26-08-2015

Clariant’s ENVICAT® Nâ‚‚O-S removies harmful Nâ‚‚O from chemical plants

Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, announced today a new development in controlling harmful nitrous oxide (Nâ‚‚O) emissions. Nitrous oxide emissions are harmful in two ways: they exacerbate the greenhouse effect and damage the ozone layer. At present, nitrous oxide is destroying the ozone layer more aggressively than any other substance. The new ENVICAT® Nâ‚‚O-S has been proven particularly effective in the decomposition of Nâ‚‚O in secondary nitric acid installations or high Nâ‚‚O containing gas streams such as from adipic acid production.

Clariant has long offered catalysts to control the emission of Nâ‚‚O. Typically, there are two ways for reducing the emission of Nâ‚‚O: Secondary and Tertiary. The most effective and efficient means for reducing Nâ‚‚O is with Tertiary abatement, such as with the ENVICAT Nâ‚‚O series of catalysts. This is the ideal solution for large nitric acid (NA) producing plants or installations that operate under the Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee (JISC) with Clean Development Mechanisms (CDM). However, with the latest ENVICAT Nâ‚‚O-S offering, a drop-in solution is available for plants designed to remove these harmful gases in the Secondary stage of chemical production.

As legislators around the world continue to tighten regulations on emissions, which differs between regions, amounts of Nâ‚‚O in waste gas from industrial plants is strictly limited. With the inclusion of ENVICAT Nâ‚‚O-S in a nitric acid facility, for example, Nâ‚‚O emissions can be mitigated with a conversion rate greater than 90% of the harmful emissions.

Stefan Heuser, Senior Vice President & General Manager BU Catalysts, stated, “With the ENVICAT Nâ‚‚O series, climate damaging emissions are thus already being reduced on a scale equivalent to 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. And, now with the ENVICAT Nâ‚‚O-S catalyst for secondary stage emissions control, we are in a position to only improve this number.”