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Shaanxi Chemical Industry was ranked second among the companies recognized as “leaders” in energy efficiency within key energy-consuming industries for 2021 by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Author/Source: Shaanxi Chemical Industry; Date: 2022-02-26; Clicks: 30. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and another relevant department issued the “Announcement by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation” [No. 3, 2022], announcing the list of companies that made it to the final selection as leaders in energy efficiency within key energy-consuming industries for 2021. The synthetic ammonia production unit owned by Shaanxi Chemical Industry Company (which uses coal powder, including anthracite and bituminous coal, as raw materials) ranks second among the industry’s leaders in terms of energy efficiency. In accordance with the requirements set forth in the “Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the General Office of the State Administration for Market Regulation on Organizing the Selection Process for Energy Efficiency ‘Leaders’ in Key Energy-Consuming Industries in 2021” (Document No. LJH [2021] 268 issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), on November 23, 2021, the company submitted an application for the title of Energy Efficiency “Leader” for its ammonia synthesis products. It promptly coordinated efforts to prepare the necessary application materials. Following a preliminary review by the local industry and information technology bureau, as well as joint evaluation by the provincial industry and information technology department and the provincial quality supervision bureau, the application was ultimately submitted to the **Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. On December 31, 2021, the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published the list of enterprises that excelled in energy efficiency within key energy-consuming industries; 29 chemical companies made it onto this list. On January 19, 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology together with another ministry issued the “Announcement by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation” [2022 No. 3], announcing the final list of enterprises that were recognized as leaders in energy efficiency among key energy-consuming industries for 2021. A veteran state-owned enterprise with a half-century of history has continued to grow and develop steadily, overcoming various challenges along the way, and is now striving for progress, improvement, and transformation on the path toward low-carbon, green development! First, it involves phasing out outdated clean production methods and promoting green development through the replacement of old technologies with new ones. The company actively responds to policies and guidelines related to eliminating obsolete production capacities, reducing energy consumption, and environmental protection. With strong guidance and support from various levels of government and Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group, it adheres to the development philosophy of “energy conservation, emission reduction, and green, low-carbon growth.” By conducting energy efficiency benchmarking, tapping into its internal potential, actively exploring innovative management practices, and implementing multiple measures, the company has achieved one breakthrough after another. Adhering to the principle of renewal and the use of new technologies to support older ones, the company launched new energy-saving and emission-reduction improvement projects. It demolished the outdated equipment in the old fertilizer plant, including 6 coal-fired boilers, two ammonia synthesis units, as well as various structural elements, thereby laying the foundation for Shaanxi Chemical Company’s efforts in energy saving and emission reduction. As the construction of an ecological civilization progresses, the company has successively implemented desulfurization and denitrification measures, upgrades to improve performance standards, and controls on smoke plumes, in its effort to create a green and clean factory. It also focuses on improving energy efficiency through lean production methods, thereby contributing to local environmental protection. Second, strengthen the basic process management to ensure the efficient operation of the facilities; the company’s daily basic management is organized as a distinct system. As the company embarks on a new journey of high-quality development, basic management work builds upon the existing framework of process parameter management, equipment maintenance, and on-site inspection quality – adding a \"standard gauge\" to this foundation. The so-called \"standard framework\" involves using the energy management system as the core framework and various standards and regulations as guidelines to form an energy management team. It entails a comprehensive review of all aspects such as energy consumption, target indicators, key equipment, measurement and analysis, as well as record-keeping. By simplifying complex processes and introducing innovative approaches, it aims to continuously improve management by ensuring that there are clear objectives, effective process control, supervised performance evaluation, and robust systems for assessment and incentives. While adhering to standards, it does not remain confined to them; instead, by taking into account the actual production conditions of the enterprise, innovative activities such as the \"One Report, Two Clarifications\" competition, team awards for \"desktop simulations\", and contests for experts in HAZOP analysis are carried out. These initiatives serve as a starting point to promote broader improvements, enabling the development of systematic thinking and approaches that suit the enterprise’s production organization and management needs. By emphasizing relevance, timing, and seasonal considerations, these efforts help strengthen basic management and improve process control. At the same time, by implementing systems such as the “Guidelines for the Implementation of Process Safety Management in Chemical Enterprises” (AQ/T 3034-2010), integrated management based on three standards—quality, environment, and occupational health and safety—as well as the NOSA safety, health, and environmental management system, the company exercises scientific, standardized, comprehensive, and systematic control over the entire production cycle. This control covers various aspects including fundamental process management, product quality control, and safe and environmentally friendly production. By aligning with standards while exceeding them in practice, the company ensures stable production, promotes higher output, enhances energy efficiency, and removes any bottlenecks hindering efficient production operations. The company has successively carried out renovation projects such as the modification of the black water gasification filter, the reform of the ammonia washing tower, the upgrade of the methanol washing water system, the modification of the ammonia compressor coolers, the installation of an automatic electrical system monitoring system, small-current protection measures, and improvements to interlock reliability. Measures such as implementing a performance-based incentive system for the coordinated operation and management of key equipment have led to an outstanding achievement of 567 consecutive days of stable operation for the ammonia synthesis plant, laying a solid foundation for achieving the fundamental goals of safety, environmental compliance, high productivity, stable output, and low consumption. Image 3: Strengthening targeted benchmarking management to enhance efficiency through lean production. Adhering to the principle of \"going out and bringing in,\" the company uses benchmarking management to learn from external sources, making good use of others’ strengths to improve its own performance. During this period, through measures such as rational coal blending, grinder upgrades, and the use of various additives, the operation of the main unit was improved from being stable to being optimal, resulting in a continuous reduction in overall energy consumption and specific consumption. In 2021, the concentration of the gasified coal slurry was increased to 63.8%, and the proportion of effective gases in the gasification process remained above 82.5%. Modifications to the boiler’s combustion system and waste heat recovery mechanisms improved the boiler’s combustion efficiency by more than 7%. The company upgraded all the vent valves in the system, regularly tested and replaced safety valves, thereby achieving a \"relatively extinguished\" state for the emergency flare. Expansion and renovation of the cooling tower in the synthetic ammonia system, to minimize the temperature of the cooling water and thereby reduce the system’s energy and steam consumption. The company has carried out over 100 energy-saving renovation projects for synthetic ammonia, laying a solid foundation for a significant reduction in the energy consumption of synthetic ammonia products. During the operation of the production system, management and technical personnel at all levels within the company continuously explore, reflect, summarize, and strive for excellence. With the goal of improving the level of core technology development, the company offers special incentives for energy-saving technological improvements, thereby motivating its technical experts to develop innovative solutions for energy savings. To date, the company holds a total of 31 valid patents, including 3 invention patents and 28 utility model patents. Fourth, it is to build and implement intelligent chemical manufacturing to enhance quality and efficiency. Digital transformation is the essential path for enterprises to shift from old to new forms of productivity under the dual-carbon policy, and it enables high-quality development through technological innovation. Shaanxi Chemical Company adheres to the theme of \"highlighting strengths, addressing weaknesses, strengthening weak areas, and introducing innovations,\" clarifies the approach for building intelligent factories, promotes intelligent upgrades and transformations, and actively explores and gradually implements intelligent control, monitoring, inspection, and mechanical operations. The company continuously improves labor efficiency, optimizes energy consumption, and stabilizes product quality, providing a scientific basis for further tapping into energy-saving potential and exploring opportunities to reduce consumption. Driven by intelligent innovation and technological innovation, the company boasts strong momentum for development. It is accelerating the construction of intelligent factories, and the implementation of various intelligent projects further speeds up the company’s transformation and upgrading, providing continuous strong support for its high-quality development. In March 2021, Shaanxi Chemical Company’s intelligent access control system was put into operation, enabling transportation tracking and improving the efficiency of goods inbound and outbound. In November, the APC system for the boiler unit was installed and put into operation, enabling closed-loop control of Unit 3’s system; the coal savings rate exceeded 0.5%, thus creating the company’s first demonstration site for intelligent production control. In December, the country’s first intelligent three-dimensional urea warehouse was completed and put into operation, offering full-range smart management features such as intelligent re-inspection, automatic stacking, and three-dimensional storage, thus setting a benchmark for intelligence in this industry. Being a leader in energy efficiency is an honor, as well as a responsibility and a duty. Shaanxi Chemical Company always aims to be a leader in energy efficiency, strictly adhering to relevant standards, implementing meticulous management practices, and optimizing system operations. By leading in energy efficiency, it strives to improve productivity, and through higher productivity, it seeks to enhance profitability. The company is committed to becoming a first-class chemical enterprise that is green, clean, and efficient, thereby contributing to the green and low-carbon development of the energy industry.