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Inner Mongolia’s 1.37 million-ton coal-to-olefins project to begin trial operation in July. Author/Source: Date: 2016-05-18. Clicks: 7. At 8 p.m. on May 7, the gasifier in Zhongtian Hechuang’s Ordos coal deep-processing project was successfully ignited for the first time. The gasification unit employs GE’s water-coal slurry \"non-catalytic partial oxidation\" process technology and consists of 14 gasifiers (10 in operation and 4 as backups); it is the core facility of the coal gasification process. The successful ignition of the gasifier marks the entry of the Zhongtian Hechuang gasification unit into the preparation phase for operation, while also laying a solid foundation for feeding materials into the unit in the next steps. The project will begin full-scale trial operation with material feeding in July this year. Meanwhile, the Zhongtian Hechuang Ordos coal deep processing project is undergoing trials for its utility systems. According to Yu Zhiguo, deputy chief engineer of the Chemical Division at Zhongtian Hechuang Energy Co., Ltd., the company has already commenced the construction and commissioning of auxiliary devices for projects such as water treatment and storage and transportation equipment. It is about to carry out individual tests as well as joint tests of these auxiliary devices, in order to provide materials, water, electricity, steam, and air necessary for the commissioning of the main equipment. By late September 2016, the entire process would be operational and qualified products would be produced; at that time, the plastic polyester production capacity would reach 1.37 million tons per year, while nearly 8 million tons of coal resources could be converted into useful products. The 1.37 million-ton coal-to-olefins project in Inner Mongolia is set to begin trial operations in July. On April 28, the methanol synthesis unit of Zhongtian Hechuang’s Ordos deep coal processing demonstration project was successfully commissioned. The facility consists of 2 sets of methanol synthesis units with a capacity of 1.8 million tons per year, and mainly includes 2 synthesis compression units, 2 methanol synthesis units, 2 superheated steam units, 2 PSA hydrogen production units, 2 membrane separation units, 2 distillation units, 2 main pipeline corridor units, 2 cabinet rooms, and 2 power distribution rooms. The coal deep-processing production area of Zhongtian Hechuang Company is located in Tuk Town, Wushen Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, with the company’s total area covering 700 hectares. The overall scale of the company’s construction is as follows: it will have 5.27 billion tons of coal resources and 27.29 million cubic meters per year of water resources from the Yellow River; its production capacity will be 25 million tons per year of coal, 3.6 million tons per year of methanol, and 1.37 million tons per year of olefins. The total estimated investment for the project is 54.3 billion yuan. The Zhongtian Hechuang Ordos Coal Deep Processing Demonstration Project was designed in its entirety by Sinopec Refining & Chemical Engineering (SEG). It includes production units such as gasification, purification, methanol synthesis, methanol-to-olefins, and polyolefins, as well as supporting utility systems including air separation plants, power boilers, circulating water systems, and tank areas. Sinopec Ningbo Engineering Co., Ltd. (SNEC) serves as the overall project manager and is primarily responsible for the coal-to-methanol section; Sinopec Engineering Construction Co., Ltd. (SEI) is in charge of the olefin section, while Sinopec Shanghai Engineering Co., Ltd. (SSEC) is responsible for the three polyolefin units. The Zhongtian Hechuang Ordos coal chemical project is developed jointly by Sinopec Corporation, China National Coal Energy Group Corporation, Shanghai Sheneng Group Co., Ltd., and Inner Mongolia Manshi Coal Group Company. The shareholding ratio is as follows: 38.75% for China National Coal Energy Group Corporation, 38.75% for Sinopec Corporation, 12.5% for Shanghai Sheneng Group Co., Ltd., and 10% for Inner Mongolia Manshi Coal Group Company. The Zhongtian Hechuang project is currently the world’s largest coal-to-olefins project, involving the construction of facilities for processing 25 million tons of coal per year, 3.6 million tons of methanol per year, 1.37 million tons of olefins per year, as well as other supporting infrastructure. The original product plan for the project was 4.2 million tons per year of methanol and 3 million tons per year of dimethyl ether.