Setting a benchmark and writing a miracle! The Dalian Dingxin Cryogenic Tank Area Project, undertaken by China Air Separation, achieved successful startup on the first attempt.
Release time:
2025-08-18
After two consecutive weeks of round-the-clock, intense efforts, on August 12, good news came from the first-phase project—the cryogenic tank area project undertaken by China Air Separation for Dalian Xizhongdao Dingxin Storage Co., Ltd.—as the 50,000-cubic-meter cryogenic ethylene storage tank was successfully commissioned in one go! This not only marks another milestone in China Air Separation’s continuous breakthroughs in cryogenic storage and transportation technology but also signifies a solid step forward in its ongoing quest to open up new markets in the petrochemical industry. Moreover, it lays a robust foundation for the official commissioning and scaled-up production of Dingjidé’s high-end new material project—POE (polyolefin elastomer).
Accelerate and enhance efficiency—bravely set a benchmark for the industry.
The project adopts the internationally leading “prestressed concrete fully contained tank” design. By leveraging prestressing technology, a double-walled fully contained design, and a highly efficient insulation system, it achieves ultra-high safety, long service life, and low evaporation rates—driving new-quality productivity with cutting-edge technology.
Since construction began in May 2024, the project team has faced multiple challenges—including a tight schedule, heavy workloads, and extreme weather conditions. By employing scientific planning and innovative technological approaches, the team adopted an innovative management model featuring "dynamic schedule optimization plus precise resource allocation," successfully achieving the project’s goals of zero safety incidents and superior quality. As a result, the project was smoothly handed over on July 28 this year and successfully started trial operations with feed introduction on August 12. The project completed its set objectives in just 15 months—37.5% shorter than the industry average of 18 to 24 months—setting a new domestic record for efficiency in the construction of cryogenic ethylene storage tanks, dubbed the "air separation speed."
Overcoming difficulties and writing a tale of heroic struggle.
During the critical trial operation phase, the Party member task force took the lead, guiding all project members to swiftly activate the emergency response plan. The technical team worked around the clock, employing a variety of innovative measures to break through bottlenecks.
Process technology first: During the pre-cooling phase, phased control, multi-point monitoring, and dynamic adjustments are employed to ensure the safety and reliability of storage and operation.
72 Hours of Intense Effort: To ensure the project’s successful first-time startup, all team members rallied together and worked tirelessly around the clock for 72 consecutive hours, demonstrating extraordinary resilience and exceptional adaptability to guarantee a smooth trial run.
This successful commissioning demonstrates China Air Separation’s comprehensive, full-lifecycle value-service advantages in the field of cryogenic storage and transportation. It provides critical ethylene storage and supply-chain support for the Xizhongdao National Petrochemical Industrial Base and surrounding large-scale ethylene projects, thereby underpinning the stable operation of the regional petrochemical industry chain. After the project goes into operation, it will fill the gap in large-scale ethylene transit-storage capacity in the Bohai Bay region. With an estimated annual throughput of 600,000 tons, the project is expected to reduce logistics costs for regional petrochemical enterprises by more than 15%, continuously contributing the strength of a central state-owned enterprise to the development of a world-class petrochemical industrial base.
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