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On February 26, 2025, in the break room of Jilin Petrochemical’s synthetic ammonia unit, several employees were sharing insights gained after visiting an exhibition of innovation achievements at a sister unit.
Since the beginning of the year, Jilin Petrochemical has faced challenges such as overcapacity, shifting product demand, and the rapid rise of alternative energy sources. To achieve sustained growth in corporate value, the company has focused on building independent innovation capabilities, vigorously advancing technological innovation, industrial optimization, and digital/intelligent transformation, thereby continuously accumulating new momentum for development.
Last year, the synthetic ammonia unit achieved remarkable results with a technical upgrade project involving "low-temperature methanol wash" technology. Previously, the syngas unit relied on outdated technology and incurred high operating costs. Through this upgrade, the synthetic ammonia unit achieved safe, stable, and long-cycle operation; the number of equipment units was reduced, consumption rates dropped, purification performance improved significantly, and annual economic benefits reached 30.38 million yuan. Recently, the unit successfully overcame a technical bottleneck through independent innovation and R&D, paving the way for replacing imported equipment with domestically produced alternatives. The unit’s P0303 transfer pump is responsible for transporting carbon black-laden water generated by the gasification unit's gasifier. Originally, the P0303 pump was a hose-diaphragm reciprocating pump manufactured by the German company FELUWA. This pump featured a complex structure and numerous wear-prone parts, making maintenance difficult; furthermore, all spare parts were imported, resulting in high costs and long delivery times. Facing this critical "bottleneck" issue, the unit's technical staff took the initiative to research extensive data and consult with sister units to understand the selection and operation of equipment handling similar media. They ultimately decided to replace the original unit with a domestically produced semi-open impeller centrifugal pump. After nearly a month of trial operation, the new pump fully met production requirements, saving over 700,000 yuan annually in repair and electricity costs.
Management innovation serves as another key engine driving the company's sustainable development. Jilin Petrochemical has actively explored and implemented a distinctive management system, continuously elevating its management standards through measures such as the "Two Zeros" and "Three Refinements" initiatives, management-accompanied inspections, and a comprehensive staff scoring system. Taking the synthetic ammonia unit as an example, since the implementation of "Three-Pronged Refinement" management, operational stability has steadily improved and the frequency of process alarms has dropped significantly, effectively reducing the risk of production interruptions caused by improper operation or equipment failure. Furthermore, Party members and officials within the unit formed a "Red Task Force" to tackle operational challenges; through on-site inspections and technical discussions, they successfully overcame obstacles such as the slow progress of the "superheater retrofit" project, resulting in annual energy and cost savings of nearly 1.6 million yuan.
The company places great importance on and actively promotes grassroots-level economic and technical innovation. By encouraging company-wide participation and pooling collective wisdom, the company fosters a stronger sense of belonging among employees and enhances their innovative capabilities. To address the risk of conveyor belt reversal, employees independently developed a belt backstop device; this compact mechanism effectively prevents reversal accidents and improves production line safety. Additionally, an employee-invented installation wrench for water caps has drastically reduced installation time—boosting work efficiency by approximately 30%—while simultaneously minimizing equipment damage caused by improper handling.
"We encourage our staff to actively engage in innovation, break away from conventional thinking, and boldly explore the unknown. By continuously unlocking our team's creative potential and transforming innovative ideas into tangible results, we drive breakthroughs in areas such as quality and efficiency improvements, energy conservation, emission reduction, and product upgrades," stated the head of the synthetic ammonia unit. Looking ahead, the company plans to further refine its innovation incentive mechanisms, implement more targeted reward policies, and provide substantial recognition for high-achieving talent, thereby creating an optimal environment for the enterprise's innovative growth.
