Results of the scientific and technical appraisal on the \"Clean and efficient conversion technology of smokeless coal in space furnaces\"

Anthracite is the coal with the highest degree of coalification; it features a high fixed carbon content, low volatile matter yield, high density, high hardness, a high ignition point, and does not produce smoke during combustion. Among the existing proven reserves in the country, anthracite accounts for about 11.5% of the total coal reserves, with the main deposits located in Shanxi and Guizhou, followed by Henan and Sichuan. Smokeless lump coal used to be a high-quality coal for chemical manufacturing, and the optimal feedstock for the fixed-bed gas generation process. However, due to the low processing capacity of fixed-bed furnace systems, the low effective gas content, and the difficulties in environmentally sound treatment of pollutants, projects that employ fixed-bed batch gasification technology are classified as restricted items in the \"Guidelines for Industrial Structure Adjustment (2019 Edition)\". This year, the draft of the \"Catalogue of Obsolete Technologies and Equipment to be Phased Out for the Safe Production of Hazardous Chemicals (First Batch in 2020)\") also stipulates that the atmospheric pressure fixed-bed batch gasification process must be upgraded within two years. It is evident that a new approach is urgently needed for the clean utilization of anthracite. Due to factors such as high ash content, high ash fusion temperature, low reactivity, and low grindability index, the clean and efficient conversion of anthracite is a \"difficult task\". The problem is right in front of us; how to solve it?

Shanxi Jinmei Huayu Coal Chemical Co., Ltd. was the first to venture into the clean, efficient, and large-scale industrial application of smokeless coal dust. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jinmei Group; it was established in October 2011 and is responsible for the preparation, construction, and operation of Jinmei Group’s \"Circular Economy Industrial Park for the Clean Utilization of High-Sulfur Anthracite\" project. The estimated investment for the first phase of the park is 8.6 billion yuan. The technical approach involves using high-sulfur anthracite to produce methanol, with an output capacity of 1.2 million tons per year of methanol and 500,000 tons per year of clean fuels. The first phase of its integrated electro-thermal demonstration project for the clean utilization of high-sulfur coal, aimed at producing one million tons of methanol per year, was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission on July 9, 2012; construction began in July 2014, using four φ3800/3800 type space furnaces. On July 15, 2018, the first space furnace was successfully ignited and coal was fed into it; on August 18, 2018, the system’s processes were optimized, allowing for the production of qualified methanol.

Niu Hongkuan, chairman and general manager of Jinmei Huayu, said, “With the strong support of Jinmei Group and various sectors of society, and especially thanks to the support of aerospace-based gasification technology, the construction and commissioning of the company’s projects have proceeded very smoothly.” On August 18, 2018, the process was successfully commissioned with a single batch of feedstock; within nearly 4 months by the end of the year, 262,000 tons of methanol were produced, generating sales revenue of 660 million yuan. This achievement set a record for domestic large-scale chemical projects of this type, with successful safe commissioning, rapid operation commencement, and tangible results achieved within the same year. The project achieved full production capacity and efficiency in 2019. Excluding the impact of the reduced load caused by the pandemic in February 2020, the company’s cost per ton of methanol dropped to 1,118 yuan from March to June; both the manufacturing cost and the total cost of methanol reached the best levels among the chemical subsidiaries of Jinmei Group. ”

According to the assessment by the expert panel, the space furnace was successfully applied in the first phase of the 1 million tons per year methanol production project under Jinmei Group’s Huayu High-Sulfur Coal Clean Utilization, Integrated Chemical and Thermal Power Demonstration Project. Each unit is capable of processing 1,500 tons of dry coal powder per day, enabling long-term stable operation. The assessment results show that the effective gas (CO+H2) production per furnace in the gasification unit is ≥96159 Nm3/h, compared to the oxygen consumption

The appraisal committee believes that the clean and efficient conversion technology for smokeless pulverized coal using space furnaces possesses independent intellectual property rights; it enables the safe, clean, and efficient conversion of smokeless pulverized coal. This technology is at the international leading level in the field of smokeless pulverized coal gasification, and its widespread application can be accelerated. Gu Zongqin, head of the appraisal team and president of the China Nitrogen Fertilizer Industry Association, said, “The utilization of anthracite has always been a challenge. In terms of burning anthracite coal completely, the space furnace was the first to attempt this, overcoming various difficulties and resulting in many innovations.” At the same time, the operating metrics of the user’s company, Jinmei Huayu, are excellent, which represents a significant breakthrough for the entire industry. ” Li Yongwu, former vice minister of the Ministry of Chemical Industry, and former Party secretary and president of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, said, “It’s not easy for an aerospace engineering company to gasify bituminous coal; it requires overcoming significant challenges.” As the saying goes, great skill brings boldness; without extensive practical experience and solid technical skills, it is impossible to solve real-world problems innovatively. They can help businesses solve practical problems and are particularly dynamic. ” Li Yongwu commented, \"The scientific and technological achievement that has reached an internationally leading level through this evaluation is the result of joint research and development by the Aerospace Engineering Company and Jinmei Huayu Company; it is a model of cooperation.\" ” Niu Hongkuan, chairman and general manager of Jinmei Huayu Company, said, “Together with the aerospace engineering team, we overcame a series of technical challenges related to the use of bituminous coal from Jincheng in fluidized-bed gasification, thereby establishing a reliable pathway for the clean and efficient conversion of this coal in the Jincheng mining area.” Next, in collaboration with aerospace engineering, efforts will be made to further improve and optimize the gasification equipment, with a focus on the efficient conversion and utilization of high-sulfur anthracite, in order to make new contributions to the efficient comprehensive utilization of Jincheng anthracite and high-sulfur coal. ” Jiang Congbin, General Manager of the Aerospace Engineering Company, also said that in the future the company will make full use of the gasification solutions and technical expertise developed during the research on technologies for gasifying bituminous coal, lignite, and anthracite. It will continue to conduct in-depth research on gasification techniques for carbon-containing materials with similar characteristics such as low reactivity and low grindability index, thereby contributing \"aerospace-based solutions\" to the clean and efficient utilization of coal resources and hazardous waste in China.

2019 Chemical Industry Quality Project Award: Tian Gong Metallurgy Co., Ltd. in Hancheng City’s 60,000-ton/year 1,4-butanediol upgrading project; Xing’an League Boyuan’s project for annual production of 300,000 tons of synthetic ammonia and 520,000 tons of urea; Shandong Iron & Steel Group Rizhao Co., Ltd.’s high-quality steel production base project, including the LNG production facility using coking furnace gas; Shanxi Lu’an Coal-based Clean Energy Co., Ltd.’s integrated demonstration project for the clean utilization of high-sulfur coal for oil, electricity, and heat generation, including 1 million tons/year of oil product synthesis and processing facilities; Shanxi Jinmei Huayu Coal Chemical Co., Ltd.’s first phase of the integrated demonstration project for the clean utilization of high-sulfur coal for chemical, electrical, and heat generation, featuring a 1 million tons/year methanol gasification and purification facility; Xinjiang Xinye Energy Chemical Fine Chemicals’ first phase of its 200,000-ton/year 1,4-butanediol production project (60,000 tons/year); New Energy Co., Ltd.’s project for annual production of 200,000 tons of stable light hydrocarbons

The Huayu project is located in Zezhou County, Jincheng, Shanxi. The first phase involves the construction of a methanol plant with an annual production capacity of 1 million tons, at an investment cost of around 5.95 billion yuan. The project uses high-sulfur coal from the Jincheng area as raw material, employing aerospace coal gasification under pressure technology. This type of space furnace was developed for the clean utilization of \"high calorific value, high ash content, and high sulfur content\" coal, building on the successful application of the 3200/3200 furnace type in the Tianxi project; it is capable of handling up to 2000 tons of coal per day. Currently, the project is in the construction phase, with operation scheduled to begin in the first half of 2017; at that time, the 3800/3800 furnace model will be put into industrial use for the first time.