Lanxess Formalin Facility, Germany
Key Data
In February 2010, speciality chemicals group Lanxess announced plans to establish a formalin plant at its Krefeld-Uerdingen site in Germany. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 150,000mt of formaldehyde with 32% concentration.
Construction of the plant commenced in January 2011. Start-up is scheduled for the end of 2011. The total investment for the plant is estimated to be €18m.
Formalin will be used as a feedstock for the production of trimethylolpropane (TMP), which is used for various product applications in the construction, furniture and automotive industries.
Formaldehyde is a simple aldehyde and a precursor of polymers. The aqueous solution of formaldehyde is formalin. The thermosetting derivatives of formalin have a major market including phenol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resins, alkyd resins, acetaldehyde, pentaerythritol, bakelites, hexamine, polyester, novolacs, urea formaldehyde concentrate and melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins.
It is also used in the production of industrial chemicals. The new plant will reduce the dependence of the company on external suppliers for formalin.
Background to the Lanxess formalin facility
The project is part of a major investment plan in the company's basic chemicals (BAC) business unit. The unit is a part of the Advanced Intermediates segment, which has four production sites in Germany - Leverkusen, Krefeld-Uerdingen, Brunsbüttel and Dormagen - along with operations in the US, China and India. Germany employs 1,000 of the company's 1,500 global workforce.
Lanxess is investing €40m in total at the site. The remaining investment is for upgrading the menthol production plants at Krefeld-Uerdingen. Synthetic methanol produced at the site will be used to manufacture various pharmaceuticals and aromas.
The company had invested about €150m in Germany in 2010 for the expansion of the production sites. The company also intends to promote Uerdingen in Germany as a major site for industrial production. The plans include infrastructure, trained personnel and access to scientific and technical innovation.
Design and construction
The formalin facility will be situated over 1,000m². The project also involves the construction of methanol and formalin tanks. The formalin process facility will have downstream thermal off-gas treatment and heat recovery systems.
Other works include extensive piping for the connection of the plant with existing infrastructure and a methanol unloading facility.
Contractors / companies
Pörner Ingenieurgesellschaft Grimma, a subsidiary of Pörner Group, was awarded a turnkey contract for the construction of the formalin facility in March 2010. Pörner Grimma will plan and build the plant. Process technology will be provided by Dynea.
Type of technology
The plant will use Dynea Silver technology. Pörner Grimma, in cooperation with Dynea, has built 11 plants incorporating the technology.
The formaldehyde has a clean and safe production process and does not involve oxygen or hot oils for cooling, which improves safety. The cleaning process involves a self-maintenance vaporiser and re-catalysation can be done within 24 hours by the removal of used catalyst. The fast-cooling heat boiler reduces the decomposition of waste.
The process does not require distillation because it has selective absorption of formaldehyde and water and methanol recycling which improves yield and quality.
The concentration of the formaldehyde product is high (57% by weight) and has low methanol and formic acid concentrations. The Dynea Silver process requires less electricity, cooling and economical catalysts when compared to metal oxide technology.
