Small innovations drive big benefits! Baogang Steel's operational approach unlocks a new path for hydrogen production, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement.

( Source: Baogang Co., Ltd. )

In the latest selection of “Advanced Operational Methods,” Baogang Co., Ltd.’s “Hydrogen Production Oil Separator—Nitrogen Regeneration Efficient Oil-Removal Operation Method” was successfully selected. It tightly focuses on the core goals of production and operations; through process optimization and operational innovations, it digs deeper into potential. More importantly, it is a vivid result of frontline employees standing at their posts, actively thinking, and taking the initiative to explore.

In the past, the pretreatment stage of the coal coke gas pressure-swing adsorption hydrogen production system had a persistent “tough problem.” The technical team at Baogang Co., Ltd. did not shy away from it; instead, they carried out a comprehensive upgrade to the operating process of the first- and second-stage oil separators. By installing program-controlled valves, they transformed the original manual regeneration into remote automatic regeneration. With this change, they eliminated, from the source, the labor intensity from frequent on-site operations and the associated safety risks.

Even more worth noting is that, through this change, they completely bid farewell to the traditional steam-heating regeneration mode and innovatively adopted nitrogen as the medium to complete heating and cooling. By leveraging nitrogen’s water-free characteristic, they effectively address a series of long-standing issues caused by steam regeneration, such as condensate water accumulation, the pulverization and caking of adsorbent, and equipment corrosion. In addition, the regeneration effectiveness of the oil separator has been greatly improved; the adsorption cycle has been significantly extended, making the entire system run more steadily!

This process optimization brings quality improvement and efficiency gains across the entire chain. The service life of the adsorbent has been greatly extended, and the cost of changing materials each year has been significantly reduced. The consumption of spare parts such as the compressor suction and discharge gas valves and the program-controlled valves in the hydrogen production system has been noticeably decreased, and spare-part costs have been effectively controlled. The average monthly cost of the heat-exchange medium has also been directly reduced to about one-fifth of the original; when calculated over the whole year, the cost-reduction effect is quite substantial, and the monthly value-creation capability continues to rise steadily. The hydrogen purity in the hydrogen production system remains consistently stable, completely getting rid of the worries brought by purity fluctuations affecting downstream production, and providing a “protective umbrella” for the stable operation of processes such as cold rolling.

The emergence of this innovative achievement is inseparable from Baogang Co., Ltd.’s long-term cultivation and empowerment of employees’ innovation at their job posts. While promoting process optimization and upgrades, they have always guided employees to stand at the front lines of production and “find problems, solve difficulties, and pursue innovation,” encouraging everyone to conduct technical research and innovation breakthroughs and to refresh operational methods around production processes, equipment operation, and process optimization. By building diversified platforms for employees to achieve excellence in their posts, they fully activate employees’ enthusiasm for innovation and their initiative. This enables frontline employees to truly become the main force behind production optimization and quality-and-efficiency gains. The advanced award for this time—“Hydrogen Production Oil Separator—Nitrogen Regeneration Efficient Oil-Removal Operation Method”—is precisely a highly persuasive, landmark achievement that reflects frontline employees’ innovation practices at their job posts.

Next, Baogang Co., Ltd. will continue to deepen process optimization and innovation at employees’ job posts, further tapping into potential and activating momentum with greater intensity, turning each innovation achievement into real production benefits, and continuously injecting green driving force into Baogang Co., Ltd.’s high-quality development.

Images and text｜Xu Qianhui Li Hui (Supply and Distribution Department, General Factory)

Edited｜Baogang Co., Ltd. Comprehensive Department

Reviewed｜Baogang Co., Ltd. Comprehensive Department