The first 1-to-2 compressor unit of the air separation plant in the Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical project passed its initial trial run successfully

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The first 1-to-2 compressor unit of the air separation plant at the Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical Project completed its initial trial run successfully. Author/Source: Hualu. Date: 2022-01-23. Clicks: 33. Recently, the first 1-to-2 compressor unit of the air separation plant at the Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical Project succeeded in its initial trial run, with all mechanical performance tests and surge tests being carried out successfully. On January 20, the management rights of the first compression unit in the air separation plant were officially transferred from the patent holder and supplier to the plant owner, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent oxygen production by this unit. The air separation unit of the Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical Project utilizes Linde technology, with three units capable of producing 100,000 Nm3/h of oxygen; the backup systems consist of a liquid nitrogen system (5,000 m3) and a liquid oxygen system (3,000 m3). Faced with multiple pressures such as testing in the depths of winter, the project team conducted thorough planning, making full use of the company’s extensive experience in air separation unit systems. It carefully analyzed the potential difficulties and risks, and while actively cooperating with the compressor unit suppliers to carry out comprehensive inspections of the units, it also carried out thorough checks on aspects related to the testing of the compressor units, including the installation of pipeline supports, measures to prevent pipe freezing, and electrical and instrumentation adjustments. By upholding a vigilant approach, the team ensured that all issues were resolved, and supervised the construction contractors on-site to implement the necessary corrections. Through half a month of relentless efforts and the combined contributions of all parties, the first 1-to-2 compressor unit of the air separation plant was successfully tested for the first time, setting a record for testing compressor units in such a cold winter season and accumulating valuable experience in conducting tests during winter. Taking the successful first trial run of the first 1-to-2 compressor unit in this air separation plant as an opportunity, the project team will make every effort to carry out the subsequent work on the project. The 15 million tons per year demonstration project for the clean and efficient conversion of coal into various products at Shaanxi Coal Group Yulin Chemical Co., Ltd. – specifically the project related to the production of olefins, aromatics, and their further processing – is planned to be built in the Qingshui Coal Chemistry Industrial Park within the Yushen Industrial Park in Yulin, Shaanxi. The project will use coal from Mines No. 1 and 2 in Xiaobaodang and Caojiatan in the Yulin area of northern Shaanxi, as well as pyrolyzed coke, as raw materials. Advanced gasification technologies will be employed to produce crude syngas; this crude syngas will then be processed through conversion and purification before being fed into methanol synthesis units, MTO units, and olefin separation units to produce ethylene and propylene. Ethylene can be further processed to yield polyethylene and butene-1/hexene-1, while propylene can be used to produce polypropylene, acrylic acid, and superabsorbent resins. The oxygen required for the gasification unit is supplied by the air separation unit constructed as part of this project. The main process production units of this project include: an 1.85 million Nm3/h (CO+H2) coal gasification and syngas purification unit (including shift reaction, low-temperature methanol washing, and refrigeration systems); a 60,000-ton/year sulfur recovery unit; a 5.6 million tons/year methanol synthesis unit (including membrane separation and PsA); a 2 million tons/year MTO and olefin separation unit; a 1 million tons/year polyethylene plant; a 1 million tons/year polypropylene plant; a 50,000-ton/year butene-1/hexene-1 plant; a 90,000-ton/year acrylic acid plant; a 90,000-ton/year superabsorbent resin plant; an 600,000 Nm3/h air separation unit; coal storage and transportation facilities; heat power generation units; and utility systems (including all external piping and utility systems in the plant, flares, circulating water stations, storage and transportation facilities, auxiliary facilities, etc.). The total investment in this project is approximately 50 billion yuan. The annual operating time of the project is 8,000 hours; the amount of raw coal required is about 9 million tons, while the amount of fuel coal needed is about 5 million tons.