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How to obtain a valuable fuel from by-products |
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Environmentally friendly and cost-effective disposal, examining alternative uses – the isophytol plant in Ludwigshafen takes every opportunity to live up to this claim. Until now, chemical by-products that cannot be re-used as ingredients or auxiliaries have been combined and forwarded for residue incineration. But an analysis of the chemical composition of the individual by-product streams has shown that a high calorific value substitute fuel can be produced from two-thirds of these by-products. What was once waste can now replace externally purchased natural gas.
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The by-products collected in the isophytol plant used to be separated into water-free and water-containing production residues. Since the water-free by-products also include substances that contain aluminate, the mixture had to disposed of by incineration since aluminate generates ash when it is used as fuel.
These days, the isophytol plant collects its aluminate-containing production residues separately. Although these are still eliminated by incineration, the quantity involved is much smaller, with a corresponding reduction in transportation and disposal costs.
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All other by-products, which contain only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, are - combined in a mixing tank regardless of the water content. The calorific value of this blend, which meets the strict requirements of the power plant’s specification for “heating oil-type substitute fuels,” is equivalent to 25 to 30 mega-joules per kilogram.
The power plant operator is responsible for ensuring that the blend reaches the combustion chamber. Only one pipeline had to be laid from the isophytol plant to the power plant and a few connections changed in order to implement the cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution. Other factories on the site were also impressed: The Uvinul and Prenal plants, for example, have been connected up to the system, and these plants now also supply selected by-products to the substitute fuel pipeline.
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Further information:
Environment section of the sustainability chapter
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