On May 16, 2026, according to the China National Intellectual Property Administration, Shenyang Huitian Thermal Power Co., Ltd. applied for a patent entitled "Intelligent lock for valve prevention and control and its control method". The application publication number was CN122040935A, and the application publication date was May 15, 2026.
The patent abstract shows that the invention relates to the field of safety control technology for heating, water supply or industrial pipeline valves. By controlling only the manual operation authority of the valve stem without changing the original opening and closing structure of the welded ball valve, a safety management mode of "not automatically opening and closing the valve, only allowing manual operation after authorization" is achieved. This technology combines remote communication and abnormal alarm mechanism, making valve operation behavior authorized, monitored, and traceable.
Huitian Thermal Power was established in 1993 and is a domestic enterprise in the heating field, mainly providing heating and heating engineering services for residents and non residents. In 2025, the company's operating revenue will be 2.104 billion yuan, with heating and gas supply accounting for 92.39% of its main business.
On March 25, 2026, China Chemical News reported that China's first ultra large caliber (nominal diameter of 2000 millimeters) axial flow check valve has completed engineering practice verification in the Tianjin Nangang ethylene plant, marking a major breakthrough in the research and development and manufacturing of high-end valves in the energy field.
This valve is jointly developed and researched by domestic design and manufacturing units led by Tianjin Petrochemical, and is mainly used in the core compressor unit of ethylene plants. It is reported that the valve diameter is currently the largest diameter of the same type of valve used in ethylene plants in China. The R&D team has innovated in structural design, focusing on optimizing the composite sealing structure of the valve core and valve seat, and finely designing the flow channel structure, effectively reducing the pressure loss of the medium inside the valve body.
Since the commissioning of the Tianjin Nangang Ethylene Project, the overall operation performance of the valve has been stable, and all technical indicators have met the design requirements. The successful operation of this valve is the first engineering practice of the largest caliber valve of the same type in the equipment of ethylene "three machines" (cracking gas compressor, propylene compressor, ethylene compressor) in China, filling the technical gap in related fields in China.
In early January 2026, the National Valve Standardization Technical Committee officially released three national standards: "GB/T 21385-2025 Metal Sealed Ball Valve", "GB/T 12244-2025 General Requirements for Pressure Reducing Valves", and "GB/T 12236-2025 Steel Swing Check Valve for Petroleum, Chemical and Related Industries". Quan Shun Flow Control, as one of the core drafting units, participated in the development and drafting of these three national standards throughout the process. The standards will be officially implemented on May 1, 2026.
These three national standards respectively cover advanced technical requirements for metal sealed ball valves, general guidelines for the design and performance of pressure reducing valves, and reliable specifications for swing check valves under harsh operating conditions such as petrochemicals. Their release and implementation will provide a unified, scientific, and authoritative technical basis for the design, manufacturing, inspection, and application of related products, effectively promoting the upgrading of China's valve industry towards safer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly directions.
Quan Shun Flow Control stated that participating in the formulation of national standards is not only an honor, but also a heavy responsibility. The technological roadmap and practical achievements of enterprises have become one of the benchmarks that define the industry level. In the future, the company will continue to increase research and development investment, actively participate in the construction of more national and industry standards, drive development with innovation, and lead the industry with standards.
On March 17, 2026, the founding conference of the "Nuclear Power Plant Valve Reliability Improvement Action Alliance" was held in Beijing. This consortium is jointly initiated by China General Machinery Industry Association and CGN Suzhou Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., relying on the industry resources and management guarantee of CGN, and collaborating with upstream and downstream enterprises, research institutions, and user units in the industry chain. It is committed to systematically improving the reliability of nuclear power plant valves through technological collaboration, resource sharing, and standard construction, and serving the national nuclear safety strategy and high-quality energy development.
Nuclear power valves are key equipment for the safe operation of nuclear power plants, and their reliability directly affects nuclear safety and power generation efficiency. With the acceleration of China's nuclear power construction, the first "Hualong One" San'ao Nuclear Power Unit 1 in the Yangtze River Delta will be connected to the grid for the first time in March 2026; In April, the construction of Unit 2 of the "Hualong One" at Jinqimen Nuclear Power Plant was fully launched - the localization and reliability improvement of nuclear voltage valves have become urgent tasks in the industry.
The establishment of the consortium marks the industry's transition from "going it alone" to "collaborative research and development". Industry insiders believe that this platform will help integrate industry chain resources, establish a unified reliability evaluation standard system, accelerate independent breakthroughs in key technologies of nuclear power valves, and provide solid technical support for China's nuclear power "going global" strategy.