Bayer process to shrink chlorine production costs and emissions

Leverkusen, Germany - Bayer MaterialScience is rolling out two new chlorine production processes, which it claims can save up to 30% on electricity consumption compared to conventional production routes. The technologies are already being applied at Bayer facilities in Germany and China and are to be offered to outside companies seeking to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.

Chlorine is an important basic substance in the chemical industry and is absolutely indispensable in the manufacture of plastics and medicines, for example. Electrochemical chlorine production is currently one of the most energy-intensive and costly processes in the chemicals industry, with power accounting for around 50% of the costs incurred during its production.

The first new method for manufacturing chlorine developed by Bayer and its partners is based on the fuel cell principle and recycles chlorine from hydrochloric acid in a closed cycle. Compared to conventional methods, this oxygen depolarised cathode (ODC) root cuts the amount of energy consumed and consequent CO2 emissions by 30%, accordin to Bayer. 

Chlorine is largely produced using a membrane process, but says Bayer, its electrolysis process employing ODC technology can generate energy savings of 30%, as the feeding of oxygen in gas form enables electrolysis to be performed at a lower voltage, Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, Bayer group's management board, said at a press conference in Leverkusen on 11 Nov.

"We are already using this patented oxygen depolarized cathode technology for chlorine production based on hydrochloric acid at our Brunsbüttel site in Germany, in a plant with an annual capacity of 20,000 metric tons of chlorine. It is also in use in large-scale industrial operations at the Caojing site near Shanghai in China, which has an annual capacity of 215,000 metric tons of chlorine," said Plischke.

Bayer researchers have also made further advances in ODC technology for obtaining chlorine based on common salt and expect that this new method will also achieve energy savings of 30 percent compared to conventional processes, according to the Bayer director.

Working with ThyssenKrupp Uhde, Bayer plans to put a first large-scale plant based on common salt and an annual capacity of around 20,000 metric tons of chlorine into operation by the beginning of 2011. The company, said Plischke, also intends to offer the technology to other companies in the chemical industry worldwide.

Bayer MaterialScience recently signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with Chinese cell manufacturer Bluestar Chemical relating to planned collaboration in the field of oxygen depolarized cathode technology for chlorine production based on common salt.

"Were 15% of chlorine manufacturing facilities owned by all market players to be converted to this technology, it would be theoretically possible to cut global CO2 emissions in chlorine production by 5 million metric tons per year," concluded Plischke. "If this technology were to be comprehensively implemented in the German chlorine industry alone, it would generate savings equal to one percent of Germany's total power consumption."

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"Were 15% of chlorine manufacturing facilities owned by all market players to be converted to this technology, it would be theoretically possible to cut global CO2 emissions in chlorine production by five million metric tons per year, Dr. Wolfgang Plischke, Bayer group's management board, said at a press conference in Leverkusen on 11 Nov. "This is three times the volume of carbon dioxide saved each year in Germany by newly registered cars that fulfill the EU standard for CO2 emissions. Bayer is to offer this innovative technology to other companies in the chemical industry all over the world."

Bayer has also introduced the technology for acid-based chlorine production on an industrial scale at its sites in Caojing near Shanghai in China and in Brunsbüttel in Germany. The annual capacity of the Chinese facility is 215 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa), while the German site is closer to pilot-scale operation at 20ktpa. BMS is is also looking to offer its ODC technology to other companies and aims to make the technology accessible to as many chlorine producers as possible to combat climate change through innovative process technology.

While the basic ODC technology has been around for many years, Bayer has developed new proprietary ways to ensure the stability of the process, said Plischke. Bayer research scientists, he added, have now developed an application of the technology for salt-based chlorine production and a first industrial-scale facility is due to go on stream in Germany by 2011.

Last year, this innovation earned the Environmental Award from the Federation of German Industries.

Again, our experts are confident that this new method will also achieve energy savings of 30 percent compared to conventional processes.

There is enormous potential for cutting the amount of energy and CO2 involved in the production of chlorine. Were 15 percent of chlorine manufacturing facilities owned by all market players to be converted to this technology, it would be theoretically possible to cut global CO2 emissions in chlorine production by 5 million metric tons per year. This is three times the volume of carbon dioxide saved each year in Germany by newly registered cars that fulfill the EU standard for CO2 emissions.

If this technology were to be comprehensively implemented in the German chlorine industry alone, it would generate savings equal to one percent of Germany's total power consumption.

Working with ThyssenKrupp Uhde, we plan to put a first large-scale plant based on common salt and an annual capacity of around 20,000 metric tons of chlorine into operation by the beginning of 2011.

We are also keen to offer this new technology to other companies in the chemical industry worldwide so that its climate protection potential is utilized to the full.

For example, Bayer MaterialScience recently signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with Chinese cell manufacturer Bluestar Chemical relating to planned collaboration in the field of oxygen depolarized cathode technology for chlorine production based on common salt.