【In-depth Discussion on Modular Installation of Haichuan】07 Overall Installation of Air Separation Cryogenic Tank

Recently, at the site of Yangzi Petrochemical’s 500,000 tons per year acetic acid production facility, with the lifting order issued by Wu Xuebin, the project manager in charge of the acetic acid production project, a large cryogenic tank weighing 300 tons and measuring 30,650 mm * 8,000 mm * 7,600 mm in size, with a value of nearly 200 million yuan, was successfully lifted at 10:20 with the assistance of a main crane (630T) and an auxiliary crane (400T). This marked the full commencement of the installation work on site. 　　 The cryogenic tank used in the acetic acid production project was purchased by Yangzi Petrochemical Company from Air Products Corporation (AP) as a patented product. This cryogenic tank features an advanced technological design; its process equipment and pipeline layout are compact and rational, resulting in low energy consumption and optimal utilization of energy. The inside of the cold box contains 5 towers, 12 heat exchangers, and 7 separation tanks; all equipment and pipelines are made of aluminum alloy. Currently, the designed production capacity of this cryogenic tank is the highest in the world. 　　 Regarding the core equipment for the acetic acid-related project, Yangzi Engineering Company attached great importance to it from the stage of process package review. It attended various review meetings organized by the project team on multiple occasions, and communicated with the manufacturers on several occasions during the manufacturing of the cryogenic tank to verify relevant data such as its dimensions, weight, and hook styles, thus laying a solid foundation for formulating plans for the transportation and lifting of the cryogenic tank. 　　 The Acetic Acid Support Project Department of the Nanjing Project Management Center under Sinopec’s Engineering Department has organized and attended numerous meetings focused on the transportation of cold boxes. It also worked with relevant parties to inspect the transportation routes; the four braces in the old pipeline gallery along Huoju Road posed obstacles to transportation. In response, Yangzi Supervision arranged for the construction unit to reinforce the pipeline gallery before removing those braces, thereby ensuring that the cold boxes could pass through the gallery smoothly. 　　 The Acetic Acid Support Project Department of the Nanjing Project Management Center in Sinopec’s Engineering Department, Nanjing Yangzi Petrochemical Engineering Company, and the contractor worked together closely and organized things meticulously to address issues such as the excessive weight and large size of the cold box. They invited experts in heavy-lift operations from Sinopec’s head office, and after thorough discussions, they refined the plan for lifting the cold box. Yangzi Supervision carefully reviews the submission documents related to cranes and personnel, and provides timely safety training for new lifting workers who arrive on site. Before lifting, conduct technical and safety briefings, inspect the crane and ropes, and verify the installation of the cryogenic tank as well as its positioning. After the crane was assembled on-site, it was handed over to the local authorities for performance testing. Overcoming numerous challenges such as the limited construction site caused by the installation of surrounding steel structures and the equipment already in place, a successful single lifting operation was carried out, marking an important milestone for the project. This laid a solid foundation for the project to be completed on time and to high standards this year.

It’s spectacular and eye-opening....

The overall lifting of the cold box poses a test to the structural stability and the load-bearing capacity of the members