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“The methane content is 0.86%; the shell side temperature is normal, the pressure is normal, and all parameters of the equipment meet the design standards. ”On February 23, news came from the fertilizer division of Henan Energy Zhongyuan Dahuahua. The new second-stage converter used in ammonia synthesis at this company is operating stably, indicating that the technical upgrade of this converter was successful. This technical upgrade not only successfully eliminated potential safety hazards in the plant and stabilized production, but also provided experience for the technical upgrades of similar ammonia synthesis plants in China. The two-stage furnace is the core equipment of an ammonia synthesis plant, responsible for the two-stage methane conversion process in such plants. During operation, the temperature in the combustion zone inside this equipment exceeds 1000°C, while the temperature at the outlet of the two-stage furnace reaches as high as 983°C. The exhaust gas contains flammable, explosive, toxic, and harmful gases such as hydrogen, nitrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide; therefore, its safe operation is directly related to the stable functioning of the ammonia synthesis plant. “The second-stage furnace of Zhongyuan Dahua’s 300,000-ton synthetic ammonia plant has been in operation for 33 years; the strength of its refractory lining has generally declined, and through-cracks have appeared in the corundum bricks, posing a potential threat to safe production. To this end, the company has decided to carry out technical upgrades on the two-stage furnace. ”Wang Congmao, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Fertilizer Business Unit at Zhongyuan Dahua, explained that during the technical renovation work, the company organized everything in a scientific manner: from the setup of forms for the casting materials, their pouring and curing, to the installation of corundum bricks and the creation of expansion joint designs, as well as the formulation and implementation of drying curves for the furnaces – all steps were carried out in a rigorous and logical manner to ensure quality. The lifting of the two-stage furnace is the most critical part of the entire replacement and upgrading process. The furnace weighs 250 tons in total and is 14.5 meters tall; the construction site is narrow, making lifting operations quite difficult. In response, the company developed a detailed special construction plan for the lifting of the two-stage furnace, strictly adhering to all requirements regarding construction safety and quality standards, and ultimately achieved successful installation in just one lifting operation.