- Email: [email protected]
EPA cracks down on CFC smugglers
N24
hydrogen The selective surface flow (SSF) membrane is a so called thin layer, with pore diameters of 5-7 pm, on a macroporous alumina tube. The larger hydrocarbon molecules are selectively adsorbed and diffuse to the lower-pressure side. In field tests with 20-50% HP, the process has recovered 60% of the HP, removing over 90% of the heavier hydrocarbons (C,,). (Chemical Engineering/January 1997.)
in selectivity and yield at the same butane conversion. Like its predecessor, the new catalyst is based on vanadyl pyrophosphate, with some proprietary changes in the chemical composition (additives) and manufacturing process. (Chemical Engineering/November 1996.)
Catalytic alternative to AICY3in Friedel-Crafts
ane (CFC 12) is reported to be the second
EPA cracks down on CFC smugglers
After narcotics, most valuable
dichlorodifluorometh-
commodity
the US. The ratioale
There continues to be a great deal of interest in finding catalytic alternatives to stoichiometric AI& in Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions. K. Mikami and co-authors report the F-C acylation of anisole with acetic anhydride in nitromethane to produce p-methoxyacetophenone (99% yield) using 5 mol% (i-PrO)2 Ti(NTf& as the catalyst. This is one example of the use of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amides of aluminum, titanium, and ytterbium for this reaction. Reaction time was only 10 min at room temperature. This system worked equally well for the acylation of alcohols (Tokyo Inst. ofTech. [Japan]; Synlett 1996, 2, 171-72). (BST). (Chemtech November 1996.) Maleic anhydride production is increased by a new catalyst for the ALMA process Lonza S.p.A. Polymers and Additives (Milan, Italy) is investing $8 million in a new production line to make over 600 m.t./yr of a new catalyst for producing maleic anhydride, based on Lonza’s ALMA which uses fluidized bed technology. The new catalyst is reported to achieve an 8% improvement
applied catalysis B: environmental
smuggled
into
is clear when you
consider that smugglers
can buy CFC 12
in China, Mexico and elsewhere for about $l/lb and sell it in the US for $20-25/lb. The Montreal
protocol,
in force in the
US, requires cars built after 1993 to use in their cooling
sys-
tems, but there are still approximately
alternative
chemicals
130
million vehicles that have CFC cooling systems. In addition many older air-conditioning systems still use them. It costs over $80 to recharge old air-conditioning
systems,
three times higherthan
the price last winter
because
depend
the process
on CFCs
However, retrofitting to use CFC alternatives can cost up to $1200. According to the US environmental group Ozone Action, most illegal chlorofluorocarbons are entering the US from Mexico. The Montreal Protocol directed developed countries to ban CFC production from 1 January this year. However, there is a small remaining legal market for uses such as in asthma inhalers. Countries in the developing world must halt CFC prorecaptured
duction
from old equipment.
by 2010. It is legal to produce
CFCs in Mexico,
but importation
into the
US is illegal. The table on the next page lists the current major producers of CFC’s.
Volume 11 No. 3-4 - 21 March 1997
N25
Current Producers of CFC’s Country
Production,
t 1994
Forecast, t 1996
Main producers
China
54,100
60,000
Local
India
17,700
20,000
Allied Signal, Pennwalt, Slauffer
Russia
n/a
18,000
Montedison
Netherlands
17,500
16,890
Allied Signal
Brazil
10,600
10,000
DuPont
9,400
10,000
South Korea
HanKook Shinhwa
Spain
19,900
8,800
Elf Atochem
Mexico
Allied Signal
16,400
7,500
Venezuela
4,900
4,750
us
6,000
800
156,500
156,740
Total
Elf Atochem Allied Signal
(excl. Russia)
(Chemistry
& Industry 2 December
1996)
Indoor air pollution EnviroCenter
claims to be the first inter-
net site to be devoted tion
This commercial
virocenter.com/)
Business News from Focus on Catalysts to indoor air pollusite (http://www.en-
contains
archives
of a
monthly newsletter on the topic. It provides links
to
sources, with
government information
indoor
and
on courses
air pollution,
stracts, agendas,
corporate dealing
including
ab-
‘Cleaner fuels’ technology
breakthrough
for Criterion Criterion
Catalysts,
US, claims
made a breakthrough
it has
in catalyst technol-
ogy with its nickel-molybdenum treating
catalyst.
hydro-
It will be produced
at a
$10 M, 4540 tonne/y plant at Michigan City,
dates, and fees.
(546 A Vol. 30, No, 12, 1996/Environ-
IN, which is scheduled
to start up in 1997.
mental Science &Technology/News)
Full production
will be achieved
A thought for the peripatetic
drodentrification
and
matics separation
in cat feed, high-press-
1998. The new catalyst
A single 747 airliner landing and departing generates volatile organic compounds equal to those of a cartravelling and nitrogen
oxides
equivalent
driving 26,500 miles, according by the Natural Resources
5600 miles to a car to a report
Defence Coun-
cil. (546 A Vol. 30, No, 12, 1996/Environmental Science &Technology/News)
allows
in early extra hy-
polynuclear
aro-
ure hydrotreaters.
The new catalysts have
been undergoing
tests with refining com-
panies
and one is expected
commercially 1996.
produced
Criterion’s
subsidiary,
to install a
catalyst system in
catalyst
regeneration
Catalyst Recovery,
has raised
the capacity
of its catalyst recycling
at Lafayette,
!A, by 3040%.
The expan-
plant
sion includes the installation
of the Opti-
CAT-plus process and it is expected to start up towards mid 1997. The process uses fluidised pre-treatment
to control the
elevated
found
generation,
applied catalysis B: environmental
initial
exotherms
followed
by a moderate
Volume 11 No. 3-4 -
in reheat
21 March 1997
hydrogen The selective surface flow (SSF) membrane is a so called thin layer, with pore diameters of 5-7 pm, on a macroporous alumina tube. The larger hydrocarbon molecules are selectively adsorbed and diffuse to the lower-pressure side. In field tests with 20-50% HP, the process has recovered 60% of the HP, removing over 90% of the heavier hydrocarbons (C,,). (Chemical Engineering/January 1997.)
in selectivity and yield at the same butane conversion. Like its predecessor, the new catalyst is based on vanadyl pyrophosphate, with some proprietary changes in the chemical composition (additives) and manufacturing process. (Chemical Engineering/November 1996.)
Catalytic alternative to AICY3in Friedel-Crafts
ane (CFC 12) is reported to be the second
EPA cracks down on CFC smugglers
After narcotics, most valuable
dichlorodifluorometh-
commodity
the US. The ratioale
There continues to be a great deal of interest in finding catalytic alternatives to stoichiometric AI& in Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions. K. Mikami and co-authors report the F-C acylation of anisole with acetic anhydride in nitromethane to produce p-methoxyacetophenone (99% yield) using 5 mol% (i-PrO)2 Ti(NTf& as the catalyst. This is one example of the use of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) amides of aluminum, titanium, and ytterbium for this reaction. Reaction time was only 10 min at room temperature. This system worked equally well for the acylation of alcohols (Tokyo Inst. ofTech. [Japan]; Synlett 1996, 2, 171-72). (BST). (Chemtech November 1996.) Maleic anhydride production is increased by a new catalyst for the ALMA process Lonza S.p.A. Polymers and Additives (Milan, Italy) is investing $8 million in a new production line to make over 600 m.t./yr of a new catalyst for producing maleic anhydride, based on Lonza’s ALMA which uses fluidized bed technology. The new catalyst is reported to achieve an 8% improvement
applied catalysis B: environmental
smuggled
into
is clear when you
consider that smugglers
can buy CFC 12
in China, Mexico and elsewhere for about $l/lb and sell it in the US for $20-25/lb. The Montreal
protocol,
in force in the
US, requires cars built after 1993 to use in their cooling
sys-
tems, but there are still approximately
alternative
chemicals
130
million vehicles that have CFC cooling systems. In addition many older air-conditioning systems still use them. It costs over $80 to recharge old air-conditioning
systems,
three times higherthan
the price last winter
because
depend
the process
on CFCs
However, retrofitting to use CFC alternatives can cost up to $1200. According to the US environmental group Ozone Action, most illegal chlorofluorocarbons are entering the US from Mexico. The Montreal Protocol directed developed countries to ban CFC production from 1 January this year. However, there is a small remaining legal market for uses such as in asthma inhalers. Countries in the developing world must halt CFC prorecaptured
duction
from old equipment.
by 2010. It is legal to produce
CFCs in Mexico,
but importation
into the
US is illegal. The table on the next page lists the current major producers of CFC’s.
Volume 11 No. 3-4 - 21 March 1997
N25
Current Producers of CFC’s Country
Production,
t 1994
Forecast, t 1996
Main producers
China
54,100
60,000
Local
India
17,700
20,000
Allied Signal, Pennwalt, Slauffer
Russia
n/a
18,000
Montedison
Netherlands
17,500
16,890
Allied Signal
Brazil
10,600
10,000
DuPont
9,400
10,000
South Korea
HanKook Shinhwa
Spain
19,900
8,800
Elf Atochem
Mexico
Allied Signal
16,400
7,500
Venezuela
4,900
4,750
us
6,000
800
156,500
156,740
Total
Elf Atochem Allied Signal
(excl. Russia)
(Chemistry
& Industry 2 December
1996)
Indoor air pollution EnviroCenter
claims to be the first inter-
net site to be devoted tion
This commercial
virocenter.com/)
Business News from Focus on Catalysts to indoor air pollusite (http://www.en-
contains
archives
of a
monthly newsletter on the topic. It provides links
to
sources, with
government information
indoor
and
on courses
air pollution,
stracts, agendas,
corporate dealing
including
ab-
‘Cleaner fuels’ technology
breakthrough
for Criterion Criterion
Catalysts,
US, claims
made a breakthrough
it has
in catalyst technol-
ogy with its nickel-molybdenum treating
catalyst.
hydro-
It will be produced
at a
$10 M, 4540 tonne/y plant at Michigan City,
dates, and fees.
(546 A Vol. 30, No, 12, 1996/Environ-
IN, which is scheduled
to start up in 1997.
mental Science &Technology/News)
Full production
will be achieved
A thought for the peripatetic
drodentrification
and
matics separation
in cat feed, high-press-
1998. The new catalyst
A single 747 airliner landing and departing generates volatile organic compounds equal to those of a cartravelling and nitrogen
oxides
equivalent
driving 26,500 miles, according by the Natural Resources
5600 miles to a car to a report
Defence Coun-
cil. (546 A Vol. 30, No, 12, 1996/Environmental Science &Technology/News)
allows
in early extra hy-
polynuclear
aro-
ure hydrotreaters.
The new catalysts have
been undergoing
tests with refining com-
panies
and one is expected
commercially 1996.
produced
Criterion’s
subsidiary,
to install a
catalyst system in
catalyst
regeneration
Catalyst Recovery,
has raised
the capacity
of its catalyst recycling
at Lafayette,
!A, by 3040%.
The expan-
plant
sion includes the installation
of the Opti-
CAT-plus process and it is expected to start up towards mid 1997. The process uses fluidised pre-treatment
to control the
elevated
found
generation,
applied catalysis B: environmental
initial
exotherms
followed
by a moderate
Volume 11 No. 3-4 -
in reheat
21 March 1997