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BOC Immingham Dissolved Acetylene Project Environmental Statement: Vol. 2 Main Text
3.25 As part of the CEMP, the appointed Contractor will prepare a construction Waste Management
Plan (WMP) prior to commencement of construction works. The WMP will address the working
methodologies and practices which will be adhered to during the construction works and control of
pollution (including prevention of contaminants entering soils and waters). The WMP will be based
upon good practice in terms of material waste storage, handling and disposal. Adherence to such
working practices will limit the potential for adverse impacts associated with waste generation and
disposal.
3.26 The potential impacts associated with the generation of construction waste could arise as a result
of generation of contaminated soils (if the land is contaminated), improper storage and handling of
wastes and the ultimate disposal option. These impacts have been addressed within the relevant
assessment chapters (for example, impacts associated with dust will be addressed in the air
quality assessment (Chapter 6), impacts on ecological receptors will be addressed in the
ecological assessment (Chapter 10) and impacts on soils groundwater will be addressed in the
assessment of land quality (Chapter 7)).
Operational Phase
Operation of the Plant
3.27 The design life of the acetylene manufacturing plant is at least 25 years. The facility has been
designed to operate at a production rate of 300 kg/hr of acetylene.
3.28 Standard operating hours are 0600 to 2200 hours Monday to Friday. Thus the facility will typically
operate for 16 hours per day, 5 days per week, and 50 weeks of the year, which would result in
annual operating hours in the region of 4,000 hours per year. In the event of acetylene supply
constraints, or abnormal demand, the facility may need to operate outside the standard operating
hours for short periods.
3.29 The acetylene facility will employ between 15 and 20 permanent staff. One of these will work a
standard day, (for example from 0830 to 1700 hours); the remaining staff will be split across two
day shifts (0600 to 1400 hours and 1400 to 2200 hours).
3.30 It is expected that the facility will typically keep four weeks of stock on site and two weeks supply
of product.
Process Description
Main Manufacturing Process
3.31 Calcium carbide (often referred to as just ‘carbide’) and water react in the Generator to produce
acetylene. Carbide is produced by a reaction between coke and burnt lime (calcium oxide) in an
electric furnace at a temperature between 2,000°C to 2,400°C. Molten carbide is tapped from the
furnace and run into moulds where it is left to solidify. When it cools it is crushed and screened by
size. Unreacted calcium oxide and coke are likely to be present in the raw carbide at up to 20%.
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