to ongoing efforts to improve efficiency. To ensure thorough handling and compliant disposal, the company organized relevant departments to conduct specialized discussions, developed a blending plan, and carried out JSA analyses to identify the causes and formulate preventive measures. They strictly followed the blending process, organized the blind flanges involved in the relevant areas, installed temporary pipelines and gas supply lines, conducted hydraulic pressure tests on the ethylene glycol wastewater pumps to detect leaks, and minimized the impact of emulsifier leaks ； Inspect the exhaust pipelines of the sulfur recovery unit and carry out preventive cleaning to prevent pipeline blockages that could lead to overpressure and environmental pollution. During the initial co-combustion test, the company diluted the emulsifier with water and controlled the flow rate to prevent the emulsifier from undergoing a polymerization reaction with the materials in the waste water pipeline. They closely monitor changes in parameters such as the operating pressure during co-firing, the negative pressure in the boiler furnace, flue gas temperature, and feedwater flow rate. They pay close attention to fluctuations in the exhaust gas pressure of the sulfur recovery unit, and strengthen on-site inspections. They oversee the entire testing process to ensure smooth delivery of the emulsifier, compliance with environmental standards, and that any impact on production remains under control. After the co-combustion process was completed, they used the temporarily installed nitrogen pipeline to purge the pipes, and also introduced domestic water for a second round of flushing, to ensure that no residues remained. This approach provided valuable experience for subsequent treatment of other solid wastes, contributing to sustainable development.