Issues regarding precautions for operating the methanol autothermal conversion unit and potential accident risks

We work in the methanol production process using coke oven gas, and we often hear about explosions and burns in the conversion furnaces; I have personally experienced such incidents several times. Here are the reasons I’ve identified: 1. Design issues; for example, the steam control valves in the oxygen inlet pipelines are designed as air-actuated valves, and without instrument air, there is no protection for the steam, which leads to explosions in the oxygen pipelines when cutting off oxygen supply. There are also considerations such as whether the chain setup and actions are reasonable, etc. 2. Equipment issues: The quality of some casting materials is substandard, which leads to collapse and blockage of the gas pathways, resulting in overheating and explosions. In some cases, the vent valve at the end of the conversion process freezes in winter and cannot be opened, resulting in pressure buildup in the system and ultimately an explosion in the oxygen pipeline. In some steam systems, the reset pressure of the safety valves is low; as a result, the steam pressure drops significantly after the valves activate, leading to explosions in the oxygen pipelines. Among other reasons: 3. Inaccurate instruments, as well as insufficient quality of the materials used for temperature measurement sleeves; the most typical example is the temperature sensing probe sleeves in conversion furnaces, and this has been discussed in forums. 4. Most importantly, the operators lack the necessary skills and have little experience. For example, an excessive water-to-carbon ratio can cause shutdown and lead to explosions; the oxygen cutting speed is too slow, decisions are not made promptly, the amount of oxygen supplied to the converter cannot be adjusted properly, and it is not possible to make predictions in advance, among other issues. To operate safely, one must remain vigilant and be meticulous in their work. The above are some humble opinions on the operation of conversion furnaces. In actual production, it is also necessary to pay attention to adjusting various parameters, focusing mainly on protecting the catalyst and following standard procedures in order to extend its service life as much as possible.

The vent valve at the end of the conversion process freezes in winter and cannot be opened. The valves here are also located at the bottom, and at the lowest point water definitely freezes in winter. Even adding a heat pipe at that time might not be sufficient, as the diameter of the pipe is 350 mm!