Successful technical upgrade of the air compressor system in the Yuxiang Populus euphratica ammonia synthesis plant

Thread Content

Successful technical upgrade of the air compressor system in the Yuxiang Huyang ammonia synthesis plant. Author/Source: Yuxiang Huyang. Date: 2022-01-27. Clicks: 12. Recently, thanks to the careful tuning by professional technicians and the precise operation by process engineers, Compressor No. 2 for the second-phase ammonia synthesis plant was put into operation successfully. This marks the completion of the safety and energy-saving renovation project for all 6 air compressor units in both the first and second phases of the ammonia synthesis plant, with these units now operating smoothly! For a long time, the overall operational condition of the air compressor systems in ammonia synthesis plants has been poor. The continuous injection of oil, combined with large amounts of dust entering the system, has exacerbated wear on the cylinders, piston rings, and support rings. This has led to severe blockages and failures of the air valves. Moreover, the wear debris forms carbon deposits at high temperatures, which stick to the cylinder passages or enter the system, posing long-term risks to operational safety. Additionally, this situation reduces the efficiency of operators, making it impossible to monitor the operating parameters of the air compressors in real time. In October 2020, with the strong support and cooperation of the company’s management and relevant departments, an additional air filter room was installed in the synthetic ammonia air system. Through continuous efforts and experimentation by the maintenance team, the PEEK air valves for the 6 air compressors were upgraded, as well as the systems were modified for oil-free operation, all of which were completed successfully. To date, the first modified PEEK air valve produced in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture has operated for 8,000 hours without any failures during the trial period. Moreover, a comparison of the operation data from 2020 and 2021 shows that the failure rate has decreased by 80%-90%. After the modification, each valve saves 379 KW/h of electricity and 170 KG of lubricant per month. The cost associated with spare parts for air compressors dropped from 430,104 yuan in 2020 to 44,737 yuan in 2021; the results of these modifications are very satisfactory. The air compressor system in the ammonia synthesis plant is performing excellently as a result of the upgrades carried out; the second phase of upgrades to the key units has also been completed, resulting in a significant reduction in unit failure rates, and the units are now operating at their best levels ever.