A hydrochloric acid plant is usually associated with an integrated chlor-alkali cell room for hydrogen and chlorine feedstock. Please see "Proven Chlor-Alkali Specialists" for more information.
Aker Solutions supplies HCl plants of 5 to 30 tons per day chlorine capacity as pre-assembled, skid-mounted modules. Modularised supply is very effective for the smaller HCl plants because it reduces project costs significantly.
The main reasons for this are:
- Standardisation eliminates most design engineering costs
- Shop fabrication increases productivity and improves quality control
- Shop fabrication eliminates problems with weather, terrain, and congestion at the site
- A 33% to 50% shorter project schedule is made possible, because site work can begin earlier
- Construction costs and duration are reduced
- System testing and checks are done in shop
- Improved safety – shop versus site
- Skilled, experienced labour is available in the shop, not necessarily at the site
Larger HCl plants, which consume more than 30-t/d chlorine, are supplied in non-modularised form. Our two latest plants, one for Odyssey Manufacturing and the other for Kuehne Chemicals in the USA are examples of optimally designed plants between 30 and 100 t/d chlorine capacity.
A chlor-alkali plant produces two principal products; chlorine (Cl2) and sodium hydroxide, which is commonly known as caustic soda (NaOH). The term chlor-alkali is derived from the two products produced; chlor from chlorine and alkali from sodium hydroxide (sodium hydroxide is part of a group of chemicals called alkalis). In a hydrochloric acid synthesis unit, the chlorine and hydrogen from the electrolysers are combined to form hydrochloric acid solution (HCl). A small amount of sodium hypochlorite solution (NaOCl), also called hypo, or hypochlorite, is also produced.
A typical HCl plant consists of four main process areas:
- brine preparation
- electrolysis
- HCl production
- sodium hypochlorite production
In addition to the main process, there are four other plant support areas:
- raw material storage and handling
- product storage and handling
- effluent processing
- utilities
Please see "Proven Chlor-Alkali Specialists" for more information on brine preparation, electrolysis, and sodium hypochlorite production.
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