The 6 DMO reactors for Sanning Chemical’s ethylene glycol project were delivered in their entirety

Thread Content

All 6 DMO reactors for Sanning Chemical’s ethylene glycol production project were delivered as a complete set. Author/Source: Coal Chemical Industry 114; Date: 2019-08-27; Clicks: 15. On August 23, the 6 DMO (dimethyl oxalate) reactors, which are key equipment manufactured by Taiyong Group for Sanning Chemical’s project aimed at producing 600,000 tons of ethylene glycol per year, were shipped from Taiyong’s Binhai Heavy Equipment Port in Tianjin. This project marked the first time that Taiyong’s super-large pressure vessel manufacturing facility has carried out the production and complete delivery of such equipment. Tai Zhong has once again set a new record as the largest manufacturer of high-end pressure vessel equipment in China. The DMO reactor manufactured this time is a key equipment for ethylene glycol production, and it is currently the largest DMO reaction heat exchanger in China. The entire equipment is made of stainless steel, with each unit weighing 266 tons; it is primarily used to synthesize DMO through the reaction of carbon monoxide and methyl nitrite in heat exchange tubes under the action of catalysts. Wang Jin, deputy manager of Tianjin Binhai Chemical Equipment Branch of Tai Zhong, explained that due to the customer’s requirements, this product demands high technical standards and precise processing; even for Tai Zhong, which has extensive experience in manufacturing pressure vessels, the difficulty of producing it is of a level seen for the first time. Due to the special material of the reactor, its large size (diameter of 5540 millimeters) and thick tube sheet (220 millimeters), extremely high standards are required in terms of welding techniques, quality, and deformation control. Even a trace of oil or steel shavings during the manufacturing process can contaminate the material and cause losses for the company… Faced with these numerous challenges, Tai Zhong began conducting thousands of tests related to processes and welding before equipment production, gathering extensive amounts of data to ensure perfection throughout the product manufacturing process. Ultimately, the products passed all inspection requirements as specified in the design, and the pass rate for first-time radiographic testing of the welds was over 98%, earning high praise and recognition from the third-party supervisor and the customers. The 6 DMO reactors were delivered as a complete set, overcoming the previous bottleneck associated with the inability to transport large-scale equipment produced in our province; this has saved users a significant amount of time and cost related to on-site welding, pressure testing, and other procedures. At the same time, Tai Zhong has also achieved a transformation and upgrade from the traditional coal chemical industry to high-end sectors such as petrochemicals and refining engineering, laying a solid foundation for the company to enter the high-end market for pressure vessel equipment.