The Dezhou Shihua Chemical Co Ltd gave a recent demonstration of its calcium carbide-method clean PVC production and mercury emission reduction. Dezhou Shihua got 8.3 million yuan ($1.32 million) worth of special funding for this remarkable achievement to support its energy saving and emissions reduction.
In China, mercury is used as a catalytic agent for calcium carbide-based PVC production, resulting in a great deal of environmental pollution. Dezhou Shihua has done its best to cut mercury emissions and has committed itself to completely eliminating mercury pollution through cooperation with scientific research institutes.
The mercury emissions reduction projects for cleaner PVC production in the calcium carbide process are part of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s key cleaner production techniques in the calcium carbide-based PVC industry. In this, the mercury recovery technique is used for both applications and demonstrations.
Dezhou Shihua developed control systems based on previously used techniques for system optimization and integrated control during the mercury emissions reduction process. Dezhou Shihua expects to cut mercury use by 50 percent and have zero emissions, while reaching national standards. In addition, the recovery rate will rise to nearly 100 percent from 40 percent, lowering mercury emissions and resulting in cleaner production.
This integrated technology has the potential for widespread applications, in view of the fact that few enterprises have anything like it in the calcium carbide process-based PVC industry.