PVC maker Vinnolit adds Hima safety system

Munich, Germany - German PVC manufacturer Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG is employing HIMax, a new safety system from HIMA Paul Hildebrandt GmbH + Co KG to safeguard the chlorine production process at its Gendorf facility. The safety system features a total redundancy concept, which is claimed to guarantee the continuous operation of the chlorine plant.

“The performance of the PES was one of the things that swung the decision in favour of HIMax. It has the performance needed for the machine applications, especially the pump limit regulation,” explains Peter Grandl, EMR technician in the chlorine production area at Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG Burgkirchen. “HIMax was integrated very easily into our ABB Freelance process control system using the PROFIBUS-DP communication standard.”

HIMax controllers are used throughout Vinnolit’s chlorine production process at the Gendorf industrial estate, as ESD (Emergency Shutdown) systems and for monitoring machinery. The safety systems protect staff and residents against the plant’s potential hazards. Originally planned only as a safety system for the new chlorine compressor, it developed into a complex system of six HIMax PESs connected together over a distance of around 1.5 km using safeethernet. Thanks to the safeethernet ring, future extensions to the plant will be quick and easy to implement.

The pure brine production facility, membrane electrolysis and central control room each have one HIMax system, while the chlorine compressor and auxiliary systems have three HIMax systems to ensure maximum availability. The HIMax system processes more than 700 safety-related inputs and outputs.

With an annual capacity of 780,000 metric tonnes (1.7 billion lbs) Vinnolit is one of the leading PVC producers in Europe and, worldwide, is the market and technical leader in specialty PVC. National and international activities of the company are managed from Ismaning, near Munich. Production sites are in Burghausen, Gendorf, Knapsack, Cologne, Schkopau and Hillhouse (UK). Turnover of Vinnolit in 2008 amounted to €846 million. Vinnolit employs 1,500 staff. Managing Directors are Dr Josef Ertl and Dr Ralph Ottlinger.

Vinnolit also produces intermediates such as caustic soda, vinyl chloride and tin tetrachloride, which are required in the chemical industry as well as in other branches. The technology center VinTec is licensing Vinnolit''s EDC-/VCM- and S-PVC technology worldwide.