Zhenghe Group’s nature gas comprehensive utilization project recently finished construction and went into operation.
"Replacing coking dry gas with natural gas as hydrogen-making raw material can raise the conversion rate by 2 percent and increase hydrogen output by 1.5 percent, thus optimizing material balance in the company’s production,” said Zhang Jinchun, deputy head of Zhenghe’s operation department no 3.
Natural gas is universally recognized as a clean, efficient and green energy and has been increasingly used in industry. Zhenghe’s natural gas project is part of PetroChina’s natural gas comprehensive project at Guangrao economic development zone and belongs to a gas supply project invested and built by Guangrao PetroChina Kunlun Gas Co. Its gas comes from Tai’an-Qingdao-Weihai gas line’s Guangrao branch and the Dongxin line. The project can supply 500,000 cubic meters of gas per day, with 1.0-3.8MP in gas supply pressure. The first phase of Zhenghe’s project can supply 800 cubic meters of gas per hour.
The project has effectively eased fuel gas supply for heating furnace and feed gas for the hydrogen-making unit during overhaul. At the same time, the natural gas contains 90 percent methane, 50 percent more than coking dry gas, and therefore using natural gas to produce hydrogen can also effectively raise the conversion rate and increase output. It will help produce an extra 1.3 million cubic meters of hydrogen every year, significantly improving the company’s short hydrogen supply and optimizing its material balance. In addition, natural gas barely contains hydrogen sulfide, so it won’t erode production equipment. It can improve equipment operation and extend service life, realizing two overhauls of the production unit in three years.