Lmart to Supply a Process Refrigeration Package for ZPC’s Adiponitrile Plant

Summary

In June 2026, Suzhou Lmart Energy Equipment Co., Ltd. received an order from Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Co., Ltd. for a process refrigeration package serving its No. 1 adiponitrile plant, rated at 250,000 tonnes per year.

One unit is supplied, delivered as a complete skid: compressor package integration, associated heat exchangers, lube oil system, prefabricated process piping, instrumentation and control panel.

Where the package sits in the plant

Adiponitrile is a key intermediate in the nylon 66 (PA66) value chain. Domestic demand in China has historically been met largely by imports, and large single-train plants have only begun coming on stream in recent years. A 250,000 t/y train is among the larger units currently under construction.

The low-temperature refrigeration unit supplies process cooling duty: reaction section temperature control, overhead condensing in the distillation system, and temperature stabilisation of intermediate streams. It takes no part in the chemistry, but the plant’s temperature control accuracy and separation performance both rest on the stability of that cooling supply.

That sets its operating profile. The plant runs continuously between annual turnarounds. If the refrigeration package stops, the plant loses its means of temperature control — not in one section, but across the train.

Engineering requirements behind the selection

Continuous running between turnarounds. The unit is designed against the plant’s turnaround interval. Bearing life, lube oil system reliability, sealing arrangement and control loop stability carry more weight than the rated-point efficiency figure.

Part-load behaviour. Plant load is not constant. Cooling demand shifts during start-up, changeover and operating adjustments, so the unit is expected to hold stable operation across a part-load range rather than cycling.

Medium compatibility and cleanliness. Material compatibility and surface condition on process-side wetted surfaces determine fouling and corrosion behaviour over the running period.

Hazardous area and safety. The package sits inside the process area. Electrical protection level, pressure relief and interlock protection follow the plant’s overall safety design.

Control system interface. The control panel is interfaced with the plant DCS. Operating parameters, alarms and interlocks are implemented against the owner’s signal list.

Delivery and documentation. Equipment arrival is tied to the plant construction schedule, and as-built documentation must satisfy the owner’s and the inspection authority’s filing requirements.

Lmart’s scope and execution

Package integration and skid prefabrication. Lmart carries out system integration and complete skid prefabrication for the process refrigeration package. Compressor and drive motor, heat exchangers, lube oil system, process piping, instrumentation and control panel are assembled, piped and wired in the workshop, and the package leaves the works as a finished skid. This moves piping connection and equipment alignment off site and into the shop. Lmart’s package integration is based on oil-flooded screw machines.

In-house heat exchangers and pressure equipment. Heat exchangers and pressure vessels in the package are manufactured in Lmart’s own workshops. Stainless steel and carbon steel are fabricated in separate workshops to prevent iron contamination — a control that directly affects the surface condition of process-side wetted parts.

Manufacturing and inspection. Welding follows qualified procedures. Welder qualification, NDE coverage, hydrostatic testing and third-party inspection are executed against the project inspection and test plan. Material certificates and inspection records are delivered with the package.

Not the first time

Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical has taken two refrigeration packages from Lmart before: a propylene refrigeration package for its styrene plant, and a refrigeration package for its EVA plant.

The adiponitrile plant is the third refrigeration package for the same owner. An owner already running two of our units asks different questions during selection — what matters to them is how those two have performed in their own plant, not the figures on a datasheet.

What the order covers

For the owner, the value of a utility package shows up after start-up. Stable cooling supply is what the plant’s temperature control and separation performance are built on.

For Lmart, the order applies the company’s industrial refrigeration and process cooling experience to a large fine-chemical plant. Adiponitrile capacity in China is still in a build-out phase, and this order establishes an execution record for comparable plants to come.

Lmart provides commissioning attendance and spare parts support after delivery. Through the execution period, design, manufacturing, inspection and shipment milestones are coordinated with the owner and the inspection authority.