October 15, 2024 – A groundbreaking achievement has been realized in China’s petrochemical sector, as Dalian Rubber & Plastics Machinery Co., Ltd. (DRPM) successfully developed the nation’s first 350,000 tons/year polypropylene extrusion granulation unit. This milestone project has undergone rigorous evaluation by the China Petrochemical Corporation’s scientific and technological achievements appraisal committee, earning high praise for its complexity, technical sophistication, and innovative prowess. The unit has already been commercialized and widely adopted, contributing significantly to both economic and social benefits.
The 350,000 tons/year polypropylene extrusion granulation unit stands as a pivotal piece of electromechanical integration equipment within the olefin industry. Its development was anchored in the Sinopec Zhongke (Guangdong) Refining & Chemical Integrated Project, which is not only a key petrochemical research project during China’s 13th Five-Year Plan but also a vital component of Sinopec’s “Ten Dragons” technological research initiative. Since its commissioning in June 2020, the unit has smoothly produced nine different melt index materials, fully meeting the goals of domestic technological breakthroughs.
According to insights from the Color Masterbatch Industry Network, the successful development of this unit holds profound significance in breaking foreign technological monopolies, driving supply-side structural reforms, facilitating industrial transformation and upgrading, and enhancing the international competitiveness of China’s petrochemical equipment. During the development process, DRPM overcame 11 innovative technological challenges, notably breaking through three major technical hurdles: “uniform control of high-flow resin mixing and plasticization,” “efficient and high-quality granulation of high-flow melts,” and “long-term continuous and stable operation of large-scale units.” These accomplishments underscore the nation’s autonomous manufacturing capabilities in the petrochemical field.
Since its market debut, ten units of this specification have been sold, garnering favor from both domestic and international clients, indicating a promising market outlook. This achievement not only signifies a solid step forward in the localization of China’s major petrochemical technological equipment but also lays a sturdy foundation for the future development of the country’s petrochemical industry.