solvay_live243_p02a04 somEdito

Dossier SolvayInnovationTrophy2006
104809
24
FERRATE OF SODIUM OR POTASSIUM:
A NEW PRODUCT FOR WATER TREATMENT
A MIRACLE PRODUCT…
THAT APPEARED
OUT OF NOWHERE
Ferrate of sodium (or potassium) is a
powerful oxidant, a biocide that coagulates
like ferric chloride in water: a unique
combination of properties for water
treatment, whether for water contaminated
with arsenic or manganese, with effluents
from dyeing or tanning activities. The only
problem is that this compound is very unstable
in solution and has never been produced in its
solid state. As part of a European project,
Solvay, along with eight partners, took up this
challenge.
The result, after four years of hard work, we
managed to:
• produce large batches of the product to feed
the post research;
• develop a technology for solid production
via a fluid bed;
• reduce the cost of the raw materials;
• carry out broad research into the treatment
of drinking water, municipal and industrial
wastes, and others…
The decision to roll out this project on
industrial scale should be announced in 2006.
> Léon Ninane; Claude Criado.
> NBD
104724
HIGH PURITY HYDROGEN PEROXIDE – NEW
MANUFACTURING PLANT AND JV IN CHINA
SOLVAY, THE LEADING
PRODUCER
OF H 2O 2 IN CHINA
China is witnessing a very strong growth
in the demand for high purity hydrogen
peroxide for the production of semiconductors.
Surprisingly, China currently has
no H2O2 producer. The obstacles to the
investment are the high amounts required
and the fear of losing precious know-how.
Therefore, China continues to import high
purity H2O2 from Japan and Taiwan, keeping
away from European imports because the
transport cost for these high purity products
is too high. Solvay decided to find a way
around all these difficulties. First of all, by
developing a new purification process that is
much less expensive and also by carrying out
in China only the last stages of the product
purification. The previous stages will be
carried out in the Solvay plant in Bernburg
(Germany). The transport cost of the
intermediary product remains standard.
The two plants are therefore intrinsically
linked and the industrial secret protected.
Again to protect its know-how, Solvay will
build the new Chinese plant… in Germany!
The plant will be commissioned on site
before being transferred to China in separate
parts. Such a project could not be developed
without a solid Chinese partner. An in-depth
search made it possible to identify Suzhou
Electronic Materials, a reputed producer of
high purity chemical products based in the
Chinese “silicon valley”. It is with this partner
that Solvay has created Interox SEM Co. Ltd,
in which it holds a 51% stake. After being
developed in Bernburg, the plant has headed
for China to be assembled. It is set to be
inaugurated in September 2006.
> Steve Dobson; Juergen Bosse; Matthias Dabrunz;
Robert Owen; Thomas Ploetzke; Michael Sell;
Luzhen Wang.
> SBU H 2O 2
104659
PRO 630-800-1000 MANHOLES.
MADE-TO-MEASURE
MANHOLES
Manholes are key to the drains and sewer
business and must be wide enough
to allow easy access. To gain a foothold on
this new market, from which it was absent
until now, the SBU Pipelife got its creative
juices going and put its finger on a gap
in the market. It has developed a competitive
and original solution that is able to reduce
the material and labour costs. Its new
generation manholes are manufactured
in such a way as to allow the various
compatible components to be easily
assembled. Thanks to this design, the client
can enjoy a high degree of flexibility. He can
ask for specific configurations, which is a
huge advantage when you think that these
kinds of manholes often have to be installed
in difficult, extreme or unexpected
environments, often at the intersection
of several pipelines. The R&D department,
in partnership with manufacturers, came up
with assembly machines that are specially
designed to optimise the quality of the
investment and to reduce the cost. Several
machines have been developed to meet
the needs of various markets.
The result, which is a clear move away
from the products offered by the
competition, immediately went down well
with the clients, who are particularly interest
in the possibilities of customisation. Sales
exceeded forecasts from the outset,
but Pipelife has not rested on its laurels
and has gone out to meet prospective clients
with a promotional lorry.
> Hielke Hoekstra; Hans Guitonneau;
Andrzej Kowalewski; Vilnis Puce.
> SBU PIPELIFE