In recent developments, the Energy Conservation and Drying Engineering Technology Research Center of the Shandong Academy of Sciences has made significant progress. After over a year of dedicated research, the center has successfully completed the theoretical models and industrial prototypes for its 600,000 tons/year PTA energy-saving drying equipment, which is domestically produced. The demonstration project is now in the final stages and will soon be put into full-scale production. Additionally, the largest gypsum calcining and drying equipment developed in collaboration with Shandong Xinwen Mining Group has already been deployed. These breakthroughs, built on independent intellectual property, are set to challenge the long-standing dominance of foreign manufacturers in large-scale energy-saving drying technology.
Drying technology plays a crucial role across multiple industries, including chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, building materials, food, and more. In China, the drying process accounts for approximately 12% of total energy consumption, yet the average energy efficiency remains low—only 40–50%, compared to over 70% in advanced countries. This gap highlights the urgent need for innovation and improved efficiency in domestic drying systems.
Currently, many large-scale drying systems and technologies in China are still heavily reliant on imports. To address this, the center has adopted an innovative model: "research center—incubation enterprise—service industry." This approach aims to accelerate the development and practical application of locally-made equipment. As part of this strategy, the center has established Shandong Tianli Drying Equipment Co., Ltd., a company responsible for refining and commercializing the research outcomes. Once the technical feasibility is confirmed through small-scale tests, Tianli takes over to improve and scale up the technology for broader industrial use.
According to Shi Yongchun, the center's chief expert, the research focuses on key energy-saving drying equipment and common drying technologies across various industries. The team combines basic theory with applied research, using original, integrated, and adaptive innovations to develop cutting-edge solutions. By integrating principles from thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics, the center is working to establish engineering models and software that can optimize large-scale drying processes.
The center’s goal is to produce "top-tier" technologies—those that directly address critical industry challenges and demonstrate strong practical impact. At the same time, it emphasizes "ground-level" application, ensuring that research results are not just theoretical but are transformed into real-world products that generate value and benefits.
To support these efforts, the center has formed long-term partnerships with international institutions, such as the Belarusian Rekov Thermal and Mass Transfer Institute and Poland’s Lodz University of Technology. These collaborations have led to 35 scientific achievements, 4 national Torch projects, 4 national key new product plans, and 68 patents with independent intellectual property rights. The center has also won three provincial science and technology progress awards.
Among its notable successes, the center has developed the world’s first 180-ton, 18-meter-high internal thermal fluidization equipment for soda-alkali calcination, which has been widely adopted across major soda ash plants nationwide. Another achievement is the complete set of fluidized drying equipment for adipic acid, developed in partnership with PetroChina Liaohua Branch, achieving an impressive 75% energy efficiency. Additionally, a 20-square-meter fluidized bed drying system developed with Qingdao Haijing Group has been exported internationally, while a flash dryer designed with China Aluminum Group Shandong Branch has achieved a 20% higher energy efficiency than domestic alternatives.
To date, the center has developed over 1,000 sets of drying equipment, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of China’s drying technology sector.
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