(BAT) Reference Document for the Production of Chlor-alkali ...

List of Figures
Figure 1.1: Share per region of world chlorine production capacities in 2008 ........................................ 2
Figure 1.2: Development of chlorine production in western Europe and utilisation ratio of plant
capacity in EU and EFTA countries ...................................................................................... 3
Figure 1.3: Chlor-alkali production sites in EU-27 and EFTA countries as of January 2011
Geographic distribution of chlor-alkali plants within the European Union 1999 .................. 4
Figure 1.4: Annual chlorine production capacities in EU-27 and EFTA countries in 2010 Chlorine
production in western Europe in 1999................................................................................... 5
Figure 1.5: Share of cell techniques to chlorine production capacity in EU-27 and EFTA countries...... 7
Figure 1.6: Chlorine applications in EU-27 and EFTA countries in 2010 western Europe ..................... 9
Figure 1.7: Caustic soda applications in EU-27 and EFTA countries in 2010....................................... 11
Figure 1.8: Caustic potash applications in EU-27 and EFTA countries in 2009.................................... 12
Figure 2.1: Flow diagram of the three typical main chlor-alkali techniques processes.......................... 18
Figure 2.2: Simplified scheme of chlorine electrolysis cells.................................................................. 19
Figure 2.3: Schematic view of a mercury electrolysis cell with horizontal and vertical decomposer
Flow diagram of mercury cell technology ........................................................................... 23
Figure 2.4: View of a mercury cell room ............................................................................................... 25
Figure 2.5: Flow diagram of the integration of the membrane or mercury and the diaphragm cell
techniques ............................................................................................................................ 27
Figure 2.6: Sectional drawing of a typical monopolar diaphragm electrolysis cell ............................... 29
Figure 2.7: View of an open-air diaphragm cell room equipped with monopolar electrolysers ............ 29
Figure 2.8: Flow diagram of the integration of the membrane and mercury cell techniques ................. 32
Figure 2.9: Exploded view of a monopolar membrane electrolyser Sectional drawing of a typical
bipolar membrane electrolysis cell ...................................................................................... 33
Figure 2.10: View of a membrane cell room equipped with bipolar electrolysers................................... 34
Figure 2.11: View of a membrane cell room equipped with monopolar electrolysers............................. 34
Figure 2.12: Sectional drawing of a membrane ....................................................................................... 35
Figure 2.13: Simplified scheme of monopolar and bipolar electrolysers................................................. 36
Figure 2.14: Electrolyser architecture ...................................................................................................... 36
Figure 2.15: Flow diagram of a possible layout for the brine purification system used in the
membrane cell technique process ........................................................................................ 41
Figure 2.16: View of polishing filters in a secondary brine purification system...................................... 42
Figure 2.17: View of chelate resin towers in a secondary brine purification system ............................... 43
Figure 2.18: View of a chlorine absorption unit ...................................................................................... 56
Figure 2.19: View of caustic production and storage............................................................................... 59
Figure 3.1: Cell voltage and specific electrical energy consumption versus cell current density for
the mercury cell technique................................................................................................... 73
Figure 3.2: Specific electrical energy consumption versus cell current density for the different
chlor-alkali electrolysis techniques...................................................................................... 76
Figure 3.3: Trend of mercury emissions (weighted averages) from mercury cell chlor-alkali plants
in Western Europe (OSPAR countries) as reported by Euro Chlor ................................... 109
Figure 3.4: Trend of mercury emissions (weighted averages) from mercury cell chlor-alkali plants
in EU-27 and EFTA countries as reported by Euro Chlor................................................. 110
Figure 3.5: Major solid waste sources in mercury cell chlor-alkali plants Solid waste sources in the
mercury process................................................................................................................. 123
Figure 3.6: Trend of the average difference to balance for chlor-alkali plants in OSPAR countries ... 128
Figure 4.1: Mercury cell plant conversion to a membrane cell plant technology ................................ 148
Figure 4.2: Deposition of an asbestos-free diaphragm on a cathode.................................................... 173
WORKING DRAFT IN PROGRESS
Figure 4.3: Continuous improvement in an EMS model...................................................................... 183
Figure 4.4: Impact of technological development of the membrane cell technique on specific
electricity consumption and maximum current densities................................................... 196
Figure 4.5: Choice of current density based on capital costs and electricity prices ............................. 198
Figure 4.6: Flow diagram of brine recirculation and once-through brine processes ............................ 206
Figure 4.7: Schematic Flow diagram of a catalytic decomposition reduction fixed-bed reactor
process ............................................................................................................................... 240
Figure 4.8: Effect of pH value on the location of iron hydroxide precipitation in membranes............ 245
Figure 4.9: Flow diagram of acidic chlorate reduction ........................................................................ 246
Figure 4.10: Flow diagram of the on-site thermal desorption system used at a chlor-alkali site in
Taipei (Taiwan) ................................................................................................................. 262
Figure 4.11: Flow diagram of a soil washing system............................................................................. 264
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