OnSeptember 12, the world’s largest coal-to-hydrogen PSA unit, supporting the1.8 million tons/year ethylene glycol projectof Shaanxi Coal Yulin Chemical’s Coal-Based Chemical New Materials Demonstration Project inYulin Qingshui Industrial Park, was successfully started up in a single attempt.

As thelargest coal-to-hydrogen PSA facility under construction worldwide, the unit has atotal feed gas processing capacity of 570,000 Nm³/hand ahydrogen production capacity of 480,000 Nm³/h.

Hydrogen serves as the feedstock for ethylene glycol synthesis, making this world-scale PSA hydrogen plant a critical part of the overall process. PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) technology has become the mainstream method for hydrogen purification from mixed gases due to its advantages ofhigh product purity, high recovery rate, low energy consumption, simple operation, and high automation. It is also a key pathway for theclean and efficient utilization of coal resources.

This world-leading project adopts the“Large-Scale PSA Technology Development and Industrial Application”developed bySouthwest Chemical Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd. (SWCRI), a subsidiary ofSinochem Holdings, which provided proprietary technology, full-process design, and key equipment. Compared with similar units using foreign technology, hydrogen recovery is increased byabout 3%, resulting in anadditional 16,000 Nm³of hydrogen per hour. Based on 8,000 operating hours per year, this equates to anextra 128 million Nm³of hydrogen annually, acoal savings of about 89,600 tons, and aCO₂emissions reduction of about 220,000 tons, creatingover RMB 100 million in added value each year.

According to reports, the development and application of integrated technology forcomprehensive utilization of industrial off-gas, with PSA technology at its core, has not only promoted resource recovery, pollution control, and carbon emission reductionwhile leading the development ofgas adsorption separation technology,but has also achievedsubstitution and surpassed foreign technologies.After the project is put into operation, it will furtheralleviate China's high external dependency on ethylene glycol,playing a significant role in accelerating theclean and efficient transformation of coaland promotingsafe, green, and innovative development of the industry.