Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Rubber & Plastics News
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • LogIn
  • News
  • Technology Focus
    • Features
    • Technical Papers
    • Analysis: Rubber mixing plants of the future
      Analysis: US probes dumping by ESBR suppliers
      Opinion: Tire labels stuck in a rut
      Analysis: NR pricing takes one step forward, two steps back
    • White paper: Role of tire innerliners in improving 'in-use rolling resistance'
      White paper: Why tire air retention matters now more than ever
      Nippon Soda: Use of 1,2-polybutadiene in CSM rubber applications
      Elastomers for Sustainability Top 10
  • Events
    • ERJ Events
    • ERJ Livestreams & Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Journey to Automation Awards 2020
      Sustainability: Top 10 E4S projects table
  • Maps & Reports
  • People
  • Directory
  • Digital Edition
  • Brainiac
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
June 25, 2018 12:00 AM

Covestro investing €200m in Spanish expansion, new chlorine technology

Shahrzad Pourriahi
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    Leverkusen, Germany – German materials supplier Covestro AG is planning to build its own chlorine production plant in Tarragona, Spain, using a homegrown sustainable process: oxygen-depolarised cathode technology.

    In a 19 June statement, the company said the industrial-scale plant will be based at its current production facility in Spain and will consume around a quarter less energy than the conventional method.

    Covestro said it is currently investing around €200 million at Tarragona to increase the site’s competitiveness, the new chlorine production plant being a key part of the investment.

    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, a precursor for rigid foam.

    “About one-third of the production costs for chlorine are usually spent on energy. Thus, the selected technology makes an important economic contribution,” Covestro explained.

    According to chief technology officer Klaus Schäfer, the main reasons for choosing the process were sustainability and energy efficiency.

    “This is a special success story for us since the development of this technology began at our company over two decades ago,” added Schäfer.

    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, which is very energy-intensive.

    However, Covestro, in partnership with ThyssenKrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers, have developed a technology, which they claim consumes around 25% 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, Covestro explained, is that the hydrogen-generating electrode normally used is replaced by an oxygen-depolarised cathode.

    “Only chlorine and caustic soda are produced. As a result, a voltage of just around two instead of three volts is required,” added the company.

    “The change in this process sounds simple, but was a ground-breaking development for chlorine manufacturing,” commented Hanno Brümmer, head of production at the polyurethanes segment which includes the company’s global chlorine activities.

    Initial invention and development work on the process began in 1992, with the first demonstration plant on an industrial scale built in Krefeld-Uerdingen in 2011.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Trelleborg acquires Dutch composite hose supplier
    Trelleborg acquires Dutch composite hose supplier
    Conti hose & line unit zeros in on low-emission mobility
    Conti hose & line unit zeros in on low-emission mobility
    Cabot expands sustainable rubber operations in Malaysia
    Cabot expands sustainable rubber operations in Malaysia
    Free Newsletters

    Breaking news and in-depth coverage of essential topics delivered straight to your inbox.

    Subscribe today

    Get the latest news impacting the European rubber industry, from breaking news to razor-sharp analysis, in print and online.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Logo
    Contact Us

    @ 2019 European Rubber Journal. 
    European Rubber Journal is published bi-monthly by NUERJ Ltd.

    Registered Office: Castle House, 89 High Street,
    Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 2DF, United Kingdom. 

    Tel. + 44 (0)203 196 0141 

    Registered No. 13104613 England

    Email: [email protected]

    Website www.european-rubber-journal.com

    Customer service 

    Tel. + 44 (0)203 196 0141 

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
    • Technology Focus
      • Features
      • Technical Papers
    • Events
      • ERJ Events
      • ERJ Livestreams & Webinars
      • Industry Events
    • Maps & Reports
    • People
    • Directory
    • Digital Edition
    • Brainiac