【Ten Years of Great Progress in Chemical Technology】Phase-level achievements were made between 2022 and 2023 through the stable testing of Jinhua furnaces using Lu’an coal for 612 hours

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Looking at the development of chemical engineering technology over the past decade, we admire the prosperity and strength of modern China. This is just a preliminary contribution; more participation from everyone will make it even more interesting. With you here, HaiChuan becomes even better. [A decade of progress in chemical engineering equipment] – continuous updates and summaries available; feel free to join the discussions at https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html. Prevention first, life above all. ----------------------------------------- Traditionally, Luan coal has not been favored by gasification furnaces due to its high ash content, high ash fusion point, and low sulfur level; the use of large-scale fluidized bed gasification for this type of coal is indeed unprecedented. Therefore, there is the saying that “Luan coal cannot be used as gasified coal”. Over the past two years, Lu’an Chemical Group has implemented a coalchemical integration plan aimed at creating value for the group, in line with the requirements of Shanxi Province’s Party committee and government for the integrated development of the energy industry through the \"five integrations\" approach. Against this backdrop, the project \"Application Research on Large-Scale Gasification Process for Lüan Yuwu Coal\" designated the water-cooled wall gasifier of Lüan Fengxi Group’s Linyi branch, namely the Jinhua furnace, as the pilot unit for Yuwu coal gasification, and included this project among the group’s key scientific and technological initiatives for 2023. In April 2023, the Linyi branch of Fengxi Group successfully conducted industrial trials of using coal-water slurry in its furnaces with coal from northern Shanxi; these trials yielded valuable practical experience in handling coal from Shanxi and in process control. This experience laid a solid technical foundation for Lu’an Coal to pursue gasification processes, and it also made it possible to use various types of coal in the Jinhua furnaces. From August 11 to 19, trains loaded with Yuwu coal slowly arrived at Fengxi Station, and over 10,000 tons of Yuwu coal from 403 carriages were delivered as scheduled. “Upon the arrival of the coal from Yuwu, we will conduct a simple inspection, including checking the transportation documents related to the coal as well as the condition of the vehicle seals. Once the inspection is successful, the coal will be stored separately in Coal Shed No. 9 in the raw materials workshop. After passing the inspection, we promptly arranged for technical personnel to conduct laboratory analysis and testing on the Yuwu coal. Based on the test results, we adjusted the plan for industrial trial burning, ultimately deciding to carry out the trials in three phases: from August 15 to 19, Yuwu coal and Shaanxi coal were burned in a 6:4 ratio; from August 20 to 23, they were burned in an 8:2 ratio; and from August 24 to 29, 100% Yuwu coal was used for burning. This arrangement was made to allow the furnace to adapt gradually. ” The analysis results of the coal slurry fed into the furnace, as presented in the briefing, are data that technicians pay close attention to on a daily basis. During the midnight shift on August 23, the operators noticed a sudden increase in the pressure difference at the slag outlet during normal operations; if this issue was not resolved promptly, there was a risk of shutting down the furnace. Immediately thereafter, the technical staff from the working group rushed to the site and worked together to develop a solution for this emergency. After discussion, it was decided unanimously to increase the oxygen supply in order to raise the oxygen-to-coal ratio and thus resolve the problem. Half an hour after increasing the oxygen supply, the pressure difference at the slag outlet began to decrease, and the worries of each technician in the work team were finally relieved. “We encounter situations like this almost every day, whether large or small. Thanks to the concerted efforts and innovative ideas of all the members of the working team, it has been possible to bring these crises under control, which has also provided us with valuable experience for our technology development work. ”Xue Yongfeng, the person in charge of the methanol system at the Linyi branch of Fengxi Group and a member of the working group, told the author. As of September 27, the furnace operation was generally normal with stable process parameters, and all more than 10,000 tons of Yuwu coal had been tested in combustion. To date, the pilot operation of Fengxi Group’s Linyi branch’s water-cooled wall gasifier (Jinhua furnace) using Wuyu coal, which lasted 612 hours, has achieved phased results. This initiative has opened up new sales channels for the coal produced by Lu’an Chemical Group, provided more diverse options for raw coal used in the coal chemical industry, and expanded the sources of raw coal available for the Jinhua furnace, thereby offering it more application possibilities.