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The company’s technology for the clean and efficient conversion of bituminous coal in space-related furnaces passed the evaluation for scientific and technological achievements. Author/Source: Jinmei Huayu; Date: August 16, 2020; Clicks: 36. On August 16, the “Technology for the clean and efficient conversion of bituminous coal in space-related furnaces – Phase I of the million-ton/year methanol production project as a demonstration of integrated chemical and thermal processing for high-sulfur coal”, developed jointly by Huayu Company and Aerospace Changzheng Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd., passed the evaluation organized by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation. The evaluation was organized by Zhao Ming, deputy director of the Science and Technology Projects Department of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation; an evaluation panel was formed consisting of Liu Jincheng, vice chairman of Hebei Yangmei Zhengyuan Chemical Group, Qian Yongkang, chief engineer at the Beijing Aerospace Power Research Institute, and Li Taishan, director of the chemical gasification workshop at Inner Mongolia Yitai Group. From the 13th to the 16th, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation organized an on-site evaluation team to conduct a 72-hour continuous operation test on the gasification unit of the company’s 1 million tons per year methanol production project, which is part of the integrated chemical and power generation demonstration project for the clean utilization of high-sulfur coal. The team listened to reports on the construction, operation, and preparation for the evaluation of the unit, inspected its actual operating conditions, established an evaluation plan, and confirmed the methods used for measuring instruments, analytical equipment, as well as the calculation methods for various evaluation indicators. After inquiries, presentations, and discussions, the experts in the evaluation team unanimously agreed that Huayu Company’s gasification unit uses anthracite as raw material and pure oxygen as a gasifying agent, employing a dry coal powder water-cooled wall pressurized gasification and quenching process. Taking into account the reaction characteristics and ash properties of bituminous coal in Jincheng, gasifiers and burners using this coal were developed, and new fluxes were researched and created to effectively reduce the melting point of the coal ash fed into the furnace and improve the viscosity-temperature properties of the slag. The system exhibits great operational flexibility, enabling efficient gasification of bituminous coal with high ash content and high melting points as well as stable operation over extended periods. During the evaluation period, the system operated at full capacity, with low overall energy consumption, emissions of waste gases, wastewater, and solid waste meeting regulatory standards, and its operational parameters reaching or exceeding those specified in the design. It is understood that the clean and efficient conversion technology for bituminous coal in space furnaces makes use of advanced core technologies and equipment in the industry. This includes 4 space furnaces with dimensions of Φ 3800×3800; each furnace can process 1,500 tons of coal per day. The designed oxygen load is 32,000 Nm3/h, while the designed effective gas volume is 385,000 Nm3/h. All of the coal used as raw material is from the Jincheng area. The slag layer in these furnaces is dense, the furnace temperature remains stable, the texture of the coarse slag is excellent, and the amount of fine ash produced is low. The ratio of coarse to fine slag is very high, and it is significantly lower than the values specified in the design as well as compared to the emission levels associated with other types of coal used in operations. This technology meets China’s current requirements regarding energy conservation, emission reduction, safety, and environmental protection, and it possesses strong potential for serving as a model for similar applications, along with broad prospects for industrial development. Huayu Company’s “Circular Economy Industrial Park for the Clean Utilization of High-Sulfur Coal” is a key project under Shanxi Province’s “one city, two parks” initiative as well as part of Jincheng Coal Group’s efforts to transform its coal chemical industry. The first phase of this project is the “Pilot Project for Integrated Chemical, Electrical, and Thermal Production using High-Sulfur Coal – 1 million tons per year methanol production facility,” and it is under the responsibility of Huayu Company for planning and operation. The project was approved on July 9, 2012; construction began in July 2014. On July 15, 2018, the first space furnace was successfully ignited and fed with coal, and by August 15 of the same year, the entire process within the system was operational, enabling the production of qualified methanol. Over the past two years, through a series of technical upgrades and innovations, the operation of the space furnace has remained stable, and the cost of methanol production has decreased significantly year by year. After 72 hours of on-site testing, it was found that all technical performance indicators met or exceeded the design values.