core sector communique

Uhde to supply turnkey skid-mounted chlor-alkali electrolysis plant to Leuna- Harze

With today's turning of the first sod in Leuna, Germany, Uhde has begun construction of its first ever skid-mounted chlor-alkali electrolysis plant. Uhde was awarded the contract by Leuna-Harze GmbH, one of Europe's leading producers of epoxy resin, to build a turnkey membrane electrolysis plant with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tonnes of chlorine. Commissioning is planned for mid-2012. Uhde's scope of services includes the process licence, design and engineering, procurement, construction work and commissioning support.

This, the world's first skid-mounted chlor-alkali electrolysis plant is to be successfully implemented for the first time in Germany. The concept, which was developed by AkzoNobel, UHDENORA and Uhde, enables the economic viability of plants with annual capacities of up to 15,000 tonnes of chlorine to be improved. For many chlorine consumers the concept will thus represent a viable alternative for the supply of liquid chlorine.

Although the design for this type of plant is based on Uhde's proven membrane technology, a high degree of standardisation has greatly reduced the engineering work involved in plants of this type compared with conventional plants. As far as possible the central skids are prefabricated, assembled and checked before being delivered to the construction site, thus minimising the amount of erection work that needs to be done on site as all that remains is to join together the skids that are delivered. Peripheral plant sections are still individually engineered in a conventional manner and integrated into the overall plant.

"Skid mounting allows smaller electrolysis plants to be built much more cost effectively than would be possible within the framework of a conventional plant design. At the same time, we provide with this concept an answer to the question of how the supply to local chlorine consumers can be secured even without transporting and handling liquid chlorine," explains Dr. Sami Pelkonen, Head of Uhde's Electrolysis division. In partnership with UHDENORA, Uhde is thus in a position to offer chlorine producers and the chlorine processing industry a product that is equally attractive for both.The chlor-alkali electrolysis plant being built in Leuna by Uhde is part of an innovative design concept, thereby creating a basis for the future success of skid mounting

Uhde  has a workforce of more than 4,500 employees worldwide and is a company in the Plant Technology business area of the ThyssenKrupp Group. The company's activities focus on the engineering and construction of chemical and other industrial plants in the following fields: fertilisers; electrolysis; gas technologies; oil, coal, and residue gasification; refining technologies; organic intermediates, polymers and synthetic fibres; and also coke plant and high-pressure technologies. We also provide our customers with professional services and comprehensive solutions in all areas of industrial plant operation.  
UHDENORA S.p.A. is a joint company of Uhde/Germany and Industrie De Nora/Italy, and has a workforce of 70 employees worldwide. The company's activities focus on the design and construction of chemical and other industrial plants mainly in the following fields: chlor-alkali electrolysis, hydrochloric acid electrolysis and bleaching chemicals.