| SPHERIPHOL VALTEC : A New Olefins Polymerization Technology | Italy | 1992 | Full scale |
MANUFACTURE OF CHEMICALS AND CHEMICAL PRODUCTS # 21
Background
The traditional technology of olefins polymerization generates approximately 1.0-1.5 m3/t of product of waste water which is solvent polluted and containing Al2O3. The range of product obtainable from this technology covers a wide range of applications (medical, food, electric, etc.). They are resin based material, easily recyclable or burnable without environmental problems. The new technology has been developed by research over a period of ten year.
Cleaner Production Principle
New technology
Cleaner Production Application
The SPHERIPHOL VALTEC technology allows the omo-copolymerisation of the alpha olefins and particularly the polypropylene, through a high catalytic and energetic yield process. It is an environmentally friendly technology characterized by the elimination of liquid and gaseous waste effluents generated by the traditional technology. The technology is a good example of careful engineering design resulting in a reduction in environmental impacts and economic benefits.
The development in the early 70's of a high yield catalyst with higher stereospecificity stimulated Himont to study an improved polypropylene production technology aimed at:
| lowering investment and operating costs; |
| reducing energy consumption; and |
| avoiding the generation of pollutant by-product |
The research worked out an additivation technique "ADIPOL" which allows the production of sphere shaped polymers having superior properties compared to the granules obtained by conventional process. Moreover, the properties of the macromolecular structure obtained during the synthesis are maintained also in the finished product. It is worth mentioning that since the extrusion process is eliminated with this technology, energy for the overall production process is reduced by 50%. Both raw materials and consumer products made by polypropylene omo and co-polymers are toxic free materials.
A 140 "SPHERIPHOL-VALTEC" based technology, developed over a ten year time frame, has been in operation since 1988 in Ferrara, Italy. The capacity of 140 k/y is distributed between omo and co-polymer production following the market request. The technology has been implemented in various HIMONT plants in Europe.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
The liquid waste generated were reduced to approximately 9.6 x 10(6) m3/y. Feedstock Use was reduced from 1090 k/t PP to 1010 k/t PP. Water Use was reduced by 6-7% because cooling water was recycled. In the energy area electricity as reduced from 550 kwh/t PP to 150 kwh/t PP and steam was reduced from 3000 k/t PP to 300 k/t PP.
The traditional process generates water contaminated by organic solvent and metallic catalyst gaseous effluents containing toxic gases and metallic vapors. The proposed technology eliminates such problems and sets the new standard. The main features are:
| emission-free manufacturing process: both gaseous and liquid hazardous waste discharges are eliminated |
| absence of the extrusion step avoids the generation of polluting dust and acoustic noise |
| high yield process greatly reduces resources |
| optimized resources-product-resources cycle is a virtual closed-loop cycle |
| reduction of chemicals used in the process |
| wider range of product applications which can be used as substitutes to traditional materials such as wood, metals, and glass, contributes natural resources savings |
| higher production standard achieved |
| energy consumption savings of up to 50% |
The elimination of the extrusion step reduces the investment cost by approximately 5 x 10(9) lit. The full automation of the plant operation and control system which uses updated computer-based electronics, greatly reduces labor costs, only 2 men per shift are needed for the management of the whole plant. The reduction of energy consumption leads to a production cost reduction of about 100 lit/k PP. Moreover, the elimination of the extrusion section besides reducing the investment cost leads to an additional reduction of 200 k/t PP.
Constraints
None reported.
Contacts
Review Status
This case study was submitted to UNEP IE in 1994 by Italy's ENEA. It was reviewed and edited by UNEP IE in July 1995.
Subsequently the case study has undergone a technical review by Dr Prasad Modak at Environmental Management Centre, Mumbai, India, in September 1998.