【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Equipment】From 2017 to 2024, significant breakthroughs were achieved in the research, development, and application of technologies related to the production of aromatic hydrocarbons from diesel through adsorption, as well as the downstream utilization of these aromatic hydrocarbons by CNPC

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Let’s give praise and encouragement to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】A continuously updated summary post is available; feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** On November 16, 2024, the China Kunlun Engineering Corporation took the lead in this major scientific and technological project of PetroChina, with the participation of six other organizations including Guangxi Petrochemical, the Petrochemical Research Institute, Urumqi Petrochemical, Liaoyang Petrochemical, and Fushun Petrochemical. This project, aimed at developing technologies for the production of aromatic hydrocarbon raw materials through diesel adsorption as well as for the downstream utilization of such aromatic hydrocarbons (hereinafter referred to as the Aromatic Hydrocarbons Project), passed the evaluation and inspection organized by PetroChina’s Science and Technology Management Department in Beijing with excellent results. This marks a significant breakthrough in PetroChina’s efforts in the field of aromatic hydrocarbons technology. Aromatics, as an important pillar of the modern petroleum and chemical industries, are **a key component of the core competitiveness of the petrochemical industry. If aromatics are stable, the petrochemical industry is stable ； Strong aromatics mean a strong basic industry. In keeping pace with the structural adjustments in the refining and petrochemical industry, as well as the urgent need to improve quality and efficiency while increasing the production of higher-value products, China National Petroleum Corporation established a major scientific and technological initiative for aromatics in 2018. Focusing on three key areas – aromatics raw materials, aromatics production, and the utilization of aromatics – this initiative set out tasks such as the optimized use of diesel, the development of third-generation purified terephthalic acid (PTA) technology, and the advancement of purified isophthalic acid (PIA) production processes. Efforts were made to achieve cost reduction in raw materials, higher value for products, technological differentiation, and comprehensive resource utilization. To date, 41 patents have been applied for, including 1 PCT patent; 46 technical secrets have been identified; 6 software copyrights have been registered; and 4 industry and corporate standards have been established. Four major sets of innovative technologies have been developed, including technologies for the optimized use of diesel on a million-ton scale, combined technologies for the adsorption concentration and crystallization purification of PX on a million-ton scale, third-generation PTA production technologies on a million-ton scale, and PIA production technologies with an annual capacity of 200,000 tons. The income generated from the application of these technologies exceeds 5.6 billion yuan. They provide strong support for China National Petroleum Corporation’s efforts toward green and low-carbon development, particularly in terms of reducing oil consumption and increasing the production of higher-value products, as well as in driving industrial transformation and upgrading. This has led to breakthroughs across the entire spectrum of research and development and technology commercialization, resulting in the integration of innovation chains and industrial chains. From PX to PTA, and then to PET, the overall technical level and industry competitiveness of China’s petroleum aromatics industry chain have reached new heights. Yang Weisheng, Chief Engineer of China National Petroleum Corporation, spoke highly of the achievements made in the aromatics project: \"The innovative results obtained through this project have opened up an effective new path for the transformation and upgrading of the refining industry. It is hoped that more advanced technologies can be developed to support the development of this industry.\" ”Specific suggestions are also put forward: first, it is necessary to effectively carry out the transformation of innovative achievements, strengthen the application of technology, and truly generate benefits for enterprises ； Second, further enhance the capacity for independent innovation in the aromatics sector, by focusing on key core technologies such as adsorbents and catalysts to strengthen the foundational capabilities for research and development ； Third, strengthen the development of adsorption and separation technology platforms to further expand their application areas. The promotion and application of achievements in the aromatic compounds field have yielded significant results. Among them, the diesel fractionation technology, which was selected as one of China’s top 10 scientific and technological advances in 2020, helps refining companies to transform and upgrade themselves; technical transfers related to this technology have enabled an annual production capacity of 6 million tons to be achieved ； The third-generation PTA production technology, recognized by the Chinese Chemical Society as being at an internationally leading level, has successfully entered overseas markets. The total capacity resulting from technology transfers amounts to 7.3 million tons per year, serving as a model for the rapid transformation of scientific and technological achievements into actual productive capabilities. The aromatic compounds project has also developed a team of over 150 experts in technology development, engineering design, and operational guidance; the members of this team are generally young, and they have received more than 30 various honors and awards. “A specialized innovation management model for aromatics was developed; during its implementation, high levels of integration were achieved among various disciplines such as chemistry, engineering, technology, information, and economics. The technical and economic indicators related to this project were outstanding, resulting in excellent innovative outcomes. The experience gained by Kunlun Engineering Company in working on aromatics projects is worth spreading. ”Gao Xionghou, head of the evaluation expert group and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said. Looking to the future, Li Lijun, Party Secretary and Executive Director of Kunlun Engineering Company, said that while making vigorous efforts to commercialize and industrialize the technical achievements related to aromatics, the company will continue to enhance its innovation capabilities. It will actively plan for the second phase of aromatics projects, aiming for development in a direction characterized by specialization, high-end features, intelligence, and sustainability. The company will also keep conducting research on specialized technologies related to aromatics and their derivatives, as well as synthetic materials, in order to take the innovation of the aromatics industry chain to new heights.