Zhanghua Machinery successfully shipped the degassing vessel, a key piece of equipment for Maoming Petrochemical

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The degassing vessel, a key piece of equipment for the refining transformation and upgrading project as well as the ethylene upgrade project at Sinopec’s Maoming refinery, which was manufactured by Zhanghuaji (Suzhou) Heavy Equipment Co., Ltd., has been successfully shipped. This degassing vessel is part of the 200,000-ton/year 4# polypropylene production facility. The degassing tank in this shipment, as a core and critical device of the polypropylene plant, was designed by Sinopec Shanghai Engineering Co., Ltd., with Zhanghua Machinery taking on all the tasks related to its production and manufacturing. The total length of the equipment is 25,473 mm, with a maximum diameter of 5,400 mm; its weight is approximately 59 tons. The main material used is S30403 stainless steel. The degassing chamber is not only a key equipment in the process flow of polypropylene production facilities, but it also serves as an essential component for ensuring product quality, safe operations, and compliance with environmental regulations. The inner surface of the equipment must be polished to a precision of 1.0 μm, which imposes extremely high requirements on the manufacturing process. Specifically addressing the common technical challenges associated with the deformation of large-diameter, thin-walled cylinders in this industry, Zhanghua Machinery’s production team made full use of its experience in manufacturing heavy-duty pressure vessels. By applying the latest technical standards, they carried out research and development efforts; custom-made tools were used to accurately shape the cylinders into a circular form, and the changes in the cylinders’ ellipticity were closely monitored throughout the process. As a result, the dimensional tolerances of the equipment met all the design requirements. During the project implementation, the project team maintained close communication and cooperation with Sinopec Shanghai Engineering Co., Ltd. and Maoming Petrochemical, thereby establishing an efficient project advancement mechanism featuring collaboration among the designer, the manufacturer, and the owner. This equipment will be used in the ethylene upgrading project at Maoming Petrochemical, helping the company increase its production capacity of high-end chemical products; it also plays a positive role in promoting the green and low-carbon transformation of the regional petrochemical industry. Zhanghuaji will continue to deepen its strategic cooperation with Sinopec’s group, utilizing its advanced equipment manufacturing capabilities to support the strategy for upgrading the energy and chemical industry.