Wuhan Donghai Fully Resumes Work, Bolstering China Five Rings' Key Project Campaign

Release time：2020-04-30

On April 28, 2020, our company successfully completed the production and rolled off the line of the key equipment—the tower preheater—for the 1-million-ton-per-year methanol technical renovation project undertaken by China Fifth Ring Engineering Co., Ltd. for Zhongmei Erdos Energy & Chemicals. This equipment has a net weight of 154 tons, a diameter of 2,200 mm, and a length of 18,350 mm. Its shell is made from a composite steel plate consisting of 14Cr1MoR and S32168, while the heat exchange tubes are crafted from S30408 material. Designed using the pressure difference method, the device features a highly complex structure, seamlessly integrating the functions of a heat exchanger and a tower vessel. Specifically, the shell side accommodates synthesis gas, while the tube side handles the reaction gas for efficient heat transfer. The upper and lower spherical heads are equipped with advanced overlay welding, and the assembly includes the top head, tube sheet, and the shell-side cylindrical section.

　　On April 28, 2020, our company successfully completed the production and rolled off the line the key equipment—the tower preheater—for the 1-million-ton-per-year methanol technology upgrade project undertaken by China Fifth Ring Engineering Co., Ltd. at Zhongmei Erdos Energy & Chemicals.

　　This equipment has a net weight of 154 tons, a diameter of 2,200 mm, and a length of 18,350 mm. The shell is made from a 14Cr1MoR + S32168 composite steel plate, while the heat exchange tubes are crafted from S30408 material. Designed using the pressure differential method, the device features a complex structure that combines the functions of a heat exchanger and a tower-type vessel. In this setup, the shell side hosts synthesis gas, while the tube side accommodates the reacting gas for efficient heat exchange. The upper and lower spherical heads are equipped with highly precise overlay welding, and the top head, tube sheet, and shell cylinder are all assembled through meticulous welding processes. The equipment boasts high design parameters: its maximum design pressure reaches 9.95 MPa, with a design temperature of 275°C. Additionally, the designed pressure differential between the tube and shell sides is set at 0.7 MPa. Throughout the manufacturing process—including material cutting, rolling, and assembly—strict quality controls are enforced. Notably, the tube bundle exceeds 12 meters in length, necessitating specially designed tooling and advanced fabrication techniques for both tube insertion and final assembly. After completion, the equipment undergoes an alternating pressurization procedure to ensure it fully meets the stringent design pressure differential requirements.

　　 The 1 million-ton-per-year methanol technology upgrade project at Zhongmei Erdos Energy & Chemical is a key project undertaken by China Fifth Ring Engineering Company. At the start of the Year of the Rat, a sudden COVID-19 outbreak swept across the country, with Wuhan emerging as both the epicenter and hardest-hit area. As businesses halted operations, transportation came to a standstill—trains, roads, and ports all ground to a halt. A nationwide battle for joint prevention and control, centered in Wuhan, was swiftly launched. To ensure the smooth progress of the project, leaders from China Fifth Ring Engineering Company held multiple phone and video conferences with our company’s general manager, focusing on pandemic prevention measures and project advancement.

　　As the pandemic situation gradually improves, companies have been actively preparing for the resumption of work and production. On March 19, 2020, they successfully passed the joint inspection conducted by the Jiangxia District COVID-19 Epidemic Response Command Center. To expedite the production of equipment for this project, senior company leaders made decisive, well-coordinated decisions. Despite extremely challenging circumstances, they swiftly organized frontline employees to return to work via "point-to-point chartered transportation." Employees arrived at their posts full of energy, and the production department implemented unified scheduling, adopting a "day-and-night, five-days-a-week" model—ensuring that operations continued seamlessly even as workers rotated shifts.

　　It is reported that the project is located in Wushen Banner, Ordos, and uses coal as its primary raw material. Through processes such as gasification, shift conversion, purification, and synthesis, it produces methanol. The inlet preheater is a critical piece of equipment in the synthesis unit—and also represents a key product that our company has developed to support large-scale reconstruction projects following the resumption of production. Its successful rollout marks a pivotal transition for our company, shifting from the initial phase of resuming operations back to full-scale growth and development. Moving forward, we will leverage this momentum by deepening technological innovation, enhancing product quality, optimizing manufacturing processes, strengthening customer service, and turning challenges into opportunities—ultimately paving the way for sustained, long-term growth and success.

Comprehensive: Company, Project, Pandemic, Design, Equipment, Production, Resumption of Work, Fifth Ring Road, Methanol

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