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

Share of total capacity in %
70 70% %
60 60% %
50 50% %
40 40% %
30 30% %
20 20% %
10 10% %
0 0% %
Chapter 1
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
WORKING DRAFT IN PROGRESS
Year
Mercury cell technique
Diaphragm cell technique
Membrane cell technique
Other techniques
Source: [ 8, Euro Chlor 2011 ]
Figure 1.5: Share of cell techniques to chlorine production capacity in EU-27 and EFTA
countries
Despite the downward trend in using the mercury cell technique for the production of chlorine
and caustic soda, most of the production of caustic potash in the EU-27 in 2011 is still based on
it. There are only two small installations with capacities Q 30 kt/yr which use the membrane cell
technique to produce caustic potash while there are larger installations operating outside Europe
[ 9, Euro Chlor 2011 ], [ 42, Euro Chlor 2010 ].
In 2010, the global chlorine production capacity of mercury cell chlor-alkali plants was
estimated to be approximately 6.5 Mt/yr [ 11, UNEP 2010 ], roughly 10 % of the total chlorine
capacity. Between 2010 and 2020, all of the existing mercury cell plants in EU-27 and EFTA
countries except those using sodium-amalgam to produce specialities such as alcoholates and
dithionites are anticipated to be shut down due to a voluntary agreement by Euro Chlor.
The global chlorine production capacity of diaphragm cell chlor-alkali plants was approximately
20 Mt/yr in 2010, corresponding to 26 % of the total world chlorine capacity. Approximately
13 % of the global diaphragm plant capacity is based on non-asbestos diaphragms while this
share is approximately 30 % in the EU-27 [ 215, German Ministry 2011 ].
The geographic distribution of processes worldwide differs appreciably:
western Europe, predominance of amalgam process (June 2000): 55 %
United States, predominance of diaphragm process: 75 %
Japan, predominance of membrane process: >90 %
Figure 1.4 gives a more general picture comparing the division of total chlorine capacity by
technology in the United States, western Europe and in the world.
Figure 1.4: Comparison of the total chlorine capacity by technology between western Europe,
United States and worldwide
[Lindley, 1997]
TB/EIPPCB/CAK_Draft_1 December 2011 7