【In-depth Discussion on Modular Installation of HaiChuan】Pre-fabricated integral modular installation outside the pyrolyzer unit at Gulei Refining and Chemical Complex

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According to Sinopec News Network, since mid-May, the 10th Construction Company of Refining and Chemical Engineering Projects has taken the construction of the 800,000 tons per year ethylene plant as part of the Gulei Refining and Chemical Integration Project as its key task. Focusing on a modular construction approach for the cracking furnaces, the company has made every effort to strengthen safety controls in order to support the 100-day intensive effort to achieve specific goals. It is understood that the 800,000 tons per year ethylene plant serves as the core of the Gulei refining and chemical integration project, while the 8 cracking furnaces are the heart of this ethylene plant. Faced with the weight of around 3,800 tons and a height of 60 meters for each pyrolysis furnace, the managers of the Sijian Gulei Refining and Petrochemical Ethylene Project site found it extremely difficult to ensure proper safety controls. Construction processes that involved working at heights, lifting operations, and interdisciplinary coordination were all sources of significant risks, and thus became key priorities in their on-site safety management. “The cracking furnace construction site is ‘relocated’ for prefabrication outside the site, with modular assembly being employed; this reduces the risks associated with work at heights and minimizes the frequency of cross-construction activities among different specialties, thereby creating a safe and stable working environment for the employees involved in the construction. ”Before the Spring Festival in 2020, through thorough discussions among the project owner Guoli Petrochemical, the general contractor and design firm Sinopec Engineering Construction Company (SEI), and the supervision party, the modular construction plan for the cracking furnace developed by the project team was continuously improved and optimized. At the beginning of March, the Gulei refining project resumed operations in an orderly manner; with proper pandemic prevention measures in place, the modular construction of the cracking furnaces got underway. Wu Zhaodong, who has many years of experience in safety management, found that the identification of potential risks during this cracking furnace construction project gave him great peace of mind. “The precast yard has ample space, which is conducive to the placement of crane stations and helps reduce the risks associated with lifting operations ； It facilitates the erection and timely dismantling of scaffolding, reducing the frequency of work at heights ； It facilitates coordinated construction among various specialties and reduces safety risks associated with concurrent operations. ”Wu Zhaodong’s three \"advantages\" and three \"reductions\" reflect the safety management advantages of modular construction for pyrolysis furnaces. Over the past two months, progress on the construction of the 3 pyrolysis units at the pre-constructed site has been rapid; the modular construction of the radiation section was completed ahead of schedule. The number of safety violations committed by the workers involved in the project dropped to zero, and the frequency of safety hazards was reduced by 2/3 compared to traditional pyrolysis unit construction. This has effectively established a solid safety control framework to support the project’s progress, enabling the achievement of a \"double victory\" in terms of epidemic prevention and safe construction. (Tian Yuanwu)