The first start-up of Zhejiang Petrochemical’s PO/SM unit was a success!

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On June 18, the first-phase commissioning of the 270,000-ton-per-year propylene oxide and 600,000-ton-per-year styrene production unit (referred to as the PO/SM unit), which is part of Zhejiang Petrochemical Co., Ltd.’s (abbreviated as Zhejiang Petrochem) 40-million-ton-per-year integrated refining and chemical processing project’s phase II – a project aimed at optimizing the product structure – was successful. At 15:18 on June 16, oxygen was introduced into the peroxide reactor ； At 15:38 on June 18, analysis and testing confirmed that the propylene oxide and styrene products were of qualified quality. The PO/SM plant utilizes an epichlorohydrin-based process package with independent intellectual property rights, developed by Changzhou Ruihua Chemical Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. The engineering design was carried out by the Beijing branch of China Global Engineering Corporation, while the construction was carried out jointly by Shaanxi Chemical Construction and Sinopec Company 10. The PO/SM plant features a long process flow, complex technology, a large number of equipment units, and multiple process stages. It offers advantages such as high efficiency, energy savings, safety, and environmental protection, and its products enjoy strong profitability. This unit employs a fixed-bed epoxidation and dehydration process, and it is the first large-scale PO/SM plant in China to utilize independent intellectual property rights. Its successful operation has opened up a new process route for the production of propylene oxide and styrene. Since construction began in August 2021, the entire project has attracted a great deal of attention. The company’s management conducts regular on-site inspections and provides valuable suggestions regarding safety and operational aspects. The relevant departments work closely together, putting in extra hours to overcome one challenge after another. Patent holders, design institutes, construction firms, and suppliers collaborate to participate in the construction of the equipment and its quality inspection. During the device construction and commissioning process, leaders and employees worked day and night, overcoming numerous challenges such as a limited workforce, tight deadlines, heavy tasks, and especially the COVID-19 pandemic, to swiftly resolve various issues encountered, thereby achieving the record for the shortest time required for completion of construction and testing.