Qilu No.2 Chemical Plant’s gasification unit sets world record for long-duration operation with three breakages

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This post was last edited by pyp222 on 2017-5-26 at 13:15. At 6 a.m. on May 16, as the flame in Furnace A of the gasification unit at Qilu Petrochemical’s Second Fertilizer Plant gradually went out, the gasification unit had operated continuously for 777 days, setting another world record for longest continuous operation. This marked a \"triple jump\" in terms of world records for such units, with previous records being 481 days, 538 days, and now 777 days. The gasification unit at the Second Fertilizer Plant is the only such unit in the company; it is responsible for supplying hydrogen to the refinery as well as providing the carbonylation feed gas for the butanol and octanol production units. Its importance is evident, as any issue with this unit can have a significant impact on overall operations. The steady, long-term operation of this equipment plays a crucial role in ensuring the stable production of all the company’s units. Since 2000, Sinopec Group has officially launched initiatives to replace oil with coal as a raw material, as well as projects related to coal gasification. On September 20, 2006, the civil engineering work for the coal gas production section of Qilu Petrochemical’s resource optimization project began; on October 24, 2008, the coal gasification facility at Qilu Petrochemical was completed and put into operation, producing qualified hydrogen on November 4. On December 22, 2015, the Second Fertilizer Plant managed to keep the system’s load unchanged during the furnace reversal process for the first time, and made this a standard practice. At the economic activity analysis meeting held on October 10, 2016, Han Feng, General Manager of Qilu Petrochemical, gave full recognition to the efforts made: The Second Fertilizer Plant has managed to ensure the stable and efficient operation of its facilities over long periods of time, such that seamless switching of the gasification units has become the norm. As of the end of September, the coal gasification unit had been in operation continuously for 550 days, setting a new record for long-term operation ； Moreover, the device is now operating smoothly, setting a world record every day, and the employees feel a great sense of pride. “Over the more than eight years since the installation began operating, we have compiled a collection of incident reports based on the faults that have occurred. Additionally, we have developed emergency plans for the weak points of the installation, and we conduct regular training for the staff so that they are capable of ensuring its stable and long-term operation. ”Shang Xiaofeng, the secretary of the Party branch of the gas combined workshop, explained. “To diversify the training methods, the workshop also organized Party member lectures. Assign the technical experts and Party members in the workshop to provide training to employees based on their respective areas of expertise. ”By taking turns as teachers and acting as \"instructors,\" employees collected information on their own, which further enhanced their professional skills; as a result, the entire team was able to make progress together. At 11 a.m. on April 29, the gasification unit experienced a scenario that had not occurred since it was put into operation in 2008: 153 pumps started up automatically for no apparent reason, with 26 of them restarting repeatedly. The control room was filled with red and orange lights as well as intermittent alarm sounds; thanks to their thorough technical skills, the employees managed to identify the cause of the problem within just 20 minutes.