Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer — Fuel Gas (2018) — Compression Package for Petrochemical Fuel Gas Recovery

Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer Material Limited operates polyethylene and polypropylene production facilities in the Ningbo petrochemical zone, Zhejiang Province. Petrochemical complexes generate fuel gas from multiple process units — off-gas from cracking, polymerization, and separation operations that contains recoverable hydrocarbons. Rather than flaring this gas, fuel gas compression systems capture and pressurize it for use as process fuel or feedstock, improving both economics and environmental performance.

Client	Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer Material Limited
Plant / Unit	Fuel Gas Recovery System
Equipment	Gas Compression Package × 3
Design Code	GB
Motor Power	630 kW per unit
Gas Handled	Mixed fuel gas (hydrocarbon mixture)
Design Institute	SEI (Sinopec Engineering Incorporation)
Year	2018

Customer Background

Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer Material Limited operates polyethylene and polypropylene production facilities in the Ningbo petrochemical zone, Zhejiang Province. Petrochemical complexes generate fuel gas from multiple process units — off-gas from cracking, polymerization, and separation operations that contains recoverable hydrocarbons. Rather than flaring this gas, fuel gas compression systems capture and pressurize it for use as process fuel or feedstock, improving both economics and environmental performance.

The fuel gas composition varies depending on upstream process conditions, containing mixtures of methane, ethane, propane, and heavier hydrocarbons along with hydrogen and inert gases. This variable composition presents specific challenges for compressor selection and control system design.

Fuel gas recovery is both an economic and environmental imperative. Compressing and utilizing these gases reduces the plant’s overall flare emissions and converts what would be a waste stream into useful process energy, contributing to the facility’s operational efficiency and environmental compliance.

Challenges and Engineering Requirements

System Integration and Package Design

Compressor packages are not standalone machines — they are integrated systems combining the compressor, driver, interstage coolers, separators, control panels, piping, and instrumentation on a common skid frame. Every component must be engineered to work together: gas flow paths optimized to minimize pressure losses, vibration isolation designed to prevent resonance between rotating equipment and the skid structure, and control logic programmed to protect the compressor across all operating conditions.

Process Gas Compatibility

Compressing Gas Compression Package × 3 service in the petrochemical processing sector requires materials and seal systems compatible with the specific gas composition, including trace contaminants that can cause accelerated corrosion, elastomer degradation, or lubricant breakdown. The design must address gas properties at each compression stage — temperature rise, condensation risk, and molecular weight changes for gas mixtures.

Noise, Vibration, and Mechanical Integrity

Reciprocating and screw compressors generate significant dynamic forces that propagate through the skid structure to the foundation. The package design must account for pulsation dampening, piping flexibility analysis, and anchor bolt sizing to prevent fatigue failures in connected piping and instrumentation. Acoustic enclosures or silencers may be required to meet plant noise limits.

Why Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer Material Limited Selected Lmart

Turnkey package engineering. Lmart provides complete compressor package engineering including process simulation, mechanical design, structural analysis of the skid frame, piping stress analysis, and control system programming — delivered as a factory-tested, ready-to-install module.

Multi-gas experience. Lmart has delivered compression packages for natural gas, BOG (boil-off gas), propylene, hydrogen, chloromethane, and other process gases, each with its own material compatibility, seal technology, and safety requirements.

Workshop integration and testing. Complete packages are assembled, piped, wired, and functionally tested at Lmart’s facility before shipment. Factory acceptance testing includes mechanical run tests, control loop verification, and safety system validation.

Technical Scope and Specifications

Three compression packages, each driven by a 630 kW motor, compress fuel gas from the plant’s low-pressure collection header to the required delivery pressure for the fuel gas network. The packages are designed by SEI to handle the variable gas composition characteristic of integrated petrochemical operations.

Key design features:

• Variable gas composition: Compressor and control system designed to operate stably across the expected range of fuel gas compositions, molecular weights, and inlet conditions
• Three-unit configuration: Provides operational flexibility and redundancy — units can operate in parallel or independently depending on gas volume and plant operating mode
• 630 kW motor rating: Sized for the maximum expected gas flow and compression ratio, with capacity control for turndown during reduced plant throughput
• Hazardous area compliance: All electrical and instrumentation components rated for the explosive atmosphere classification of the fuel gas handling area
• Package-delivered: Compressor, motor, oil system, coolers, instrumentation, and local control panel factory-assembled on a structural steel skid

This order was placed concurrently with the PE brine chiller for the same complex, with both projects engineered under SEI’s overall plant design scope.

Delivery and Quality Assurance

All three compression packages were factory-assembled and tested at Lmart’s Zhangjiagang facility. Each package underwent compressor mechanical run testing, oil system flush and verification, vibration analysis, and electrical system checks before shipment. Pressure-containing components were hydro-tested per GB 150 requirements, and complete documentation packages were prepared to SEI’s engineering standards.

The three units were delivered to the Ningbo petrochemical zone alongside the PE brine chiller, enabling Huatai to commission both refrigeration and compression utilities in a coordinated schedule. The dual-product delivery from a single manufacturer simplified procurement, logistics coordination, and spare parts management for the end user.

Results and Business Impact

Lmart successfully delivered 3 units of Gas Compression Package × 3 to Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer Material Limited, meeting the project’s quality, schedule, and documentation requirements. The equipment was manufactured to GB standards, with full documentation packages accepted by the client and applicable inspection authorities.

This project reinforces Lmart’s position as a qualified manufacturer for petrochemical processing applications, demonstrating the company’s ability to deliver equipment that meets international quality and certification standards.

Customer Voice

“The equipment was delivered on schedule and the documentation package was complete. The quality of fabrication met our inspection requirements.”

— Ningbo Huatai Wealthy Polymer Material Limited project team (paraphrased from project review)

Note: Lmart respects client confidentiality. Specific contact references are available upon request during the qualification process.