The combined feed and effluent heat exchanger of our 2.4 MMTA CCR unit was replaced in November 2019 with a spiral tube heat exchanger (STHE) designed and manufactured by ZPJE. 

Many production parameters of the unit have been significantly improved since this STHE was put into operation : 

·The total loop pressure drop reduced by over 50%

·The consumption of medium pressure steam was reduced by 15t/h , saving annually almost 30million RMB( 4.5million $) 

Globally, the production bottleneck and equipment limitations were eliminated.

Since the original plate welded heat exchanger was put into use, the pressure drops on the plate and shell sides have been higher than design. In addition, the serious internal leak resulted in rise of the unit energy consumption, hydrogen yield drop, decreasing octane of gasoline blending composition, unqualified mixed xylene, fall in operating capacity of the unit, which caused economic benefit of our company reduced sharply.

In order to quickly solve the problems of our reforming unit and avoid the limitation of the bearing capacity of the transportation road, since the date of signing the purchase contract, ZPJE employees worked on 24 hours shifts. It only took 10 months to complete the manufacturing of the shell and bundle of the STHE, and to transport them separately to Yunnan petrochemical production site. The final assembly of the shell and bundle was completed on site, on a record fast manufacturing time that solved the bottleneck problem of our company in the shortest time.

This SHTE has been operating smoothly for nearly 3 years.

(said the Process Engineer of reforming unit in PetroChina Yunnan)