Good news! China Air Separation has won the EPC general contracting project for the technical upgrade of the integrated backup air separation system at Zhongmei Enenghua.
Release time:
2025-09-23
Recently, China Air Separation Engineering Co., Ltd. successfully won the bid for the project undertaken by Zhongmei Ordos Energy & Chemical Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “”). EPC General Contracting Project for the Technical Renovation of the Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Nitrogen Backup System of the Air Separation Unit at Zhongmei E’nenghua.
This project provides a typical demonstration solution for emergency support of air separation units in large-scale coal chemical enterprises, achieving the goal of “large-scale gas flow, full product specifications, multiple pressure levels, and response times on the order of seconds” for emergency support systems in China’s coal chemical sector. This milestone marks that China’s air separation technology has reached an industry-leading level in the field of backup air separation systems of similar scale.
1. Focus on needs: Build a rapid backup emergency response system
The project is located at the Power and Utility Engineering Center within the Tuke Plant of Zhongmei E’nehua. The center currently houses three air separation units, all of which were constructed by our company. The total oxygen production capacity reaches 155,000 Nm³/h, providing a stable gas supply to support the enterprise’s production operations. To further enhance emergency preparedness and response capabilities, the project has added a rapid backup emergency response system, consisting of two core components: an oxygen backup system and a nitrogen backup system. This system ensures that, in the event of a failure or maintenance shutdown of any two air separation units, it can respond swiftly within 10 seconds to deliver oxygen and nitrogen of various specifications to downstream units, meeting their 24-hour, 100% load gas demand and thereby fulfilling the enterprise’s requirement for continuous, uninterrupted gas supply.
To achieve this emergency supply guarantee objective, the project plans to build one atmospheric-pressure liquid oxygen tank, two atmospheric-pressure liquid nitrogen tanks, and associated backup pumps, vaporizers, buffer tanks, and other supporting facilities. Through the scientifically coordinated layout of these facilities within the system, a comprehensive and highly reliable emergency gas supply network will be established.
2. Confronting Pain Points: Leading Technological Innovation
In the coal chemical industry, air separation units have always been the “vital lifeline” sustaining production operations. The stability of their gas supply is directly linked to the normal operation of enterprises, and the backup air separation system serves as an important safeguard for ensuring a stable gas supply.
As a leading player in the domestic air separation industry, China Air Separation leverages its extensive experience in EPC general contracting projects for large- and ultra-large-scale air separation plants, focusing on the technical challenges associated with backup systems for air separation. Within the industry, it has innovatively proposed “ Rapid Emergency Response Backup System One-stop solution. This solution centers on core technologies including high flow rate, high pressure, multiple products, and rapid emergency response. Through the meticulous and specialized design of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen storage tanks, associated pump units, and vaporization systems, it ensures a fully secure, uninterrupted, and continuous gas supply, effectively reducing operational costs for enterprises and creating greater economic value for owners.
The project will fully demonstrate China Air Separation’s integrated service capabilities across the entire process—from design and procurement to construction and commissioning—and will serve as a significant practical achievement for China Air Separation in the field of rapidly responsive backup systems. It will showcase China Air Separation’s meticulous commitment to “value-based services throughout the entire engineering lifecycle” and its strong technical expertise in the integration of air separation backup systems.
3. Win-Win Cooperation: Three Collaborations to Jointly Draw the Blueprint
This successful bid marks the third collaboration between China Air Separation and Zhongmei E’nehua, following their previous joint efforts on the Phase I 2×40,000 Nm³/h air separation unit project and the 75,000 Nm³/h air separation unit EPC general contracting project for the 1-million-ton-per-year methanol capacity upgrade. It also represents a deepening of mutual trust between the two parties, paving the way for them to embark on a new journey toward higher-level, win-win cooperation.
In recent years, China Air Separation has achieved remarkable results in the construction of smart factories. It has successfully implemented several smart factory projects, including the smart factory for the Hebei Natural Gas LNG Storage and Peak-Shaving Station, the unmanned, high-nitrogen facility operated by Sinopec, and the intelligent integrated control system for oxygen production at Nangang and Tiangang Steel. The successful implementation of these projects will serve as a benchmark case for the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of the coal chemical industry, injecting new momentum into driving the coal chemical industry toward green, low-carbon, and high-quality development.
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