The emission detectives in action
15 Jan 2000
Elf Atochem in Widnes, the UK's sole manufacturer of chlorotoluene derivatives, is a prime example of a company using environmental technology to its own advantage.
Not only are the FED (fugitive emission detection)valves being used in their more traditional role, for helping to eliminate emissions of highly toxic ammonia from process lines in the phenylacetic acids salt plant, they are also being ingeniously used to ensure zero air ingress from atmosphere into the plant's chemical distillation columns, which could be extremely hazardous.
Within the production of benzaldehyde, it is necessary to keep the distillation columns under vacuum for part of the process. The ingress of air from atmosphere into the column could result in auto-oxidisation which could lead to combustion or explosion.
To resolve this potentially hazardous problem, Elf Atochem has installed a Hindle Ultra-Seal ball valve fitted with a FED adapter. The monitoring port enables Elf Atochem to ensure that air from atmosphere has not entered the first seal, and if it has, to take remedial action to prevent leakage through the second seal into the distillation column.
