Space-based pulverized coal pressure gasification technology is used; annual maintenance work is carried out on the 300,000-ton ethylene glycol plant in Guizhou; the 300,000-ton methanol project has been approved

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Space-based pulverized coal pressure gasification technology is used for the annual maintenance of Guizhou’s 300,000-ton ethylene glycol plant; a 300,000-ton methanol project has been approved. Author/Source: Qianxi Coal Chemical Investment Co., Ltd. Date: May 13, 2022. Clicks: 13. On May 8th, all equipment in Guizhou Qianxi Chemical Co., Ltd.’s ethylene glycol plant was shut down, marking the start of its annual maintenance work. Qianxi Coal Chemical uses coal as raw material, with space furnace gasification (3 units of 2800/3200 type space furnaces), to produce 300,000 tons of ethylene glycol using Japanese Ube process technology. It came online in May 2018. Qianxi Chemical has an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons of ethylene glycol, and it is currently the largest coal-based ethylene glycol production facility in the southwest region. The market covers regions such as South China, East China, and Sichuan, and it holds an important share in the ethylene glycol consumption market, which is dominated by the polyester industry. The 300,000-ton per year coal-based ethylene glycol production project undertaken by Qianxi Chemical is a landmark initiative for Bijie City aimed at accelerating the development of the new coal chemical industry. The facility employs the state-of-the-art coal-to-ethylene glycol production process, featuring a high degree of automation and safety. Through pressurized gasification, the carbon conversion rate can exceed 99%, making it a typical example of clean coal utilization. To develop and strengthen the coal chemical industry, Qianxi City is accelerating the process of modern industrialization. By making use of the local chemical industry resources, it works to extend and enhance the industrial chain by strengthening and expanding its links, thereby increasing the added value of this industry. An overall plan has been developed for the upstream and downstream parts of the industrial chain as well as for the production lines for by-products; in addition to the project for producing ethylene glycol from coal, 4 additional projects have been planned. Among them, the project with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tons of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) has already come online, and there are plans to increase this capacity to 50,000 tons ； The investment attraction project for an annual production capacity of 150,000 tons of hydrogen peroxide is set to be implemented soon ； The project to produce 300,000 tons of methanol per year is progressing in an orderly manner ； The energy-saving project for the ethylene glycol distillation and dealcoholization tower has entered the testing phase; once put into operation, it will enable the upgrade from industrial-grade ethylene glycol to polyester-grade ethylene glycol, further enhancing market competitiveness and economic benefits. Once the 300,000-ton methanol project is put into operation, it will not only serve as a raw material for the production of dimethyl carbonate, but it will also support the PGA project of Sinopec Great Wall Energy Chemical Co., Ltd. in Zhijin, Guizhou. Additionally, it will help address the supply issue of methanol-based fuel for new energy vehicles in Bijie City and throughout the province. According to a report from Guizhou Yueneng Investment Company at the end of April 2022, Qianxi Chemical’s 300,000 tons per year methanol production project has been approved by the provincial development and reform commission, and all related work is progressing in an orderly manner. In mid-March, the website of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment published a public notice regarding the acceptance of the environmental impact assessment report for the \"Fuyu Synthesis Gas Comprehensive Utilization (300,000 tons/year methanol) Project\" carried out by Guizhou Qianxi Chemical Co., Ltd. On November 6, 2021, the project’s feasibility study was approved. Overview of the expansion project: Project name: Comprehensive utilization of synthetic gas at Guizhou Qianxi Chemical Co., Ltd. (300,000 tons/year of methanol). Nature of the project: Renovation and expansion. Construction period: 24 months. Location of construction: Qianxi Economic Development Zone, Guizhou. The land designated for construction purposes is 96.46 mu, of which 18.85 mu is used for technical upgrades at the original site; an additional 77.61 mu of land was acquired to the south of the site for use as the methanol production area. Total investment for the renovation and expansion project: 548,432.7 thousand yuan, of which 491,210.2 thousand yuan is for construction costs, 2,947.29 thousand yuan is for interest during the construction period, and 2,774.96 thousand yuan is for working capital. Project Overview: It is reported that the 300,000-ton per year methanol production project in Guizhou Qianxi Chemical will be designed using a \"one-end-two-end\" process. An additional methanol production unit will be set up by making use of idle gasifiers and some unused land within the factory site; ethylene glycol will be produced, while excess syngas will be used to manufacture methanol. Once the project is completed, the enterprise can flexibly adjust product production levels within a certain range based on market conditions, thereby enhancing its resilience to risks ； To supply methanol as a raw material for existing ethylene glycol plants and the upcoming 50,000-ton/year dimethyl carbonate plant, thereby achieving product complementarity and enhancing the company’s overall competitiveness. At the same time, it will effectively fill the relatively limited market demand in Guizhou Province, facilitating companies to make early preparations in the new energy fuel market. The company currently has an ethylene glycol production facility with a capacity of 300,000 tons per year. Three HT-L pulverized coal pressure gasification units with diameters of φ2800/3200 are used to produce crude syngas. After undergoing sulfur-resistant shift reaction, low-temperature methanol washing, and H2/CO separation, the CO is sent to the DMO synthesis unit where crude DMO is produced. The DMO obtained after distillation is then used in the ethylene glycol synthesis process, where it reacts with H2 to yield crude ethylene glycol, which is finally refined to produce pure ethylene glycol. In order to maximize the production potential of the ethylene glycol plant, after thorough research and analysis, the company plans to rely on the backup gasifier and the utility systems associated with the ethylene glycol project, and add another methanol plant with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons (to serve as a facility for producing the methanol required as raw material for ethylene glycol production). By utilizing the excess syngas generated during ethylene glycol production to manufacture methanol, it is possible to operate all three gasifiers simultaneously. This approach enables the comprehensive utilization of the existing plant’s excess gas production capacity and utility resources, thereby maximizing the production potential of the existing facilities and improving the asset utilization rate of the ethylene glycol plant. The main construction components of the project include transformation and expansion upgrades, desulfurization and decarbonization upgrades, ice machines, methanol synthesis, distillation, syngas compression, and the addition of a new air separation unit. By utilizing the space reserved on-site, no additional land for construction is required, and it is possible to carry out production by making comprehensive use of the excess capacity of utilities such as water, electricity, steam, and gas generation available in the existing ethylene glycol plant. This project plans to adopt domestic sulfur-resistant isothermal shift technology, low-temperature methanol washing for desulfurization and decarbonization, methanol synthesis technology, and four-column distillation technology. The process technology route is mature, advanced, and rational, featuring a short process flow and low energy consumption. The main construction items include transformation and expansion upgrades, desulfurization and decarbonization upgrades, ice machines, methanol synthesis, distillation, syngas compression, and the addition of a new air separation unit ； As well as utility and auxiliary facilities, including the main substation, water supply and drainage networks, circulating water stations, desalination stations, process deaeration tanks and feed water pumps, process and heating external pipelines, general transportation systems, control rooms, and other supporting facilities. Qianxi Coal Chemical Investment Co., Ltd. is located in the Economic Development Zone of Qianxi County, Guizhou Province. In line with Guizhou Province’s development plans, and taking advantage of the county’s favorable investment environment as well as its abundant coal resources, it is a large-scale chemical project focused on the advanced processing of coal locally. It has been designated as a key project by Guizhou Province, Bijie City, Qianxi County, and Henan Energy.