Recently, 64 double wedge gate valves developed by the 11th Institute of the Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (Beijing) have successfully operated in the world's largest propane dehydrogenation unit at China Petrochemical Corporation Limited (Sinopec) with an annual capacity of 900,000 tons. This achievement marks the successful localization of this crucial equipment, making the 11th Institute (Beijing) the first domestic valve manufacturer to possess a complete set of performance records for this product, thereby expanding its market influence and laying a solid foundation for future market promotion.
The double wedge gate valve is the core equipment of Sinopec's propane dehydrogenation unit, with 64 valves distributed among 8 reactors. Each reactor requires the valves to switch on and off according to specified time intervals within a cycle of 24 minutes, completing a series of five processes including reaction, purging, coking, venting, and reduction alternately to produce qualified products. During this process, the valves need to precisely switch under high temperatures, isolate hydrocarbon media and air, safeguard the unit's safety, and ensure continuous and stable sealing performance under high-frequency operations. Previously, this equipment had been monopolized by foreign manufacturers, posing a bottleneck for the independent development of China's propane dehydrogenation industry. The successful operation of these valves has broken the foreign monopoly and filled the domestic gap.
64 dual-wedge gate valves successfully operated in the world's largest propane dehydrogenation plant. (Image provided by the Sixth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology)
