In 2005, a major oil refinery located in the Lanshan district of Rizhao City, Shandong Province, entered a critical phase of expansion and technological modernization. A critical component of the national energy strategy, the project aimed not only to increase crude oil refining capacity but also to place extremely high demands on the long-term reliability, safety, and operating costs of the facilities. The extensive use of roofs and walls, as well as protective shells for numerous pipelines and equipment, urgently required the use of a high-strength material capable of effectively withstanding the harsh, corrosive coastal environment. Therefore, 500,000 square meters of aluminized zinc coils were selected as the primary construction material, providing this modern energy facility with a durable “protective coating.”

Project Background and Key Objectives
The Lanshan district is located on the coast of the Yellow Sea and enjoys a typical temperate maritime monsoon climate. This environment poses numerous threats to industrial facilities:

High salinity and high humidity, leading to corrosion: Ocean air contains large amounts of chloride ions, which accelerate the galvanic corrosion of most metallic materials. Ordinary steel is extremely susceptible to rapid corrosion in this environment, leading to structural damage and dramatically increased maintenance costs.

Long-term exposure to sunlight and wind erosion: Intense ultraviolet radiation, precipitation, and periodic typhoons require building envelopes to have excellent weather resistance, wind resistance, and a long service life.

Strict fire safety and health requirements: The refinery site poses a potential fire hazard, so all building materials, especially roofing and exterior wall materials, must have good fire-retardant or fire-retardant properties.

Economics of large-scale application: The project scale requires protective materials to have a long service life and be cost-effective to meet the needs of large-scale applications.

Solution: Aluminized zinc coil emerges as the optimal choice. Faced with the above challenges, the project team, after a thorough technical evaluation, ultimately decided to extensively use aluminized zinc coil as the primary material for roofs, walls, and some plant equipment enclosures. This decision was driven primarily by the superior properties of aluminized zinc coil:

Exceptional corrosion resistance: Aluminized zinc coil (typically an alloy consisting of 55% aluminum, 43.4% zinc, and 1.6% silicon) combines the strength of aluminum with the protection of zinc. The aluminum component forms a durable protective aluminum oxide layer on the surface, providing long-lasting barrier protection, while the zinc component provides anodic protection on scratched or cut edges, preventing the spread of red rust. Its corrosion resistance is 2-6 times higher than that of conventional galvanized steel sheets, making it ideal for the high-salinity coastal environments.

Excellent heat reflectivity and thermal stability: The bright white surface of aluminized zinc coil has a high reflectivity (up to 70% or more), effectively reflecting solar radiation, which helps reduce temperatures in the plant’s roof space, improve working conditions, and reduce air conditioning energy consumption. Furthermore, the presence of aluminum provides good thermal stability, allowing it to withstand high operating temperatures.

Good mechanical properties and processability: This material combines the strength of steel with good flexibility, facilitating cutting, forming, and welding, adapting to complex architectural forms and the requirements of rapid refinery construction. Efficient industrial processing and installation of 500,000 square meters of coils ensured the project’s schedule was met.

Long-term economic benefits and aesthetics: Although the initial investment may be somewhat higher than for conventional galvanized materials, its exceptionally long service life and extremely low maintenance requirements significantly reduce overall lifecycle costs. Furthermore, its clean and modern appearance enhances the overall appearance of the plant.

Project Results and Long-Term Impact: During the project’s construction in 2005, these 500,000 square meters of aluminized zinc coils were successfully used for roofing and wall systems of key units, such as the atmospheric and vacuum distillation units and the catalytic cracking unit.