Thread Content
Yitai’s 160,000-ton-per-year coal-to-oil plant begins its annual planned maintenance. Author/Source: Inner Mongolia Yitai Coal-to-Oil Co., Ltd. Date: 2020-06-10 Clicks: 8 Question: How is the operation of the 160,000-ton-per-year coal-to-oil plant? Following the 78-hour annual maintenance campaign carried out on May 7, 2019, the plant continued to operate safely, stably, for extended periods at high loads. In 2019, it was operational for a total of 360.7 days, producing 215,100 tons of various chemical products, which represented the highest output ever recorded. Question: What is the background for the planned maintenance in 2020? Considering the fact that the facility has been in continuous operation for 11 years, by conducting inspections for equipment degradation, leakage prevention, accident simulation, and assessing the needs for regular inspections of special equipment, as well as by analyzing the equipment maintenance records, a detailed plan was developed for the routine maintenance work of the facility in 2020. At the beginning of December 2019, by reviewing the main maintenance tasks, taking into account the procurement schedule for spare parts, the requirements for regular inspections, as well as the technical upgrades aimed at reducing costs and increasing efficiency in the coming year, an assessment was conducted on the operational status of the equipment. It was decided that the annual planned maintenance work would be carried out at the end of March or the beginning of April 2020. Question: What preparations have been made for delaying the planned maintenance? Affected by the pandemic, the delivery of spare parts has been delayed, preventing maintenance work from being carried out as planned. At the end of April 2020, the company conducted an analysis to identify the factors affecting the postponement of maintenance work on the production facilities. It also implemented special monitoring procedures for key equipment such as the gasifier, boilers, and the main synthesis cycle compressor, which were due for maintenance soon. After comprehensive consideration, the scheduled start date for the annual maintenance work was set between June 10 and 15. Question: Why was the planned maintenance time advanced? At 17:00 on June 7, 2020, a sand hole leak occurred in the water wall of Boiler No. 1. Since Boiler No. 2 was undergoing preheater replacement and not ready for operation, the company decided to shut down the entire plant. Taking into account the readiness for maintenance work, it was decided after comprehensive consideration to carry out the annual maintenance ahead of schedule. As a result, Yitai Coal-to-Oil Company’s 160,000-ton capacity plant entered its scheduled annual maintenance period. Question: How are the maintenance schedules and project initiation arrangements handled? Given that the unit entered the maintenance phase ahead of schedule, the company’s overall maintenance command team reviewed the situation and adjusted the schedule accordingly. The planned maintenance time for the unit in 2020 is around 18 days, with a total of 1,077 maintenance tasks scheduled, of which 839 are classified as Category A, 121 as Category B, and 117 as Category C. This maintenance campaign is under overall control via the \"double red line\" approach, focusing on the inspection of pressure vessels and pressure pipelines, as well as the replacement of synthetic D-6113, D-6110, synthetic filter tubes, and synthetic air cooler manifolds. For this equipment maintenance, it is necessary to inspect 466 safety valves, 292 pressure vessels, and 1,457 pressure pipelines ； It involves 34 subcontracting units, a total of 1,017 workers across various trades, and 38 pieces of machinery and vehicles. Question: What are the core implementation principles for this equipment maintenance? Annual equipment maintenance is carried out in an orderly manner with safety as the core principle. First and foremost, it is necessary to strictly implement all requirements for annual maintenance and ensure that all control measures are put into effect ； Second, classified management and control are required, with specific requirements implemented at the maintenance teams, maintenance responsible persons, and those who carry out the tasks ； Third, strict control over tickets and vouchers is required, with thorough risk communication ； Fourth, it is necessary to take into account the increased safety risks resulting from the large number of maintenance personnel, and control measures must be upgraded. Question: What is the organizational structure for managing this maintenance work? The company established a general headquarters for maintenance work, with Chairman Zhang Zhigong serving as the chief commander, General Manager Chu Zhenhui as the deputy chief commander, and Deputy General Manager Bi Dongdong as the executive deputy chief commander. It comprises six specialized management teams: the start-up and shutdown team, the equipment maintenance team, the safety and environmental protection supervision team, the material supply team, the logistics support team, and the critical project team. Simultaneously, a quality inspection team for medium-term maintenance materials and a special supervision team for safety during plant shutdowns and maintenance are established to clarify various control responsibilities and assign them to specific individuals.