Lifting of the maleic anhydride reactor for the Qingyang Tongxin light hydrocarbon deep processing project
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On June 19, the three large-scale key equipment for the CNPC Qingyang Tongxin Light Hydrocarbons Deep Processing Project, which were manufactured by China National Chemical Equipment Corporation (abbreviated as China National Chemical Equipment), were successfully lifted into place: the reactor for the 150,000-ton/year maleic anhydride production facility. The key core reactor unit of this project utilizes Bohua Engineering’s patented \"dynamic molten salt regulation technology\" as well as China National Chemical Equipment Corporation’s core manufacturing technology for fixed-head reactors. Through an integrated approach that combines patented technologies with proprietary equipment, a significant breakthrough has been achieved in the localization of key equipment for the fine chemical industry. It is understood that each unit of this equipment weighs 640 tons and has a diameter of over 9 meters, and it is manufactured through on-site assembly. The equipment features a fixed tube sheet structure; each unit consists of 40,800 precisely arranged heat exchange tubes. Its manufacturing requires strict standards, high precision, and presents significant challenges, with the lifting and installation processes being equally demanding. During the production process, China Chemical Equipment adopts lean management practices, paying close attention to the entire process of on-site assembly and welding. It enhances the technical skills related to machining, assembly, welding, expansion joining, and lifting, and strengthens safety and environmental protection measures at the production site. The company has overcome manufacturing challenges in extreme conditions such as -25°C temperatures and strong winds of level 8, ensuring precise assembly dimensions of the equipment. Even under strict requirements regarding tolerances between components, it has managed to insert a total of 122,400 heat exchange tubes into the 3 units without any issues ； The overall welding success rate for the 3 units is over 99%, and the key control dimensions of each unit meet or exceed the standards and specifications specified in the drawings, demonstrating the company’s expertise in manufacturing high-precision, complex, large-diameter, and heavy-duty equipment. Once operational, this project will enable each reactor to reduce energy consumption by over 5,000 megawatt-hours per year, which is equivalent to a reduction of more than 4,000 tons of carbon emissions – an ecological value equivalent to that of 220,000 trees continuously absorbing carbon. Its high-performance design also significantly reduces carbon emissions and pollutant releases, facilitating the transformation of domestically produced key core equipment toward higher standards of sophistication, intelligence, and sustainability. CNPC Qingyang Tongxin Light Hydrocarbon Deep Processing Project is a key project in Gansu Province, and it has received significant attention from governments at all levels in the province and city since its inception. The successful lifting of the reactor, a key core equipment in this project, represents a new milestone in the localization of key core equipment for the fine chemical industry. Once the project is put into operation, it will provide strong support for the high-quality development of the Changqing Oilfield, help to extend the downstream oil and gas chemical industry chain of the Longdong comprehensive energy and chemical industry base, and contribute to advancing the strategic transformation of the project toward \"reducing oil production and increasing chemical production\".
On December 7, the third reactor of the 150,000-ton/year maleic anhydride plant in the Qingyang Tongxin Light Hydrocarbons Deep Processing Project, which was manufactured on-site by Bohua Engineering, was successfully flipped and lifted into place. Since then, the lifting and turning operations for all three reactors have been completed, and the on-site construction work has entered a new phase of intensification. The weight of the reactor during the lifting and flipping operation was 220 tons. Before carrying out the flipping operation, the project team developed a detailed lifting plan in accordance with relevant specifications, industry standards, the owner’s requirements, the equipment’s structure, and the site conditions. The project team conducted relevant inspections of the site, rigging, cranes, and personnel, as well as provided orientation training in accordance with the plan details. Once the on-site preparations were completed that day, and no abnormalities were observed during the trial lift, the actual lifting operation began. The lifting operation involved a series of steps such as equipment relocation, removal of the pedestals, placement of the saddles, lifting of the rear part, and rotation of the main crane, enabling the reactor to be smoothly turned and positioned in place. After the reversal, all manufacturing tasks for the reactor’s shell have been completed, and the unit has entered the stage of overall assembly. Since the onset of winter, the project team has strictly followed the on-site winter construction plan for reactor manufacturing, gathered the materials needed for winter work, and ensured proper implementation of the manufacturing processes. Facing the variable conditions at the site and the complex manufacturing process, they worked tirelessly, keeping strict schedules to meet the key goals of ensuring safe production and high quality in the project, thereby guaranteeing the timely and high-quality delivery of the equipment.