Servomex Selected for Second Stage of China PTA Plant Development

Servomex (UK) has been selected by Jiaxing Petrochemical Co Ltd to supply a complete analyser system for the second phase development of their purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production facility in Zhejiang province, China.

Four years after supplying a system for phase one of the project, Servomex will supply the plant with three SERVOTOUGH Oxy 1900 oxygen and three SERVOTOUGH SpectraExact 2500 toxic gas analyzers. These will be integrated into a bespoke analyzer house designed and built at Servomex’s Systems Integration facility at the company’s Asia Pacific Business Centre in Shanghai.

In a typical PTA process a mixture containing p-xylene, ethanoic acid, a catalyst system and compressed air is fed into a reactor, where a two-stage oxidation process creates purified terephthalic acid. As a result, precise, accurate and reliable monitoring and control of the oxidation reactions is critical.

By selecting Servomex’s award-winning SERVOTOUGH Oxy 1900 analyser, Jiaxing Petrochemical is able to rely on the unique Paramagnetic oxygen sensor technology for accurate and stable measurements of oxygen. With a non-depleting measurement requiring minimal calibration, the Oxy 1900 was a compelling choice because of its optimisation for hazardous applications including safety-critical oxidation, long lifetime of ownership, and low maintenance costs.

The SERVOTOUGH SpectraExact 2500 analyser is a rugged, highly-flexible multigas solution designed for a wide range of demanding process applications. It combines gas filter correlation and infrared technologies to deliver proven performance in the harshest process conditions, making it an ideal choice for the high-temperature, acidic environments encountered in PTA production.

The high reliability of the existing phase one system was a major factor in Servomex being selected for the next stage of the development, as well as Servomex’s low cost of ownership and long-term reliability in comparison to inferior competitor solutions.

Finally, Jiaxing Petrochemical Co Ltd was impressed by the quality of Servomex’s service offer, which will deliver fast, responsive maintenance and support from the Asia Pacific Business Centre.

“Servomex is delighted to have been chosen for the next stage of this high-profile project, which shows great confidence in our system and the service and maintenance we offer,” said Michael Xie, General Manager of Servomex’s Asia Pacific region.

“Both the analysers they have chosen have strong track records in delivering accurate, stable results in the most challenging of environments.”

“Jiaxing Petrochemical Co Ltd was further reassured to choose Servomex on the basis of numerous successful installations for other PTA plants, and confirmed that our current system is working well.”