19 June 2018
DETAILS
Covestro is planning to build its own chlorine production plant
in Tarragona (Spain) and will use a particularly sustainable process:
oxygen-depolarized cathode technology,
that consumes around
a quarter less energy than the conventional method.
At its location in Spain, the company is building
the first industrial-scale plant
based solely on this state-of-the-art technology.
Covestro is currently investing around EUR 200 million
at Tarragona to increase the site’s competitiveness.
The new chlorine production plant is a key component of that.
About one third of the production costs
for chlorine are usually spend on energy.
Thus, the selected technology makes
an important economic contribution.
Around 25 percent less energy needed
thanks to state-of-the-art process
Chlorine is needed to make around two-thirds of all polymers,
yet it does not occur naturally in its pure form.
Instead, it is only found in chemical compounds
– such as in rock salt,
from which chlorine can be obtained using electrolysis.
However, the process uses a significant amount of energy.
Covestro and Thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers
have therefore developed an innovative technology
that consumes around 25 percent less energy than
conventional electrolysis
through the use of an oxygen-depolarized cathode (ODC).
ODC technology
is based on the conventional membrane process, in which chlorine,
caustic soda and hydrogen are usually produced
from rock salt and water.
The crucial difference:
The hydrogen-generating electrode normally used
is replaced by an oxygen-depolarized cathode.
Only chlorine and caustic soda are produced.
As a result, a voltage of just around two instead
of three volts is required.
That vital volt less.
Chlorine: an important precursor for MDI rigid foam
Construction of the new plant in Tarragona
is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2019.
Chlorine is mainly needed at Tarragona to make MDI.
MDI is a precursor for rigid foam,
which is an excellent insulation material and is used, for example,
in buildings and refrigerators to reduce their power consumption.
Compared with the conventional method,
it cuts CO2 emissions by around 22,000 metric tons per year
– roughly the amount produced by 15,000 cars a year.
Dr. Klaus Schäfer
Chief Technology Officer
“Sustainability and energy efficiency
played a vital role in choosing the process,”
“This is a special success story for us
since the development of this technology
began at our company over two decades ago."
Hanno Brümmer,
Head of Production at the Polyurethanes segment
which includes the company’s global chlorine activities
“The change in this process sounds simple,
but was a ground-breaking development for chlorine manufacturing,”
“Initial invention and development work began in our lab back in 1992.
We then developed it further together with Thyssenkrupp
and were able to start up the first demonstration plant
on an industrial scale in Krefeld-Uerdingen in 2011.”
Covestro AG
Communications
51365 Leverkusen
Germany
Contact Benjamin Schütz
Telephone +49 214 6009 2814
Email Benjamin.Schuetz @covestro.com
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
