HAZOP for the gasification unit of Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical’s 1.8 million tons/year ethylene glycol plant

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HAZOP Study for the Gasification Unit of Shaanxi Coal Yulin’s 1.8 million tons/year Ethylene Glycol Plant / Author/Source: Coal Chemicals Network / Date: 2019-06-03 / Clicks: 6. From May 20th to 29th, the HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) analysis meeting for the gasification unit of Shaanxi Coal Yulin’s 1.8 million tons/year ethylene glycol plant was successfully held at China Tianchen Engineering Co., Ltd. Relevant leaders and technical personnel from Shaanxi Coal Group Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd., China Tianchen Engineering Co., Ltd., Collin Future Energy Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., and Beijing Sichuang Information System Co., Ltd. attended the meeting. HAZOP, or Hazard and Operability Study, is a risk assessment method based on systems engineering that can be used for qualitative analysis or quantitative evaluation. It is employed to identify the hazards, their causes, and the resulting consequences in production facilities and processes, with the aim of finding appropriate countermeasures. HAZOP is recognized as a safety assessment method that can significantly enhance the safety and reliability of factory operations, thanks to its vital role in preventing and reducing accidents, minimizing losses caused by disasters, and analyzing the causes of accidents. To ensure the effectiveness of this analysis and assessment, Shaanxi Coal Yulin established a dedicated analysis and assessment team composed of professionals in areas such as production operation management, process engineering, safety, equipment, and instrumentation. A risk matrix was utilized to conduct a thorough PID analysis, identifying risk points at each stage and at every node of the gasification unit’s process. The causes of these risk points were analyzed, parameter deviations were identified, and it was determined whether the current safety measures meet the preventive requirements set out in Shaanxi Coal Group’s Yulin Chemical Safety Risk Matrix regarding the acceptable level of accident consequences. The evaluation and analysis team also conducted a SIL (Safety Instrumented Level) assessment of the gasification unit. By using LOPA analysis and verification, they determined the instrument levels, assessed whether the safety instruments in the gasification unit met the safety standards set by the international IEC organization, and provided recommendations for improvements. The successful completion of the HAZOP review for the process package of this gasification unit helped the company identify the key areas where potential hazards exist within the unit. This made safety supervision more aligned with the actual operations of the unit, enabling an improvement in the efficiency of safety oversight. It also reduced the number of failures and unplanned shutdowns during unit operation, thereby laying a solid design foundation for the long-term stable operation of the unit after it goes into service. The company’s project plan is divided into three phases in total: Phase 1 involves the production of 1.8 million tons per year of ethylene glycol, with an investment of 21.946 billion yuan; completion and operation are scheduled for 2021 ； Phase 2 includes a medium- and low-temperature pyrolysis plant with a capacity of 15 million tons per year, as well as facilities for coal tar hydrogenation (2.4 million tons per year), methanol production (5.6 million tons per year), and MTO production (2 million tons per year). The investment required for this phase is 44.8 billion yuan, with completion and operation planned for 2023 ； Phase three focuses on new chemical materials, with an investment of 35.3 billion yuan; completion and operation are scheduled for 2025. Through the systematic integration of a range of advanced processing technologies such as coal pyrolysis and gasification, 5.9 million tons per year of various products are produced, including polyolefins, polyesters, polycarbonates, polystyrene, and acrylates. The project processes 20.14 million tons of raw coal per year, covers an area of 9.87 square kilometers, and has a total investment of 102.2 billion yuan. The overall project plan will include 27 processing units, such as 15 million tons per year of medium- and low-temperature pyrolysis, 5.6 million tons per year of methanol, 1.8 million tons per year of ethylene glycol, 2 million tons per year of MTO, 970,000 tons per year of polyethylene, 300,000 tons per year of polystyrene, 600,000 tons per year of polypropylene, 200,000 tons per year of butadiene, 270,000 tons per year of acrylic acid and esters, 2.4 million tons per year of coal tar hydrogenation, 1.16 million tons per year of aromatic compounds production, 2.1 million tons per year of polyester production, and 200,000 tons per year of polycarbonates, along with the associated utility systems and auxiliary facilities.