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Yan'an Petrochemical's propylene recycling technology was successfully reformed
Sinochem New Network News reporter learned from the Yan'an Petrochemical Plant yesterday that the facility has successfully implemented a technical upgrade to recycle propylene. According to the report, since the project was officially launched on June 25, the propylene content in the liquefied gas product from the diesel hydrogenation unit has risen to approximately 3%. This has led to the daily recovery of about 3 tons of propylene, totaling 90 tons by July 25. The plant expects this initiative to generate annual economic benefits of around 8 million yuan.
In real production, increasing the yield of propylene in the 600,000-ton-per-year gas fractionation unit often results in higher levels of C2 light components in the raw material for the propylene fractionator. As a result, some propylene is inevitably carried away with the high-pressure gas at the top of the deethanizer reflux tank. The propylene content in this gas is roughly 60%, leading to both economic losses and environmental pollution. Currently, this gas is directly fed into the high-pressure gas network, partially used as fuel for the 120-ton-per-year continuous reformer combustion furnace, and the rest is sent to the flare system for burning, increasing the load on the flare system.
To address this issue, the Yan’an Petrochemical Plant organized a team to conduct in-depth research and analysis. After thorough evaluation, they developed and implemented a technical transformation plan. High-pressure gas from the de-ethanizer in the gas separation unit is now directed to the absorption and desorption column of the 1.4-million-ton-per-year diesel hydrogenation unit. Here, the C3 components—primarily propylene and propane—are absorbed into the liquefied gas and then recycled back into the process as raw material, effectively recovering and utilizing the propylene.
This initiative not only improves resource efficiency but also reduces environmental impact, marking a significant step forward in the plant’s sustainable operations. The success of this project demonstrates the importance of continuous innovation and optimization in the petrochemical industry.