Yangmei Chemical Machinery: Offering a Chinese solution for the efficient use of coal worldwide

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Yangmei Chemical Machinery: Providing a Chinese solution for the efficient use of coal worldwide. Author/Source: Shanxi Energy and Chemicals. Date: 2021-01-11. Clicks: 11. The image shows the Jinhuahua Furnace 3.0 unit in Henan Jindadi, operating steadily. On August 24, 2020, Shanxi Yangmei Chemical Machinery (Group) Co., Ltd. and Shandong Hongda Biology (Group) Technology Co., Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Taiyuan; the two parties will work together throughout the entire life cycle of the fine chemicals and new materials project in Fuyu, Shanxi, with two sets of Jinhuahua Furnace 3.0 units being used for the gasification process in this project. Li Guangmin, chairman of Yangmei Chemical Machinery, said that the operation mode of the Jinhua furnace gasification island will enable the use of this furnace to extend from Shanxi to across the whole country, making it more suitable for \"Chinese coal\". To date, a total of 73 units of the third-generation Jinhua furnaces developed by Yangmei Chemical Machinery have been ordered, and they are widely used for processing various types of coal in China, including coal with high sulfur, high ash, and high calorific value, Shenmu coal, coal with high alkali content, and lignite. Among them, 22 sets of Jinhua Furnace 3.0 were contracted for, accounting for 70% of the market share in coal gasification during the same period. Its technology leads the international coal gasification sector, and it provides a Chinese solution and approach for the comprehensive utilization of \"high-carbon, high-sulfur, and high-ash\" coals across the country, as well as for the local processing of gasified coal. Shanxi Yangmei Chemical Machinery (Group) Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huayang New Materials Technology Group Co., Ltd. Its predecessor was Shanxi Chemical Machinery Factory, an enterprise directly under the former Shanxi Provincial Department of Chemistry that was established in 1966. The company’s headquarters is located in the core area of the Shanxi Comprehensive Reform Demonstration Zone, namely the Comprehensive Reform Free Trade Zone. It has 3 chemical equipment manufacturing bases in Taiyuan, Yongji, and Fukang in Xinjiang, 1 chemical engineering design institute, and 1 chemical equipment construction and installation company. The company’s registered capital is 853.5 million yuan, it has 1,686 employees, and its land area is 1,090 mu. Of these, the Taiyuan facility covers 430 mu, the Yongji facility 260 mu, and the Xinjiang facility 400 mu; the company’s annual production and processing capacity is 150,000 tons. After more than 50 years of development, it has become a large-scale chemical equipment group company that integrates R&D, design, manufacturing, installation, inspection, and maintenance services. At present, the company holds **the highest-level certifications for pressure vessel design and manufacturing, namely A1 (high-pressure vessels), A2, and A3 (spherical tanks); ASME “U” & “U2” certifications from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; a Class B boiler manufacturing license; first-class qualifications as a steel structure manufacturer; as well as qualifications for general contracting in chemical engineering projects at level two.** The company holds **327 patents, including 3 invention patents and 324 utility model patents**, which lay a solid foundation for its technological innovation. The company also holds a series of honors. It ranks 3rd among the top 50 enterprises in China’s chemical equipment manufacturing sector, and 1st among the top 100 enterprises in this field. It has been recognized as a **-level demonstration enterprise for the integration of information technology and industrial applications, a demonstration enterprise for intellectual property rights in China’s petrochemical industry, a vice-chairman unit of the Chinese Chemical Equipment Association, a high-tech enterprise in Shanxi Province, an advanced innovation enterprise in Shanxi Province, and a demonstration enterprise for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in Shanxi Province. In April 2020, it was selected as a model enterprise for science and technology reform initiatives by the State Council; only 2 enterprises in Shanxi Province received this honor. The image shows Xinjiang Tianye signing a purchase contract for 4 Jinhua furnaces model 3.0 with Yangmei Chemical Machinery. To date, Yangmei Chemical Machinery has developed three generations of Jinhua furnaces, making significant contributions to China’s leadership in gasification technology worldwide and consistently guiding the development of water-coal slurry gasification in China. This is the most notable outcome of their 20-year interdisciplinary collaboration with Tsinghua University, which has resulted in a closely integrated “industry-academia-research-development-application” alliance. The image shows the members of the industry-academia-research consortium carefully operating the equipment at the time of the launch of the first Jinhua Furnace 3.0 model. In 2006, the first generation of Jinhua Furnaces (using water-coal slurry, refractory bricks, and a quenching process) was successfully put into operation at Yangquan Coal & Chemical Group’s Fengxi Company, solving the problems associated with coal gasification and reaching an advanced level in China at that time ； In 2008, they developed the second generation of Jinhua furnaces (water-coal slurry + membrane wall + quenching process). A successful operation was achieved in 2011, solving the problem of gasification of coal with high ash fusion points and reaching an internationally leading level ； In 2015, Yangmei Chemical Machinery and Tsinghua University jointly undertook a provincial-level major scientific and technological project in Shanxi Province focused on coal-based low-carbon technologies; as a result, the third generation of Jinhua furnace was developed (water-coal slurry + membrane wall + radiant steam generator + quenching process). On April 1, 2016, the Jinhua Furnace 3.0 – a gasification furnace capable of producing syngas and steam through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates thermal engineering, coal chemical technology and equipment manufacturing, as well as intelligent control technologies – was successfully commissioned for the first time at Yangmei Fengxi Linyi Company, taking into account the use of low-quality coal with high ash, sulfur, and calorific value in Shanxi. Since its launch, the Jinhua Furnace Version 3.0 has been operating continuously, stably, and efficiently. It has successfully addressed the challenge of high energy consumption in coal gasification involving coals with high ash fusion temperatures. It leads current international coal gasification technologies. Moreover, it provides a Chinese solution and pathway for the comprehensive utilization of “high-ash, high-sulfur, and high-moisture coals” across China, as well as for the local production of gasified coal. Meanwhile, “the successful trial of Jinhua Furnace 3.0 capable of burning ‘high-ash, high-sulfur, high-moisture’ coal” was named one of the top ten news stories in China’s coal science and technology sector in 2016. The image shows that Jinhua Furnace 3.0 was recognized by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation as being at an internationally leading level. In December 2017, Jinhua Furnace 3.0 passed a on-site assessment conducted by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, which tested its ability to operate continuously and stably for 72 hours. This device is the world’s first gasification plant to feature a water-cooled wall directly connected to a radiant waste boiler for slurry coal gasification. The high-quality steam generated by the radiant waste boiler can be used for process and power purposes, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of ash-water circulation. It offers excellent performance in terms of energy savings, consumption reduction, and environmental protection. Jinhua Furnace 3.0 enables multiple outputs and combined production from a single furnace; it can supply not only chemical synthesis gas but also high-pressure, high-quality steam for industrial processes and power generation. At present, it has achieved integrated applications across the chemical, power, gas, and heating sectors, providing solutions for the clean, green, ecological, and efficient utilization of coal; it is a vital asset for the country and holds an internationally leading position. It is reported that the Jinhua Furnace 3.0 system can generate 30 tons of steam per hour, resulting in annual benefits of over 30 million yuan. Its feature is that one furnace functions as two, providing four types of outputs: it produces syngas in the gasification furnace and simultaneously generates high-pressure steam. For every thousand cubic meters of syngas produced, 0.6 to 0.8 tons of high-pressure steam can be obtained, while for each ton of synthetic ammonia produced, 1.6 to 1.8 tons of high-pressure steam can be generated as a by-product. To date, the Jinhua furnace has won recognition from many parties. Jinhua Furnace 3.0 was named one of the \"Top 10 News Stories in China’s Petroleum and Chemical Industry in 2017\". It received the Special Prize for Technical Progress in China’s nitrogen fertilizer and methanol industries for that year, as well as the Second Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress in Shanxi Province. In 2018, it won the Special Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress in China’s coal industry, and in 2019 it received the Gold Award at the 47th Geneva International Invention Exhibition. It was also included in the **second batch of the National Development and Reform Commission’s List of Key Energy-Saving Technologies for Promotion**, as well as in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Plan for Promoting Clean Production Technologies in the nitrogen fertilizer industry – all of which represent advanced and applicable technologies. Jinhua furnaces have received high recognition in the industry for their cost-effectiveness, safety, environmental friendliness, and efficiency. More than 200 clients from home and abroad, including those from the United States, North Korea, South Korea, as well as domestic companies such as Shenhua, China National Coal Group, Huisheng Engineering, Hualu Hengsheng, Sanju Environmental Protection, and Xinjiang Tianye, have visited the factory for inspections. Today, high-end, serialized, and complete sets of products centered around the national key equipment \"Jinhua Furnace\" cover all high-, medium-, and low-pressure static equipment used in the coal chemical industry. These products are sold in 30 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions across China as well as in Southeast Asia, making contributions to the development of the coal chemical industry both in China and around the world. They represent many examples of Chinese innovation and manufacturing excellence in this sector. The image shows Qiu Yong, the president of Tsinghua University, visiting Yangmei Chemical Machinery to inspect the research and development progress of Jinhua furnaces. In terms of materials, the company used to be able to manufacture only carbon steel equipment, but now it is capable of producing chromium-molybdenum steel equipment as well ； Previously, only ordinary stainless steel could be produced; now, ultra-low carbon stainless steel and duplex stainless steel can also be manufactured ； In terms of pressure rating, previously only pressure vessels of categories 1 and 2 with a pressure of less than 16 kilograms could be manufactured, but now ultra-high pressure vessels with a pressure of 1000 kilograms can also be produced ； In terms of structure, while in the past only peripheral components for chemical processing equipment could be manufactured, progress is now being made toward producing core and high-end equipment ； Previously, only single-layer pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and towers could be manufactured; now, products such as gasifiers, shift converters, multi-layer fully wrapped vessels, and boilers can also be produced ； Previously, we could only engage in manufacturing; now we can also handle installation and maintenance. The company’s core products have also evolved from low-pressure units to complete sets of pressure-bearing equipment required in modern coal chemical industry, with significant improvements in production capacity and equipment standards. The company has established 1 **-level innovation platform – the National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Coal Gasification Technology and Equipment – as well as 5 provincial-level science and technology innovation platforms: the Academician Workstation for Coal Gasification Equipment Technology in Shanxi Province, the Key Laboratory of Pressure Vessels in the Coal Chemical Industry in Shanxi Province, the Enterprise Technology Center of Shanxi Province, the Engineering Research Center for Coal Gasification Technology and Equipment in Shanxi Province, and the Engineering Technology Research Center for High-End Coal Gasification Equipment in Shanxi Province. The company has successively been awarded honorary titles such as \"Model Enterprise Leading the Way in the 40 Years of Reform and Opening Up in China’s Petroleum and Chemical Industry,\" \"Top 100 Suppliers in China’s Petrochemical Sector,\" \"Outstanding Enterprise in Shanxi Province,\" \"Demonstration Unit for the Integration of Information and Manufacturing in Shanxi Province,\" and \"Pilot Unit for Intelligent Manufacturing in Shanxi Province.\" The image shows Li Yongwu, former president of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (left), presenting the award for Jinhua Furnace 3.0, which won the Special Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress in the nitrogen fertilizer and methanol industry in 2017; Li Guangmin (right) is receiving the award. Currently, Yangmei Chemical Machinery, which has achieved remarkable results during the 13th Five-Year Plan period and enjoys a high reputation, is now planning new developments for the 14th Five-Year Plan period, advancing research and development in large-scale gasification furnace technology with full heat recovery that enables a coal input rate of 3,000 tons per day (Jinhua Furnace 4.0). To this end, the company will carry out relevant work in the following 4 areas. First, build 5G intelligent manufacturing factories. Aiming at the intelligent manufacturing of complete sets of coal chemical equipment, they invested 150 million yuan to use 5G networks to seamlessly connect individual, dispersed production devices into a cohesive whole. They carried out digital, intelligent, and information-based transformations of the equipment manufacturing process, and further integrated various stages such as design, procurement, warehousing, logistics, and remote monitoring. This approach made production more streamlined, customized, and flexible. The goal is to increase production efficiency by over 20%, reduce operating costs by over 20%, shorten product development cycles by over 30%, lower the rate of product inconsistencies by over 20%, and reduce energy consumption per unit of output by over 10%, thereby achieving greater safety and higher customer satisfaction. Second, seize the opportunity to upgrade refractory brick gasifiers across the country. From the perspective of enterprises, given the current safety and environmental conditions of chemical manufacturing firms across the country, within 3 to 5 years, **chemical companies will be forced to move out of urban areas and into industrial parks, and the fixed-bed gasification method will be phased out. Therefore, the company seizes **policy and market opportunities**, focusing on the development of new coal chemical technologies. Aiming to overcome the technical challenges associated with gasifying coal with high ash fusion points, it carries out industrial demonstration tests on various types of \"high-ash, high-sulfur, and high-calorific-value coal\". At the same time, in response to the trend of upgrading high-energy-consuming gasification furnaces using water-coal slurry refractory bricks in China, taking advantage of the water wall’s ability to operate continuously for 20 years without maintenance, and leveraging the unique waste heat recovery technology of the Jinhua Furnace 3.0, efforts are made to optimize and upgrade coal gasification technology, thereby improving the energy conversion efficiency of water-coal slurry gasification systems. This approach provides advanced coal gasification solutions to support the ongoing transformation of coal gasification technology across the country. Third is transformation and development, aiming to become a top-tier supplier of gasification services and to establish gasification islands. In response to the requirement of \"finding a new path for transformative development,\" Yangmei Chemical Machinery will, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, rely on the research and development of intelligent Jinhua furnaces. Aiming for personalized, customized, menu-based, and value-added services, it will accelerate the establishment of a remote network control, monitoring, and maintenance system for all customers using Jinhua furnaces. By providing one-stop, full-life-cycle services that cover everything from coal quality analysis to equipment design, R&D, manufacturing, installation, after-sales support, and training, the company will shift from being a manufacturer of gasification equipment to a general contractor for gasification island projects and a supplier of gas for chemical parks. This transformation will enable it to evolve from an equipment manufacturer into a gas supplier and service provider, turning \"single\" services into \"comprehensive\" service packages. By enhancing competitiveness in top-tier markets, improving core technologies of the highest standard, and developing advanced business models, we will continue to drive the development of gasification technology, striving to become a world-leading supplier in this field as well as a pioneer in gasification solutions. Fourth is innovation and reform, striving to be at the forefront of enterprises that serve as models for scientific reform. Yangmei Chemical Machinery will take being selected as a model enterprise for the State Council’s \"Special Initiative to Deepen Market-oriented Reforms and Enhance Independent Innovation Capability in 100 Science and Technology-based Enterprises\" as an opportunity, aiming at market-oriented reforms and improved technological innovation; it will introduce mixed-ownership reform models and a system allowing key technical personnel to hold shares, thereby optimizing its corporate governance structure. Guided by the market and performance, improve the cadre management system, employment management system, assessment and incentive system, and internal accounting system. Through reform and innovation, they will establish a dynamic, efficient institutional framework that better meets market demands and facilitates scientific development. They will also pursue innovations in areas such as improving corporate governance mechanisms, adopting market-based approaches to hiring and talent selection, and strengthening incentives and constraints, in order to make breakthroughs. Ultimately, they aim to create enterprises that are responsive to market changes, possess enhanced innovation capabilities, have strong core business operations, scientific management processes, and high competitive strength, thereby promoting the high-quality development of the enterprises during the 14th Five-Year Plan period.