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The DMC quality improvement and efficiency enhancement project in Yongcheng Park successfully produced electronic-grade products. Author/Source: Yongcheng Park. Date: 2022-06-01. Clicks: 24. At 16:18 on May 30, 2022, the 10,000-ton/year dimethyl carbonate (DMC) quality improvement and efficiency enhancement project in Yongcheng Park completed the entire production process successfully, yielding electronic-grade dimethyl carbonate four months ahead of schedule, once again demonstrating the \"Longyu Speed\". Driven by innovation, the industry is undergoing optimization and upgrading. DMC has a wide range of applications and is regarded as the \"new cornerstone\" of organic synthesis today; it is mainly used in organic chemical intermediates, solvents, gasoline additives, etc. High-purity versions (of electronic grade) can be used in lithium battery electrolytes. The price difference between these two grades is around 1,000 yuan. The Yongcheng plant currently has two units capable of producing 200,000 tons of coal-based ethylene glycol per year; during the production process, the by-product dimethyl carbonate (DMC) accounts for approximately 5-10% of the total output. In the past, due to their low purity, these by-products could only be sold as industrial-grade DMC at low prices, resulting in minimal profits. Aiming at the direction of industrial development, this park actively promotes the upgrading and transformation of industrial-grade DMC. Through effective cooperation with relevant research institutions and clean energy companies, it turns waste into value by further optimizing low-purity dimethyl carbonate and refining it into electronic-grade DMC for sale, thereby maximizing profits. The DMC quality improvement and efficiency enhancement project mainly includes a crude DMC purification system and an electronic-grade DMC purification system. The purification of crude DMC primarily employs a heat-coupled vacuum distillation process to upgrade crude DMC, which contains about 35% DMC, to 99.5% purity ； The electronic-grade DMC purification system primarily uses low-temperature crystallization and distillation to purify crude DMC with 99.5% purity to 99.99%. This process features advanced technology and high operational flexibility, making it suitable for modern production. It is understood that the 10,000 tons per year DMC improvement and efficiency enhancement project is not only one of the \"top ten technical innovation projects\" for the Yongcheng industrial park in 2022, but it also plays an important role in helping the company extend its industrial chain and promote industrial transformation and upgrading. “The DMC efficiency improvement project was implemented successfully, not only effectively enhancing the value of ethylene glycol by-products but also providing practical insights for product structure adjustment and industrial transformation and upgrading. Preliminary estimates suggest that once this project is operational, the Yongcheng industrial park will be able to generate over 10 million yuan in revenue each year. ”Xie Feidong, general manager of the Yongcheng park, said. Urgent efforts were made to accelerate the project construction. At a critical stage of the project, a COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Yongcheng City, leading to a city-wide lockdown and a state of silence; as a result, the construction teams were unable to access the site. Faced with this incomplete project, the maintenance staff stationed at the factory in that park stepped forward to take on the task of completing it. The maintenance plant, Ethylene Glycol Plant No. 1, and various departments worked closely together; technical professionals in mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation fields took the lead. Each pipeline was constructed according to the plans, and each piece of equipment underwent the \"three inspections and four confirmations\" process. When design deficiencies or changes were encountered, timely communication with the design team was carried out online to address these issues. Through the joint efforts of everyone, the park managed to achieve its goals: having the foundations exposed by January, the equipment installed by April, and products ready for production by May. The park makes full use of its advantages and experience in coordinated operations, adheres to the principle of having professionals handle specialized tasks, and strives to use the most advanced technologies, the most reliable equipment, and the highest standards to turn the DMC quality improvement project into a premier model project in the industry. “From plan optimization and organizational coordination to the implementation of safety measures and quality control during construction, a technical supervisor is assigned to each process and stage to ensure professional oversight throughout the entire process. ”Hou Liutao, the chief engineer of the park, said. In addition, the project team holds coordination meetings on a weekly basis to discuss and resolve difficulties and issues encountered during construction, ensuring strict and meticulous control over construction quality. Every effort is made to save costs; the park adheres firmly to the principle of living frugally. By maintaining active communication with partners, understanding the details of investment estimates, and leveraging the supply chain advantages of state-owned enterprises, it manages to keep all estimated expenditures as low as possible. “We proactively recommend the surplus inventory of enterprises to our partners, thereby activating idle assets and maximizing investment returns. In May alone, the DMC efficiency improvement project helped to realize savings of 80,000 yuan; idle materials such as repaired parts, gaskets, and piping were made full use of. ”Gao Hongbing, the project leader and deputy general manager, told the author. With united efforts, the test run was a success. On May 18th, the DMC quality improvement and efficiency enhancement project entered the preparatory phase for trial production; the various units involved in the test run focused on the scheduled deadlines, worked backward from those dates, and pursued their tasks systematically. The park established a “driving task force,” with Party members and cadres taking the lead and setting an example. Tang Jianfeng, the deputy director of Ethylene Glycol Plant No. 1, has been staying on site since the trial operation began, ready to respond at any time. He went to the site every day, effectively planned pipeline purging, strictly monitored pressure testing and leak detection, and carefully organized system integration tests, often working for over 10 hours at a time. In response to the issues identified on site, he strictly adhered to the \"three no-lets-go\" principle, promptly communicated and coordinated with the technical team and the design institute, and resolved the problems at an early stage, thus providing a solid guarantee for the successful completion of the first test run. “Just the ‘three inspections and four determinations’ were carried out 3 times, resulting in the identification and correction of over 100 minor issues. ”Tang Jianfeng said. As it is a new technology, the technology of some similar devices in China is kept confidential, and some operational data can only be determined through trial and error during operation. To ensure the successful completion of the commissioning trial in just one attempt, Plant 1 for ethylene glycol took the initiative to learn from peer companies, absorbing as much experience as possible in starting up such operations ； On the one hand, technical personnel are organized to tackle the challenges, prepare commissioning and operation plans as well as safety procedures, to provide guidance for pilot production. Thanks to strict control during the project construction and concerted efforts during the commissioning phase, on May 6, the project completed the flushing and purging of the equipment and pipelines ； On May 12, the refrigeration unit passed its initial test run successfully ； On May 18, the system water commissioning was completed, and the pipelines for various raw materials were successively connected ； On May 30, crude DMC was fed into the system; the DMC process started successfully on the first attempt, yielding qualified electronic-grade products. “The successful first trial run of the DMC quality and efficiency improvement project has further strengthened our confidence in pursuing transformation and development. Next, the Yongcheng Industrial Park will leverage its regional advantages and resource endowments to accelerate the development of new green materials such as dimethyl carbonate and anhydrous ethanol, thereby providing important support for enterprises to achieve high-quality transformation and development. ”Liu Pintao, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the park, said.