CNOOC’s E-Gas technology coal-to-hydrogen complex has been operating steadily for over 270 days

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CNOOC’s E-Gas technology-based coal-to-hydrogen plant has been operating steadily for over 270 days Author/Source: Gasification World Date: May 9, 2022 Clicks: 13 On May 7, China’s first coal-to-hydrogen plant utilizing E-Gas technology, operated by CNOOC Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as CNOOC Refining & Chemical), located in Huizhou, Guangdong Province, continued to operate steadily for more than 270 days. In total, it has produced over 55,000 tons of hydrogen. This achievement represents a significant breakthrough in the application of coal gasification technology for hydrogen production in China, bringing it to an advanced level within the industry. It holds great significance for promoting the rapid development of China’s coal-to-hydrogen industry and facilitating the clean and efficient use of coal. Coal-to-hydrogen production uses coal as a reducing agent and steam as an oxidizing agent to convert carbon into syngas, which mainly consists of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, at high temperatures. Through processes such as purification, carbon monoxide conversion, and purification further, hydrogen and syngas are produced. The hydrogen produced by CNOOC Refining & Chemical is primarily used in the hydroprocessing units of oil refining and in the butanone-2-ol production facilities of the chemical industry, to manufacture high-quality clean petroleum products and chemical substances. According to Zhou Jianxin, deputy manager of the coal-based hydrogen production department at Huizhou Petrochemical, Sinopec Refining & Chemicals, there are currently only two E-Gas coal-based hydrogen production plants in operation worldwide. These plants feature high carbon conversion rates, efficient heat utilization, and low oxygen consumption. Compared to traditional natural gas-based hydrogen production processes, it can reduce costs by 20%–25%. This facility ensures that pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and wastewater are discharged at levels that meet the specified standards, reaching an advanced level for the industry. Since 2018, Huizhou Petrochemical Company, a subsidiary of CNOOC Refining & Chemicals, has, in the absence of any prior experience with coal-based hydrogen production facilities or commissioning processes, overcome a series of key technical challenges through continuous exploration and practice. These challenges included blockages in the tubes of waste heat boilers, high failure rates in carbon recovery systems, and ash accumulation in the second stage of the gasifier. The company developed an automated control system for the entire gasifier operation process on its own, worked to localize imported equipment such as backflow valves for coke filters, filter elements, and carbon recovery systems, and innovatively introduced fiber-optic temperature measurement technology. It also formulated operating methods for waste heat boilers and low-load operation procedures for sulfur units, thereby ensuring the safe and stable operation of the E-Gas coal-based hydrogen production complex under various load conditions. After four years of exploration, CNOOC Refining & Chemicals has gradually developed a set of operational practices to ensure the long-term operation of coal-to-hydrogen plants, providing a mature \"Chinese solution\" for the reliable operation of E-Gas coal-to-hydrogen technology worldwide; this solution is now being increasingly adopted abroad. China’s energy structure is characterized by an abundance of coal, a shortage of oil, and limited natural gas resources. The Central Economic Work Conference in 2021 called for promoting the clean and efficient utilization of coal, as well as optimizing the combination of coal and new energy sources. The industry generally believes that coal-to-hydrogen is an important approach to making effective use of coal resources, offering advantages in terms of safety and environmental protection, mature technology, and low costs.