Insights from Tongxing Technology CEO Zheng Yong: Driving Innovation in Flue Gas Treatment and Expanding into CCUS and Sodium Power

Recently, the 26th China Environment Expo was held in Shanghai New International Expo Center. During the exhibition, Mr. Zheng Yong, General Manager of Tongxing Technology, received an exclusive interview with China Environmental News, explaining the company's "one body, two wings"strategic layout and technological innovation achievements. The full text of the interview is as follows.

China Environmental News: What heavyweight products and equipment will you bring to the Shanghai Environmental Protection Expo?

CEO Zheng Yong: Tongxing Technology has a business development pattern of "one body and two wings." "One" refers to air pollution control. The service scope has covered more than 20 industries, such as iron and steel, coking, building materials, electricity, and paper. It has also provided more than 700 sets of cases throughout the country and exported to Russia, Thailand, India, and other international markets. The National Energy Group, China Baowu, has received quality service. China Shipbuilding, Anshan Iron and Steel Group, and Liuzhou Iron and Steel Group are a few of the companies that have provided quality services to well-known enterprises at home and abroad. These include National Energy Group, China Baowu, China Shipbuilding, Anshan Iron & Steel Group, Liuzhou Steel Group, Singapore Golden Eagle Group Asia-Pacific Semper, Japan Prince Paper, and Russia MMK.

The "two wings" refer to CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage) and sodium-ion batteries.

For CCUS, the regeneration energy consumption of the TX-1 series carbon capture absorber, which was independently researched and developed by the company, reaches 2.0-2.2GJ/ton CO2. Its antioxidant capacity has been improved by 20-300 times compared with competing products, and it has been successfully applied in the carbon capture device for 10,000-ton ships. It has been used in a 10,000-ton ship carbon capture device. Meanwhile, engineering cases have been formed, including the equipment contracting of Tangshan Yannan Cement-carbon capture and purification of food-grade CO2 (dry ice) in cement kiln gas, and the equipment contracting of Liaocheng Xinfa Haoji Power Plant-CCUS carbon and nitrogen cogeneration project.

The sodium power business makes sodium power cathode material into soft pack batteries. The batteries are made at the Longzi Lake Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The batteries pass five safety tests: extrusion, short-circuit, pinprick, overcharging, and high-temperature environment. The batteries meet the safety and electrochemical performance standards of the industry.

Tongxing Technology's exhibition focuses on two main topics: air pollution control and CCUS projects. It also features low-temperature SCR denitrification catalysts and TX-1 carbon capture absorber products.

In the paper industry, new technology has been used to treat flue gas. This technology is used in a project called "paper alkali furnace low-temperature SCR denitrification." The results of this project show that it is much better than traditional denitrification methods. The technology is efficient, stable, and inexpensive to operate. It doesn't require maintenance, which makes production more convenient and continuous. The main technologies include designing multiple bins separately, online thermal analysis technology, protecting catalysts, upgrading key parts, a device for mixing ammonia and flue gas, and a low-temperature denitrification catalyst for alkali furnaces.

Some examples of our work include:
-    The first low-temperature SCR denitrification project for an alkali recovery furnace in China (APIC RB1)
-    The world's largest low-temperature SCR denitrification project for an alkali recovery furnace (APIC RB2)
-    A 7,500-ton alkali furnace denitrification renovation project (APIC RB2)
-    A 7,500-ton alkali furnace denitrification renovation project (RB11R)

When it comes to treating flue gas with steel sintering, test data from several sintering low temperature SCR denitrification projects show that using a low temperature catalyst has two benefits: it saves energy and reduces carbon. It can also remove dioxin very effectively, with a removal efficiency of over 95%. The low-temperature operation can reduce CO₂ emissions while saving gas. At an operating temperature of 200°C, the flue gas volume of 10,000 Nm³/h can reduce CO₂ emissions by 500 to 800 tons per year. For example: The Zhangjiagang Hongchang Steel Plate (Shagang) 5#360m² sinter low-temperature denitrification project saved about 45% to 50.9% of gas energy, which means it saved 5.04 million yuan per year. The Cheung Kong Iron & Steel 1-3#3x192m² sinter low-temperature denitrification project saved the agreed-upon guaranteed value of 42% of gas energy, which means it saved 12.96 million yuan per year. The 3 sets together can save 12.96 million RMB in energy costs each year.

In the field of CCUS, the TX-1 absorber made by Tongxing Technology performs at the international advanced level. It can provide three types of absorbers: "high-performance, balanced, and economic." It has an oxygen-resistant capacity 20 to 300 times higher than that of MEA. It can be customized according to the customer's actual situation. Meanwhile, when it comes to capturing CO₂ using a wet process, we adjust the temperature of the absorber tower to make sure it's working as well as possible. We also use the heat that's released when water is turned back into its original state and the heat that's exchanged directly between the liquid and the air around it to reduce the amount of steam in the system. Finally, we make sure that the design and choice of equipment are strong enough to reduce the loss of absorber. This process is better than the traditional one because it can reduce 0.5 GJ/t CO₂ and 1.4 GJ/t CO₂ compared to the classic absorber. The whole can reach 2.0~2.2GJ/t CO₂, and the absorber is extremely stable.

China Environmental News: 2025 is the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan, how is the commercialization of your technology progressing? What are your future development plans?

CEO Zheng Yong: At present, China's economy and society are at a critical stage of high-quality development, Tongxing Technology continues to consolidate the leading advantage in air pollution control, while accelerating the cultivation of the “second growth curve”, CCUS business and sodium power business is expected to achieve a major breakthrough in 2025. Meanwhile, we are steadily developing overseas markets, aiming to realize the double cycle of domestic and overseas business and global integrated operation.

Therefore, on the one hand, we will continue to consolidate the fundamentals, continue to innovate in the traditional business, layout around high-value products and high-value customers, and enhance the competitive advantage; on the other hand, we will accelerate the expansion of CCUS and sodium power new track, accelerate the development of the international market, expand the industry chain around upstream and downstream investment and merger and acquisition, and build a business ecosystem.