THE FUTURE, - Solvay

Sustainable
development
and citizenship
54
Sustainable development and citizenship > INNOVATIONS 09
209983 210010 210034
SCR: TOWARDS SECOND GENERATION NO X
REDUCTION FOR DIESEL ENGINES
Dinox ® for greener diesel
engines!
THE PROJECT. Diesel engines emit high levels
of nitrogen oxides (NO x), which are harmful to
human health and the environment. Standards in
this area are also becoming increasingly stringent.
The Dinox ® technology of ‘Selective Catalytic
Reduction’ (SCR) developed by Inergy involves
injecting an aqueous solution of urea (also known
as AdBlue ® ) into the exhaust system. Unlike
competing processes, it does not use a catalyst
of rare metals. This technology also makes it
possible to decouple engine tuning from
the depollution function, thus enabling the motor
to operate at optimal speed in terms of CO 2
emissions.
Inergy has developed a compact system that
includes all functions needed to deliver Adblue ®
to the exhaust: tank, injection pump, exhaust
heater, pressure and level sensors, electrical
connections and electronic supervision of the
overall system.
Developed with seven partners in six countries,
this integrated system is fi nancially competitive.
It has been validated in all real operating
situations (arctic missions, very hot climates) and
Inergy is currently regarded as one of only two
credible suppliers in this new market.
Selected by car manufacturers in Europe and the
United States for production in 2011, this process
should allow the development of diesel vehicles in
North America and Asia. It could also encourage
the development of controlled combustion
gasoline engines, emitting very small amounts of
CO 2 but producing more NO x.
SBU INERGY
> Frédéric Jannot; Joël Op de Beeck; Mike Ruzzin;
Jim Thompson; Jules-Josep Van Schaftingen;
Nadja Walling; Guillaume Zeller.
THE SOLAR FRONTIER OF FLUORINATED
FLUIDS
Working safe above 150°C
THE PROJECT. Renewable energies have
been booming in recent years, and among them
photovoltaic cells will probably be the ones to
undergo the biggest changes. The surfaces of
these cells are getting larger and larger, and
applying therein photovoltaic materials in thin
fi lms calls for highly dedicated manufacturing
tools, to ensure uniform cooling rates. The
challenge for producers of these cells is now to
fi nd a coolant that enables operating process
temperatures above 150°C while guaranteeing
sound safety conditions. But the heat transfer
fl uids available on the market, including
de-ionized water and others widely used in the
semiconductor industry, did not meet all the
conditions: in particular their boiling point was too
low (below 150°C) or they presented fi re risks and
safety issues.
Solvay Solexis came onto the scene, proposing
new ultra high boiler Galden ® perfl uoropolyethers
(PFPE). These new fl uids are easier to handle and
remain operational throughout the life of the
equipment (about 20 years). They also have the
advantage of an excellent safety profi le, being
non-toxic, non-fl ammable and inert, thereby
improving health and safety conditions. This will
satisfy the entire photovoltaic industry, with its
undoubtedly double-digit growth prospects.
SBU SPECIALTY POLYMERS
> Francesco Triulzi; Giuliano Bernini; Roger Goyins;
Vincent Meunier; Christina Osan; Enrico Repetto;
Masanori Sasabuchi.
EXPLORING A NEW SOURCE OF BRINE FROM
DESALINATION PLANT WASTE
One grain of salt too many
in the sea
THE PROJECT. Access to drinking water is
one of the challenges of the 21 st century for
certain Mediterranean countries. In Spain, a
desalination plant providing between 20% and
30% of Barcelona’s drinking water has been in
operation since summer 2009. The desalination
plant’s reverse-osmosis system processes sea
water to produce drinking water and a waste
product, concentrated brine, which has a negative
impact on the fl ora and fauna (coral) around the
plant outlet pipe. It would be a shame for this
waste product, with such a high salt concentration
(60 g to 80 g of salt per litre, compared to about
30 g per litre in the sea), to go unused.
This project therefore aims to reduce the amount
of brine discharged into the sea by using it in an
industrial process. By means of an electrodialysis
process, the concentration of the discharge from
the reverse-osmosis process can be increased to
240 g per litre so the brine can then be purifi ed
and used as a raw material in our membrane
electrolysis process. This research project will
indicate whether this alternative source of brine is
cost effective compared to current sources of salt,
and could provide for the optimal use of natural
resources with zero environmental impact. To
meet this challenge, our brine and electrolysis
specialists in Italy are collaborating on the project
with the Barcelona water company (Aguas de
Barcelona - AGBAR) and the Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC).
BSC IBERIA
> Carlos Aladjem; Sandra Casas;
Jose-Luis Cortina; Josep Flores; Enric Larrotcha;
Florence Lutin; Fabio Mochi; José-Luis Ochando;
Alessandra Pastacaldi.