Einsatz von Membrantrennverfahren in der chemischen Industrie

Membran Processes in the Chemical Industry In the chemical industry (less so in the pharmaceutical industry), membrane technology is still at an early stage of acceptance. However, in this field too, it is gaining increasing importance as an innovative, reliable and, first and foremost, cost-effective alternative to conventional processes. This trend is evidenced by a variety of new plants which have been installed in recent years, and also by the rapidly growing interest in this technology shown by production and design departments. This article gives an overview of the industrial importance of membrane processes in chemical and pharmaceutical production and also presents some typical examples of applications in this field by describing plants which have already been installed and are now in production.     

Sichere Lagerung von Stoffen in der chemischen Industrie

Safe storage of chemicals. Stored chemicals can be a health risk, combustible, unstable, or explosive. It is consequently necessary to prevent such substances and their reaction products from damaging the environment or endangering people as a result of their release, decomposition, fire, or explosion. Storage conditions must therefore always be appropriate for the properties of the substances. This paper starts by outlining the basic principles of safe storage, namely minimization of potential hazards, avoidance of potential causes of danger and containing of any possible effects. Examples illustrate how the properties of the substances are taken into account in practice.     

Produktionslogistik in der chemischen Industrie

Logistics in the manufacture of chemical products. This survery covers the fields of location analysis, organization of operational material flow, and materials management, all of which are interlocked with each other. Logistics problems with location analysis lie in the area of infrastructure, procurement, and distribution. The organization of the operational material flow has to be based on a closed concept, taking simultanously into consideration interests of production techniques and of logistics. Special attention has to be paid to the reciprocal effect of plant and storage capacity. With complex production structures simulation models should be used, including a statistical model of the market demands, systematic variation of material flows, and grouping of technical equipment. Target is a minimization of total cost. For market oriented operation of complex productions, integrated materials management systems have to be employed. The systems supply a transparent material flow starting from the market demands via the control of production up to the procurement of raw materials.     

Minimierung von Abgasemissionen aus diskontinuierlichen Produktionsanlagen der chemischen Industrie

Minimising Waste Gas Emissions from Batch-Operated Production Plant in the Chemical Industry. In fulfilling legal obligations to limit waste gas emissions, the strategy of avoidance and reduction has to take precendence over waste gas cleaning. Fundamental disadvantages and limited possibilities of waste gas cleanning systems create a necessity to minimize waste gas emissions by substitution of process materials, or by better encapsulation of process systems. Reduction of process gas emissions is shown by the examples of gas feedback, avoidance of gas pressure cushions, and encapsulating of stirring systems as well as centrifuges. The problem of diffuse emissions from gaskets in separatable connections and from fitting casings is discussed. An example of chemical reaction in a strictly closed system is given. With regard to the reduction of exhaust volumes from open sources, bulk materials feed and sampling are discussed; centrifuges, pressure filters and continuous belt filters are shown as examples of closed systems in solid-liquid-separation.     

Kreislaufführung von verbrauchten Katalysatoren in der chemischen Industrie

Recycling of Used Catalyst in the Chemical Industry In this article, the consumption of catalysts in the chemical industry in Germany as well as their recycling are investigated. Metal catalysts play a dominant role both quantitatively and economically. Precious metal catalysts are also used very often, however, their quantitative use is, with less than 1 000 t per annum, small and they are regularly reclaimed. The biggest group of catalysts consists of non‐precious metal catalysts and it represents ca. 9 000 t per annum. The used catalysts from this group are only partially recycled. Some of these metals are often reclaimed, such as Ni, Cr, Mo, Co, and Cu. The catalysts that are not recycled are utilized in the chemical industry or disposed of. Economical criteria, such as the price of the metal, the content of the metal, the impurities, etc., are usually decisive for the choice between recycling and disposal. The support material can also be re‐utilized or disposed of.     

Anwendung der Molchtechnik in der chemischen Industrie

Use of Pigging in the Chemical Industry . Use of piggable pipework systems can lead to dramatic savings in investment costs and to high efficiency of the installed pipework. Emptying and washing operations are no longer necessary. Moreover, losses of valuable raw materials and finished products are avoided, the contamination waste water needing treatment, and hence the environmental burden, is reduced. A small number of pipes suffices for transport of many different substances with a high degree of separation. Pipework systems with pigging equipment in regular operation remain free from deposits. Complete automation eliminates the possibility of operating errors. However, it should not be forgotten that such a system also generates operating and maintenance costs which vary according to product. A decision to introduce a pigging system must ultimately depend upon the economics and availability of the plant.     

Aufgaben der Produktionsleitebene in der chemischen Industrie

The plant management functions in chemical industry . The information flow can be structured by a layer model, comprising the plant management layer, the process control layer, and the field layer. The higher company management layer issues production orders which are detailed at the plant management layer with the aid of a formulation; amounts of materials required, equipment, personnel, and laboratory measurements are assigned as a prerequisite for production. These tasks are described in detail, the flow of information between the adjacent layers indicated, and the layer structure of other business units briefly considered.     

Strukturwandel in der Ingenieurtechnik der chemischen Industrie

Changes in the Structure of Engineering in the Chemical Industry. The poor profit situation has stimulated a discussion of the costs of engineering in the chemical industry. The allocation of engineering responsibilities to centralized organizational structures is at issue. This applies to planning just as much as to plant maintenance or to the workshops. These structures are regarded as inflexible, expensive and, in many cases, monopolistic. Decentralized units which are directly responsible to divisions or business units seem to be able to work more efficiently and cheaply. The best alternative, however, is considered to be the outsourcing of work to external firms on a far larger scale than up to now. The article deals with the reasons which have initiated the structural change and with the relating consequences thereto.     

Quantitative Risikoanalysen in der chemischen Industrie

Quantitative risk analysis in the chemical industry . Consideration of risks on a qualitative basis is a useful, generally applied tool in safety engineering. However, attempts to quantify risk create problems. Quantifying studies have been published concrning nuclear and chemical plant, storage tanks, and port and transport facilities. At present, attempts are also being made in Germany to demonstrate that quantitative risk analysis is also possible for chemical processes. Instead of relying on past empirical values, an ab initio determination of risk from model calculations is being tried. A theoretical basis is already available for such calculations. However, practical execution and simplification of the complicated methods leads to numerous problems which are discussed in this paper. With the aid of selected examples attention is focussed on the following problems: (1) consideration of maintenance; (2) quality of starting data; (3) predictive power of weak-point analysis.     

Umweltfreundlichere Produktionsverfahren in der chemischen Industrie

Environmentally more acceptable processes in the chemical industrys. From its very beginning the chemical industry has always made every effort to cut the consumption of raw materials and energy in its processes and to diminish the release of by-products and waste streams into the environment. These efforts at technically improving the various processes are presently being intensified by economical and political pressures of rising raw material costs and the rising costs of releasing harmful substances into the environment. Ways of reducing these influences on the environment by chemical processes and of improving process economics will be reported from the experience of Bayer AG. The examples show that it is possible to combine the indispensable with the practicable, and that in this way the burden on the environment can be kept as low as may be consistent with the image of the industrial society.     

Der Verfahrensingenieur in der chemischen Industrie

The Process Engineer in the Chemical Industry . Tasks and problems are dealt with which the process engineer in the chemical industry has to perform or solve together with scientists. At present the problems are caused primarily by the rapid price rises for power and raw materials which have occurred in the past few years, and by the increased efforts on environmental protection. Future problems which are already becoming clearly discernible concern the development of resources which will be available over the long term to supply raw materials and power and also food for the rapidly growing world population. The chemical industry must make a decisive contribution to this development, and we must decide now on the direction it is to take. The process engineer has a key role to play in the accomplishment of these manifold and difficult tasks. This article describes the requirements he must satisfy and the conclusions which must be drawn in regard to his education and training.     

Die Anwendung der Risikoanalyse in der chemischen Industrie

Application of risk analysis to the chemical industry. It is surprising that such a well-established method of investment analysis as risk analysis should find so little use in the chemical industry. A positive feature of risk analysis lies in its ability to influence decision-making processes prior to their conclusion. Furthermore, it also directs attention to uncertainty factors of a project, which in turn can lead to the development of alternative proposals for risk reduction. The reason for the rather sparse use of this method in the chemical industry probably lies in the facts that former analyses were inadequately executed and that managerial staff regarded risk analysis as a method of locating uncertainties rather than a method for improving decision making. Provision of relevant aids for a comprehensive analytical method and a clear recognition of the inherent advantages should pave the way for wider acceptance of this procedure.     

Demand Response Potenziale in der chemischen Industrie

A supply system geared to renewable energy sources requires a high degree of flexibility to ensure system stability. Load management can make a big contribution. The chemical industry as one of the largest consumers of electrical energy can play an important role there. The analysis of the so far conducted studies shows great potential for the chlor‐alkali process and air liquefaction. The variable costs are comparable to other flexibility options. To determine the realizable potential further investigations are needed.