In 2022 and 2025, the 7.5 t/h LABSA, AES, and AOS plants in Meishan and Southeast Asia were successfully commissioned. The design, complete units, technical support, training, and commissioning are provided by WEIXIAN. At the beginning of 2026, a 7.5 t/h sulphonator supplied by Weixian was successfully commissioned in Shanghai. The equipment features a triple-center rod design and a novel tube sheet + threaded compression seal, ensuring zero leakage.

Weixian Technology Leads in Ultra-Large Membrane Sulphonators (178-240 Tubes) with Advanced Technology and Proven Global Experience

Reliable Sealing Design: PTFE and FKM Enhanced Threaded Structure Prevents SO₃ Leakage and Corrosion, Offering Higher Reliability than Italian Equipment (Fig. 1 & 2)

50% Reduction in Tube Sheet Deformation: The Improved PTFE Flat Seal Provides More Stable Sealing, Minimizes Thrust on the Tube Sheet, Prevents Organic Leakage, and Significantly Extends the Operating Cycle of the Sulphonator.

Increased Distribution Chamber Height: Tube Sheets 1, 2, and 3 are 16% thicker than those of imported sulphonators, and the organic distribution chamber is increased by 25% in height. This design significantly reduces tube sheet deformation in large sulphonators (6, 8, 10 t/h, etc.) and ensures better central distribution of organic material, enabling stable and efficient operation of 8 t/h and 10 t/h units.

Optimized Reactor Tube Welding: The joint between the reactor tube and distribution head is moved upward to avoid the initial reaction zone, and the butt weld is replaced with a fillet weld, creating a seamless inner wall. Compared with imported sulphonators, this eliminates minor leakage and greatly improves reliability.

Pressurized Water Return: Tube Sheet 3 uses one FKM O-ring and three PTFE gaskets for shell and tube side sealing, ensuring Weixian sulphonators are completely leak-free and can handle pressurized water up to 0.5 MPa (tested at 0.6 MPa).

Precision Component Optimization: Adjusting the dimensions and angles of reactor tubes, distribution head, and nozzles increases organic flow pressure drop by 13.3%, enhancing self-balancing compared with imported sulphonators. This maintains more stable organic distribution, reduces dioxane during AEO sulfation, and significantly extends the alpha-olefin sulfonation operating cycle.

Reactor Tube Special Manufacturing: Tubes are made using high-precision cold rolling and oxygen-free annealing without post-polishing, achieving uniform inner and outer wall roughness of Ra 0.4 across each tube. This ensures that, under the same process and quality conditions, AES dioxane content is significantly lower than in imported units.

( 192-Tube Sulphonator As-Built Photo）