TAGS: PVC, Plasticizers and Sustainability
Braskem and Chemetry, announce the installation of a demonstration unit for the production of dichloroethane (EDC) and caustic soda. The project is valued at USD 18 million, an investment that will be shared between the companies, and starting with the demo operation scheduled for the second half of 2022.
EDC is a chemical product used mainly in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), one of the most relevant thermoplastic resins on the market due to its wide range of applications and among the most common in the construction industry.
New Unit to be Based on Chemetry's Technology
The new unit will be based on Chemetry's eShuttleT technology, which allows the production of high purity EDC, without the generation of gaseous chlorine. Among the main benefits are the significant reduction in electricity consumption and production costs, in addition to the possibility of expanding operating capacity within the existing physical area.
Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Chemetry, explains that the company works for the innovation of chemical production processes. “
EShuttleT technology is able to align a safe and environmentally friendly approach to petrochemical operation, with significant economic gains. We are working with Braskem to confirm the commercial viability of the technology, which will reinforce our innovative capacity in serving the EDC chemical market ", Gilliam says.
EShuttleT was developed by Chemetry in its laboratories and tested in a pilot unit of the company in Moss Landing, California (USA). The demonstration factory that will be built in partnership with Braskem is the next step, being an intermediate scale between the pilot and the industrial one, and seen as a decisive phase for confirming the technical and economic viability of the project.
Braskem's technology and innovation, process development and project teams will work together with Chemetry to implement the demonstration unit, whose industrial operation will be the responsibility of the Brazilian petrochemical company.
The technology also uses the same raw materials and results in the same products (EDC, caustic soda and hydrogen) as conventional processes, making it ideal for greenfield projects, as well as for the modernization of alkali chloride / EDC plants. existing. The structure of the demonstration unit will be built in Canada, by a specialized partner company, and will come pre-assembled (skid mounted) to Brazil. The plant will be installed at Braskem's chlorine and soda unit in Maceió (AL).
Source: Braskem