105,000 Nm³/h (105 thousand) – Hanyang (BPO modernization)
2026-08-17
| Section | Description |
| Project Description | Modernization and import-substituting upgrade of the pre-treatment system of a monoblock ASU 105,000 Nm³/h for large petrochemical/coal chemical production. The general contractor and key technology supplier is Hanyang Group. |
| Installation performance | Total air flow: over 480,000 Nm³/h; oxygen productivity: 105,000 Nm³/h. |
| Products used | Upgraded 13X-APG-III 6x8 mesh molecular sieve and high strength activated alumina as a protective layer to pre-trap moisture. |
| Technical solution | The use of an adsorbent with high sphericity and a narrow monodisperse distribution of granules to stabilize the hydraulic resistance of a layer with a diameter of more than 6 m. A comprehensive engineering calculation, supported by CFD modeling data, guarantees resistance to shock pressure drops when switching adsorbers. |
| Technical advantages | Exceptionally low annual wear of the adsorbent (<0.05%/year), eliminating unscheduled shutdowns due to dust or granule destruction. Minimum pressure drop at extremely high gas speeds; compliance with safety requirements for national energy infrastructure facilities. |
| Operation results | Ensures stable oxygen production without load reduction; The reliability of the adsorbent has been confirmed over several working campaigns without topping up. |
Adsorbents and catalysts for air separation units (ASU)
The pre-treatment unit (PCU) of the air separation unit is a critical component that determines the safe operation of the low-temperature distillation unit. Atmospheric air contains microimpurities of water, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons (acetylene, propane, etc.). When entering a cryogenic cold block with a temperature below –170 °C, moisture turns into ice, CO₂ freezes out in the form of solid carbon dioxide, which leads to clogging of the microchannels of plate-fin heat exchangers. The accumulation of acetylene and other light hydrocarbons in liquid oxygen creates a risk of explosion in the distillation column. In this regard, BPO predominantly uses temperature-oscillatory adsorption (TSA) technology using molecular sieves with high adsorption capacity and resistance to mechanical destruction.
New generation molecular sieves for ASU, due to their pronounced polar structure, demonstrate an increase in static adsorption capacity for traces of CO₂ and moisture by more than 50% compared to traditional 13X-APG. This ensures high adsorption efficiency and long service life in extreme industrial atmospheric conditions, allows you to significantly reduce the size of adsorbers and reduce the energy consumption of compressors.
