Uhde and the internationally active Brussels based Solvay group have agreed to collaborate in the field of brine preparation for chlor-alkali electrolysis plants.

Dr Benno Lüke head of Uhde’s Electrolysis division said that “The aim of our partnership is to offer our customers all-round more efficient production processes for chlorine and caustic soda solution which at the same time protect the environment by reducing emissions.”

Mr Jean François Serrier head of Solvay’s Intellectual Assets Management said that “The partnership with Uhde creates a win win situation. Granting a non-exclusive license to use our more energy-efficient and environment friendly Solvay-patented technologies is good for both companies and Uhde can now implement our technology on a wide scale and so help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the chlor-alkali industry.”

The two field-tested Solvay-patented technologies which Uhde will in future offer its customers concern the respective removal of iodine and chlorate from the brine the main feedstock for chlor-alkali electrolysis. If the original brine has a gram-per-litre chlorate concentration in a single-figure range, the chlorate removal process reduces this by means of a catalytic process to a level of less than 20 milligrams per litre.