Uhde has been awarded an engineering and procurement contract for the construction of a hydrochloric acid electrolysis plant by Yantai Juli Isocyanate Co Limited. The plant, with a production capacity of 100,000 tonnes per annum hydrochloric acid, will be constructed at Laiyang. Commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2011.

Uhde's scope of supplies includes the process licence, major components of the engineering package, supply of the electrolysers, and assistance with the construction and commissioning of the plant.

Dr Sami Pelkonen head of the Uhde Electrolysis Division said that "The awarding of this contract is proof of the confidence the chemical industry has in Uhde due to its electrolyser technology. It also shows that the recycling of hydrochloric acid using electrolysis is gaining in importance and making a critical contribution to improving plant efficiencies and meeting environmental requirements."

The new membrane electrolysis plant will be used to convert the by product hydrochloric acid which will be obtained in a new production line planned by Yantai Juli. The hydrochloric acid is converted into high purity chlorine by the oxygen depolarised cathode technology.

This innovative technology was developed by Uhde and UHDENORA and both companies are selling it worldwide. To date the reference plants which are already operating with the ODC technology have a capacity in excess of 250,000 tonnes per annum chlorine.