Alkali Bulletin May, 2021 - Alkali Manufacturers Association of India
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Alkali Bulletin (For Restricted Circulation) Volume XLIII No. 5 May, 2021 Alkali Manufacturers Association of India
Dear Reader, The Finance Minister, presenting the Union Budget for 2021-22 announced a National Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHM) that will draw a roadmap for using hydrogen as an energy source. It will develop a cleaner alternate fuel option, having the potential of transforming transportation. Hydrogen is obtained as a by-product in the production of caustic soda, giving 280 Nm3 or about 25 kg per metric tonne of caustic production as per stoichiometric ratio. The chlor-alkali industry has found it advantageous to use this hydrogen as a fuel, that entitled the user to benefits under the PAT Scheme, a flagship programme of BEE under the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE). Hydrogen production by the alkali industry during 2019-20 was a little over 10,000 lakh Nm3, of which nearly 40% was used as fuel and less than 5% was vented as unutilized hydrogen. There is a renewed interest in hydrogen as evident from the many seminars organised by the government and other organisations. The emphasis, though seems to be on green and blue energy which result in no or low CO2 emissions. One line of thought is to increase the share of hydrogen as an immediate priority and then shift towards green hydrogen. The estimated annual consumption of hydrogen in India is 6 million metric tonnes which is about 8.5% of the current global demand of 70 million metric tonnes. In a recent webinar co-organized with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, experts stressed four key factors: scale of operations to achieve low production cost, international specification for transportation of hydrogen, potential for biomass (specially in India), development of wonder storage material that is stable, less energy intensive, and efficient. There is a clear shift in treating hydrogen as an energy carrier more than as an industrial gas. Hydrogen based fuel cell buses are planned to be introduced on an experimental basis in Delhi. The cost of hydrogen-based Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell buses at Rs.2.5-3.0 crores per bus are much higher than electric buses but this hasn’t deterred the transport authorities from placing orders. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is weighing various options for procuring hydrogen on a consistent basis, including tying up with chlor-alkali industry for long-term supplies. The discussions are in the initial stages and offers hope, considering the capacity additions by the chlor-alkali industry expected in the coming years. Economics and pricing will of course decide whether this fructifies. This issue carries an article on hydrogen economy and the potential it offers in increasing the green footprint. K. Srinivasan Secretary General
Chlorine Emergency Response Network Toll free no. 1800-11-1735 CONTENTS I. ARTICLES & FEATURES Case Studies on Major Accidents due to Corrosion - Dr. S.K. Chakravorty, Consultant (Plant Engineering) 1 Augmenting Oxygen Output through Distributed Manufacturing - Ravi Raghavan, Editor, Chemical Weekly 6 Hydrogen Economy for a Healthier Environment - Nikhaar Gogna, Writer/Editor, Trade Promotion Council of India 8 Researchers find Novel Way to convert Single Use Plastics 10 India-EU Economic Relations: A New Chapter Unfolds - Sakshi Garg, Researcher 12 Jal Jeevan Mission - An Update 17 Beacon-Messages for Manufacturing Personnel 20 II. NEWS DIGEST General Govt expands credit lifeline for MSMEs amid second wave of Covid-19 22 Container shortage, high rates plague exporters 22 Concessional import duty: Prior info of goods a must 23 India’s economy will do well once vaccination reaches critical mass: Ashima Goyal 23 Siddharth Shriram – industrialist, patron of arts no more 23 Govt. may notify export refund rates by May end: DGFT Yadav 24 Liquidity Crunch: New mechanism in the works to aid exporters 24 Annual export target of $400 billion achievable if exporters’ concerns are addressed 25 UN sees India’s GDP growth at 7.5% in 2021 25 Exports rise 80% to $7 bn during May 1-7 26 CBIC eases norm on furnishing bonds for import, export of goods till June 30 26 Government sees limited economic impact of Covid-19 second wave 26 India, UK unveil 10-year road map to elevate bilateral trade partnership 26 India’s slow economic activity in April may hit quarterly GDP 27 Exports jump to USD 30.21 bn in April; trade deficit at USD 15.24 bn 27
Chemicals and Petrochemicals Producers warn of imminent salt scarcity due to excess rains in T’kudi 28 Vedanta to set up Rs 10,000 cr Aluminium Park in Odisha 28 Ministry of Power to launch biomass mission for coal plants 28 India’s Adani Group plans 2m tonne/year coal-to-PVC plant 29 Hydrogen Electrolysis Capacity to Witness a Huge Jump by 2040 29 Olin announces further chlor alkali capacity reduction 29 University Of Alberta: Some E. Coli Bacteria Not Only Survive But Thrive In Wastewater Treatment Plants: Study 30 Production of Medical Oxygen from modified Industrial Nitrogen Plants 30 Member Units DCM Shriram Ltd. sets up oxygen generation plant at ESIC, Ankleshwar 31 Bodal Chemicals forms Indonesia subsidiary 31 Century Textiles & Industries lines up Rs 1,000 cr capex for Birla Estates 31 DCW Q4FY21 PAT at Rs. 6.46 Cr 32 Chemfab Alkalis reports Q4FY21 consolidated loss at Rs. 11.67 Cr 32 Punjab Alkalies and Chemicals posts Rs. 4.57 Cr net profit in Q4 FY2020-21 33 Gujarat Alkalies expects delay of 3 month in completion of its various expansion projects 33 GHCL will invest Rs 400-500 crore in FY22: Ravi S Jalan, MD 33 Nirma Group-backed Nuvoco Vistas files Rs 5,000-cr IPO papers: Details about the IPO 34 Reliance Industries produces over 11pc medical grade liquid oxygen in India 35 Chemplast Sanmar files papers for `3.5k cr IPO 35 III. NOTIFICATIONS/PRESS RELEASES/ MEMORANDA Anti-Dumping Original Investigation concerning imports of “Soda Ash” from United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia - Initiation Notification - 27/05/2021 38 Alkali Bulletin May, 2021 Amendment in Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order dated 13.05.2021 38 Launch of Online Portal for lodging grievances for alleged violation of PPP-MII Order, 2017 – 05/05/2021 38 Disclaimer: Information published in this magazine is reproduced from various sources. Every effort is made to minimize errors while reproducing for publication in Alkali Bulletin. However, readers are requested to verify and make appropriate enquiries and satisfy themselves about the veracity of information published in this magazine before use. The publisher or AMAI will not be responsible for decisions taken by readers based on information published in Alkali Bulletin.
Case Studies on Major Accidents due to Corrosion Dr. S.K. Chakravorty, Consultant (Plant Engineering) INTRODUCTION its way in and around the shantytowns walled, partly buried stainless steel located near the plant. Estimates tanks — code named 610, 611 and While mankind has made remarkable vary on the death toll. However, the 619. While thousands of people slept progress in the last century, there official record of immediate death toll in their huts around the pesticide have been some instances in the past was 2,259. The number of people factory on the night of December where innocent human lives were injured was over 1, 70,000, out of 2/3, a skeleton staff of 120 workers lost due to some miss-happenings which 12000 people were in critical inside the factory ended its evening as the unwanted by-product of the condition and had to be immediately shift around 10.45 pm and a new shift large scale industrialization. Corrosion hospitalized. Figure-1 shows the took over around 11 pm. One of the by itself is usually an extractive aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy workers then noticed that the pressure metallurgy in reverse and bound to where individuals died within hours of in tank 610 — the tank from which take place sooner or later, but the the leakage of gas and its expansion in all the MIC finally escaped — had consequences of corrosion failure the atmosphere of Bhopal. risen from two lb per square inch may well be catastrophic in nature (psi), recorded by the earlier shift, to and the consequences of corrosion From a corrosion engineer’s point around 10 psi. Corresponding tank are usually very costly. Therefore, a of view, the Bhopal disaster was temperatures were not available as substantial engineering effort should the result of a combination of they were not logged normally. The be directed towards prevention and legal, technological, organizational, five-fold increase in pressure within control of corrosion. In this article, and human errors. However, the an hour was dismissed in the belief those events are discussed where immediate cause of the chemical that the pressure recording instrument corrosion was responsible for taking reaction was the seepage of water could be faulty. Shakil Qureshi, the lives of hundreds of individuals. (500 litres) into the MIC storage tank. the supervisor on duty, said later, The four major disasters took place Many investigators and researchers “Instruments often didn’t work as they due to corrosion of plant components have agreed that corrosion of got corroded. and their causes are discussed in this pipelines, valves and other safety article for highlighting the importance equipments was the main culprit How the water entered the pipelines of corrosion prevention in the for this catastrophe. The following connected to the MIC containing management of disasters. evidences are presented to support stainless steel tank is altogether a the argument. different story, but its entry inside 1. BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY the MIC containing tanks could MIC was stored in three double- have been averted had the proper The Bhopal disaster, also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy, was a gas leak incident in India and is considered as one of the world's worst industrial disasters. It occurred on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the pesticide plant of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 500,000 people were exposed to about 20,000 Kgs of methyl-iso- cynate (MIC) gas. MIC is a highly reactive, flammable and toxic material and can react with water generating heat. It boils at 39 deg C and its flash point is as low as 18 deg C. In view of its highly toxic properties, threshold limit value for MIC has been fixed at 0.02 ppm. The toxic substance made Fig 1 Picture showing the aftermath of Bhopal Gas Tragedy (people died within hours) Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 1
excessive heat generated inside the tank increased the vapour pressure and let MIC to escape from the tanks and spread to the atmosphere. The precise sequence of events still remains obscure. Carbide’s report had claimed that it was an unique combination of large amounts of water (120 to 240 gallons), higher than normal amounts of chloroform in the stored MIC (maximum permissible amount is 0.5 per cent), and an iron catalyst, that led to the violent reaction in MIC, stored at a higher than specified temperature. The heat released by the reaction between the water and MIC raised the Fig 2 Corroded sections & components of UCIL’s pesticides plant temperature abnormally in the tank. Simultaneously, MIC got polymerized. maintenance of the valves connecting slip-blind plates which would have The reaction was catalyzed by iron the pipelines to the tank being done. prevented the entry of water through present in MIC due to the corrosion Carbon steel valves were used for the faulty valves were not installed. of the tank walls. Union Carbide this purpose. Carbon steel valves Once the water entered inside the claimed that the corrosion rate easily corrode in acidic environment, MIC containing tanks through faulty increased markedly because of the which was actually happening in valves, the MIC reacted with water presence of an abnormally high level Union Carbide plant. Moreover, following an exothermic reaction. The of chloroform. The rapid release of carbon dioxide in large quantities then helped to build up high pressures, which forced the foaming mass of chemicals out of the tank. The situation became unmanageable as it was found out that the Flare Tower could not be used as the length of piping was corroded and had not been replaced. The flare tower was designed to burn off MIC escaping from the scrubber. The tower, however, was inadequately designed for its task, as it was capable of handling only a quarter of the volume of gas released. Still the extent of disaster could have lessened if corrosion of piping could have been prevented and the same would have been replaced in time as a preventive maintenance activity. Additionally the MIC storage tanks were provided with a refrigeration system to keep the temperature inside the tank at low temperature (below 39 deg C). The refrigeration system was put off deliberately at the time of the accident due to leakage in the system. Fig 3 BP Pipeline Failure in Alaska It was found that the leakage was again due to corrosion. 2 | Alkali Bulletin May 2021
Thus Bhopal gas tragedy took place On investigation, it was found that 2005 caused BP to step up the basically because of the corroded internal corrosion had caused a one- inspection program on the pipeline. pipelines and valves associated with quarter-inch hole in the bottom of the The company increased the number the storage tanks and the refrigeration transit pipeline. The hole had formed of inspection points, increased the system. Figure-2 shows the file picture in a section of line buried under a frequency of inspections at some of the plant indicating the corroded caribou crossing (a culvert) designed points and scheduled a smart sections/components. Many people to allow animals to cross over a pig inspection for the summer of in India still prefer to ignore the pipeline. The winter snow covered 2006. An inspection of the line significance and consequences of the leaking oil, so the spill remained after the March 2006 showed leak corrosion, which is considered to undetected, probably for several days. indicating evidence of high rates of be a natural part of wear and tear. It It was the odour of oil that ultimately corrosion, even in place that had is evident that, as a result of UCL’s exposed the leak to a worker. been free of corrosion in the fall 2005 negligence for corrosion control, inspection. Clearly, there had been so many human lives were lost. In All indications were that the corrosion an exponential growth of corrosion, addition, the environmental hazard causing a hole in the transit line was culminating in the hole in the pipeline created by MIC release persisted for biological in origin (microbiological), that caused the oil spill. many years affecting the health of the caused by sulphate reducing bacteria entire citizens of Bhopal. The above inside the pipeline. The corrosion BP failure investigation report disaster analysis proves how much pits confirmed this and also the theorized two main factors that important is corrosion control for way in which the corrosion in the came together at the same time. The an industry dealing with hazardous pipeline accelerated over time was first factor was related to corrosion chemicals not just to avoid its own characteristic of the way in which inhibitors. BP added about 3 million losses but also the loss of innocent microbiological corrosion develops, as gallons per year of these inhibitors lives of the people residing around the the bacteria grow and multiply. to Prudhoe Bay production fluids; vicinity of it. the fluids carried the inhibitors The bacteria forms in water, so into production facilities such as that problems associated with 2. PRUDHOE BAY 2006 OIL GC-2. But the corrosion inhibitors microbiological corrosion were appeared to have been present in SPILL suspected to be associated with the relatively low concentrations in the The Prudhoe Bay oil spill was an oil water carrying pipelines, such as the GC-2 production facilities, when spill that was discovered in March, lines which were used for water flood compared with the other Prudhoe 2006 in a pipeline owned by BP operations. BP had observed that oil Bay facilities. It was thus concluded Exploration, Alaska (BPXA) in western carrying transit lines, such as the line that the fluids passing down the GC-2 Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. On March from GC-2, is much less susceptible transit line from GC-2 contained 2, 2006 a BP extraction well pad to corrosion than a water bearing line. only small amounts of the inhibitors, operator discovered a leak in the However, the company had regularly thus providing opportunities for transit line that delivers oil to the monitored the Prudhoe Bay oil transit corrosion-causing bacteria to grow. trans-Alaska pipeline from Gathering lines for internal corrosion using two The corrosion inhibitor shortfall may Centre (GC)-2 in the western techniques: ultrasonic testing and the have occurred because GC-2 was the operating area of the giant Prudhoe use of corrosion coupons. only facility at Prudhoe Bay which Bay oil field on Alaska’s North Slope. processed viscous oil. The viscous oil Ultrasonic testing involves the use of The leak occurred in the transit line production introduces more solids an ultrasonic device to measure the segment between GC-2 and the into the processing facilities than thickness of the pipeline wall — a point where the production from traditional production and BP thought thinning of the wall indicates the GC-1 enters the line. BP launched that these additional solids may have presence of corrosion. A corrosion an immediate response to the event. adsorbed some of the inhibitor. Some coupon is a small metal plate placed An estimated volume of around of the bacteria present in the oil inside the pipeline and inspected for 200,000 gallons leaked from the degrade the aromatic and aliphatic corrosion rate every 90 days. pipeline proving to be the largest spill hydrocarbons present in the corrosion in the history of Prudhoe Bay. The For straight 29 years, BP noted inhibitors reducing the efficiency of failure led to reduction of total oil “nothing of significance”. It was the corrosion inhibitor leading to field production by 400,000 barrels/ only in fall of 2005 that evidence of accelerated corrosion rates. day which was about 8% of US oil increasing corrosion activity started production. Figure-3 shows the BP to appear. The increasing amount The second possible factor was pipelines. of corrosion found in the fall of the relatively low flow rate in the GC-2 transit line, upstream of GC- Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 3
material) oxidation in a series of 6 successive reactors. Each reactor, having a capacity of 45 m³ (5 m high with a 3.5 m diameter), was made of a 13-mm soft steel plated on the inside by stainless steel (3 mm thick) and featuring a central agitator. The oxidation process was carried out in the presence of a catalyst, by means of injecting compressed air. In order to allow for gravity transfer, each reactor was kept at a lower level than the previous one. The reactors were connected with 28 in. (700mm) pipe. On March 27,1974, a cyclohexane Fig 4 Clean up crews recovering more than 19000 gallons of crude leaked from the pipeline leak was observed on Reactor no. 5 due to a vertical crack within 1. With Prudhoe Bay production in BP should have started pigging of the its sidewall. The facility operator decline, the transit line was carrying pipeline much before for detecting conducted a thorough inspection by much smaller volumes of oil than pipe wall defects, weld defects, removing the reactor no.5 and its the line was designed to handle and cracks so that the catastrophic associated pipes. In order to resume — the resulting sluggish flow may failure could have been avoided. production as quickly as possible, it have enabled an increased build up Additionally, DNA probes should was decided to build a bypass pipe of water in the line and provided have been installed on the pipeline line of 500mm instead of 700mm an environment conducive to the to identify the dominant bacteria between Reactors 4 and 6. It was incubation of bacteria. There was responsible for microbial corrosion. decided to use metallic bellows to much less corrosion downstream from The preventive efforts were very much connect the pipes to the flanges. GC-1, where the addition of the fluids needed as the consequences of the oil In fact the bellows acted also as from GC-1 would have increased flow spill caused not only huge production reducers. Experienced maintenance rates in the line. loss but also polluted the bay and engineers were involved in carrying needed huge clean-up job as shown out this modification but no one from There was also a build up of solids in in Figure-4. process safety was involved. This the GC-2 transit line over a period of modification worked well for about several years, as sediment carried by 3. FLIXBOROUGH DISASTER two months but on the fateful day of the fluids from the GC-2 processing Built in 1972, the caprolactam unit 1st June, 1974, the connecting pipe facilities settled in the pipeline. processed cyclohexane (a flammable gave way, twisted and tore allowing Bactericide was adhering to the sediments and grew rapidly. Therefore it is not possible to discount the possibility that these solids (sediments) contributed to the microbial corrosion leading to rapid thinning of the pipeline and formation of a hole through which the oil spilled. Sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) are small anaerobic microorganisms. When conditions are right they can multiply to the level of millions of cells per gram and generate significant quantities of hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The H2S together with the stagnant conditions formed in the pipe wall lead to enhanced microbial pitting corrosion rates. Fig 5 File photo of the explosion in Flixborough Plant 4 | Alkali Bulletin May 2021
release of huge amount (30-50 tons) From a corrosion engineers standpoint certainly be avoided to a large extent. of cyclohexane leading to a major the cause of sewer explosion was The timely measures taken on the explosion consequently causing death traced to the installation of the part of engineers can result not only of 28 people. Figure-5 shows the file water pipe by a contractor several in cost reduction in the industry or photo of the explosion site. years before the explosion which organization, but also can become a leaked water into a gasoline line saving cause for hundreds of valuable From a corrosion engineers point of lying underneath. The cathodically human lives. History always has its view the explosion took place due to protected steel gasoline pipeline had way of delivering lessons, time has the ignition caused in the cyclohexane a hole inside a cavity and an eroded come that a developing country like which leaked from the bypass joints area, all in longitudinal direction. ours takes steps at every possible level of rector 4 and 6. At the origin of the The galvanized water pipe had to reduce the risk of any occurrence accidental sequence, the deficiency suffered stray current corrosion effects of catastrophic failures and disasters of Reactor no. 5 stemmed from stress (visible as pits of different sizes), due to corrosion and degradation of corrosion cracking caused by nitrates Refer Figure-7. The corroded water materials. contained in the water used in the pipelines lead to the leakage of water past to spray the reactors. This water causing aqueous corrosion of gasoline REFERENCES: had penetrated into the insulation pipelines leading to leakage of 1. Krishnan, N.V., Safety Management in and, during evaporation, deposited gasoline into the sewers and initiating Industry, (1993), Jaico Publishing House, nitrates onto the equipment made of series of explosions. ISBN: 81-7224-029-5, M. G. Road, steel. The cause of the leak on Reactor Bombay. no. 5 should have been analyzed CONCLUSION: prior to any unit modification and the 2. Petrovic, z.c., Catastrophes caused by While the occurrence of corrosion corrosion, Serbian Armed Forces, AF & other reactors should also have been and environmental degradation of AD, 204th Aviation Bridge, Batajaimica, inspected. Such an approach however Republic of Serbia, 2016, Vol. 64, No. 4. would have required shutting down the materials seems inevitable, it can the plant for a few days; the concern over minimizing plant downtime and haphazard modification actually led to the accident. The crack in Reactor no. 5, which served as the source of the accidental sequence, stemmed from corrosion caused by spraying the reactor with drinking water (high in nitrates). in order to dilute cyclohexane discharge and limit the risk of ignition, water was sprayed on the reactors. Thus, Nitrate-induced stress corrosion cracking was held liable for Flixborough disaster. 4. GUADALAJARA SEWER Fig 6 File photo showing the aftermath of Guadalajara sewer explosions EXPLOSION The 1992 Guadalajara explosions took place on April 22, 1992, in the downtown district of Analco, Spain. Numerous gasoline explosions in the sewer system over four hours destroyed 8 kilometres of streets. Officially, by the Lloyd's of London accounting, 252 people were reported killed; nearly 1500 injured and 15,000 were left homeless. Figure-6 shows the file photo of the aftermath of Guadalajara sewer explosion. Fig 7 File photo showing the aftermath of Guadalajara sewer explosions Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 5
Augmenting Oxygen Output through Distributed Manufacturing Ravi Raghavan, Editor, Chemical Weekly COVID-19 has brought forth the Technology in Hyderabad, for (ASUs) that provide much of the gas vital role of the chemical industry, example, has developed technologies (along with nitrogen and argon), are and tragically demonstrated that the for the manufacture of the raw very much part of this industry. Most industry can make all the difference material needed to make an adjuvant ASUs are built to serve the oxygen between life and death. Since the last for Covaxin – the vaccine developed needs of large industrial consumers, two weeks, as India’s teeming cities and produced indigenously in a such as oil refineries, steel mills, and even the hinterlands face the partnership between Bharat Biotech petrochemical plants, etc., and, less wrath of this virus, oxygen shortages Ltd. and the publicly-funded Indian commonly, the merchant market. At are all the talk. A clear assessment of Council of Medical Research. But the captive facilities – typically built mortality may well reveal that a large much more needs to be done to be onsite of the customer – gaseous number happened due the inability to truly called aatma nirbhar in vaccine oxygen is ferried by pipeline (the keep oxygen flowing in hospitals. technology! most efficient way) to the point of use, and some of it is liquefied and If that was not tragic enough, two This weakness in building capabilities stored as a buffer against planned and accidents – a leakage of an oxygen across full value chains for meeting unplanned outages or for supplying to storage tank and an electric short critical needs is evident across the other cylinder-fillers that serve smaller circuit in an ICU (both in the badly- pharmaceutical industry. As lamented customers (including many hospitals). affected Maharashtra) – brought home often in this column, several raw In most ASUs, only a small portion of the fact that even in these challenging materials – active pharmaceutical the total oxygen output is targeted for times, no one can take eyes of safety ingredients and their starting materials medical use. and maintenance protocols. (i.e., chemicals) are imported in large measure by domestic companies. It is this supply that has fallen short Weak Foundations In most instances, a big chunk of of soaring demand from hospitals, The chemical industry’s key role imports come from China – an and sent governments scrambling to in providing the thousands of raw uncomfortable situation prone to mop up all they can get their hands materials that go to make life-saving disruptions, as amply demonstrated on, even if that requires ordering drugs and even the vaccines that several times in just the recent past. most industries to curb their captive producers here are looking to scale up The Indian government is cognisant consumption of oxygen. several-fold, cannot be overstressed. of this vulnerability and is, at last, encouraging domestic manufacture But this solves just part of the There is much talk today on serious problem. Just as challenging is the shortages of inputs that go to making of some critical drugs and their starting materials, by providing grants logistics of ferrying the oxygen from vaccines, and several of them are the production site to where the chemicals made to highly exacting under a Production Linked Incentive Scheme, the last tranche of which was hospitals are. Supplies of medical standards. While India’s competence grade oxygen are typically made in making vaccines is rightly announced just a couple of weeks ago. in pressurised gas cylinders or by recognised world-over, COVID-19 cryogenic tankers that ferry liquefied has amply demonstrated that this is oxygen to storage tanks installed Oxygen and the Chemical built on a somewhatshaky foundation. in the premises of hospitals. The Industry Be it adjuvants that improve the unprecedented surge in demand has efficacy of the vaccines, or the single- One of the realities of the chemical exposed the limitations of this supply use bioreactors (made of medical industry is that it is an industry largely chain, which requires customised grade plastics, incidentally), India’s for other industries. The common vehicles. indigenous capabilities have been man rarely confronts chemicals in its found wanting. ‘naked’ form. At this critical juncture, it is hence pertinent to relook current ways of Some attempts have been made to Few will hence make the connection producing oxygen, and consider develop technologies for the former; between oxygen and the chemical alternatives, that will serve immediate the Indian Institute of Chemical industry, but the air separation units and future needs. 6 | Alkali Bulletin May 2021
Technology Choices: enriched in oxygen. When the bed at 4-Bar pressure, which is directly Cryogenic vs Non-Cryogenic reaches the end of its capacity to produced from the PSA generators. adsorb nitrogen, it can be regenerated The oxygen storage tank can hence Cryogenic air separation, as practiced by reducing the pressure, releasing the be connected to the hospital oxygen by the large ASUs, is the most efficient adsorbed nitrogen. It is then ready for pipeline network and even integrated and cost-effective technology for another cycle of producing oxygen- with a back-up cylinder system to producing large quantities of oxygen, enriched air. ensure uninterrupted supplies in nitrogen, and argon as gaseous or the event of outages. Hospitals can liquid products. In this process, large PSA plants are relatively inexpensive, even set up their own cylinder filling volumes of air are taken from the and can be quickly scaled up when stations using the PSA units as gas atmosphere, compressed, cooled, needed. They (and other non- source, freeing them completely from and liquefied. Through a process of cryogenic sources) are most suitable external cylinder gas supplies. distillation, the air is then separated when high purity product is not into its major components. The cost required by the application (as is, Over the last few days, the central and of electricity is the largest single ironically, the case for medical grade state governments have announced operating cost incurred in ASUs – oxygen). This is because the physical plans to build hundreds of such PSA usually between one-third and two- size of the plant can be reduced as systems across the country, in a bid to thirds of operating costs (remember, required purity is reduced, and the locally produce and consume oxygen. the raw material, air, is free). power required to operate the unit According to offers received for a first is reduced as well. They are also round of tendering, a PSA plant that Unlike cryogenic plants, which use relatively quick and easy to start-up, can supply 24 cylinders worth of gas the difference between the boiling which is useful when product is not per day, costs about Rs. 3.3-mn, and points of nitrogen and oxygen to needed full time. can be set up in a couple of weeks. separate and purify these products, The investments can payback in about non-cryogenic air separation plants Membrane air separation is based 18 months. use physical property differences such on the principle that different gases as molecular structure, size and mass have different permeation rates There will be cases where the to produce nitrogen and oxygen. The through a polymer film. Oxygen economics make it more attractive to most common technologies used are: (plus water vapour and carbon source oxygen from ASUs, rather than dioxide) is considered a "fast gas" produce it captively. In many urban 1. Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) which diffuses more rapidly through centres, for example, hospitals are – used to produce nitrogen or the tube walls than the "slow gases," constrained for space to locate a PSA oxygen using different adsorbents; argon and nitrogen. This “fast gas/ unit. Others may be closely located 2. Vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) (a slow gas” diffusion allows dry air to to an ASU or a cylinder filling unit variant of PSA) – used to produce be converted into a product that that can respond in quick time to a oxygen; is an inert mix of mostly nitrogen surge in demand. But even in these 3. Membrane separation – used to gas and argon, and a low-pressure instances, there is a case to be made produce nitrogen; and "permeate" enriched in oxygen. Today, for investing in captive capacity for 4. Ion transport membrane (ITM) (an membranes are widely used for the a critical need as oxygen, if not as a emerging technology) – which uses production of nitrogen and oxygen- prime supply source, but as a fall-back a ceramic membrane to deliver enriched air at small scale and for option. These are small investments high-purity oxygen. mobile applications. These units are that can be easily afforded and/or economical, compact in size, modular facilitated by forward-thinking policies PSA processes rely on the fact in configuration and have low specific and initiatives. that under pressure gases tend to power consumption. be attracted to solid surfaces or Though the acute phase of this "adsorbed". The higher the pressure, Relevance of PSA pandemic will abate over time, there the more gas is adsorbed; when will always be a need for medical the pressure is reduced, the gas is PSA plants have been used for oxygen across the length and breadth released, or desorbed. When air is producing medical-grade oxygen since of India. PSA technology offers an passed under pressure through a the 1970s, and require basic and opportunity to overcome the logistical vessel containing an adsorbent bed readily available equipment: an air barriers associated with servicing the that attracts nitrogen more strongly compressor (with refrigeration dryer), needs of a large and populous country than it does oxygen, part or all of the oxygen generator (with adsorbent, that has a long way to go in creating controls and oxygen analyser), oxygen quality healthcare infrastructure! nitrogen will stay in the bed, and the buffer tank, and bacteria filter unit. gas coming out of the vessel will be In most hospital, oxygen is consumed (Reproduced with permission from Chemical Weekly, 04th May 2021) Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 7
Hydrogen Economy for a Healthier Environment Nikhaar Gogna, Writer/Editor, Trade Promotion Council of India With appropriate capacity addition and 10 times by 2050. It goes on to any time. Prof. Rangan Banerjee, to renewable power generation and state: Forbes Marshall Chair Professor a favourable policy ecosystem, India and Head of the Department of can catapult itself as a South Asian Given the limits of direct Energy Science and Engineering, IIT leader in producing affordable green electrification and the potential Bombay, explains: hydrogen. It can even potentially of hydrogen to overcome some emerge as a leading exporter of of these barriers, we see it as the Hydrogen is a convenient and hydrogen like Australia, Netherlands, next clean energy prize under secondary fuel source. Let us take Canada and USA. the energy transition. A range of the example of obtaining hydrogen countries, companies and multi- from solar PVs. All the generation • Hydrogen (particularly ‘green lateral organisations are already which will happen will be during the hydrogen’ produced from pushing ahead with ambitious plans sunshine hours, and the excess energy renewable electricity or ‘blue to develop and deploy hydrogen at produced will have to be stored. It hydrogen’ obtained from fossil scale. is costly to store that energy. The fuels with carbon capture and advantage of hydrogen is that we can storage) could be India’s hope for Is it as light as it gets? produce it anytime, store it and use it. decarbonizing development. Hydrogen, the lightest element on Given its advantages, many countries • Hydrogen is a convenient and earth, is estimated to account for secondary fuel source with in the world are making a transition 90% of all atoms in the universe, and to hydrogen. For example, in June a versatile set of industrial it is essential to the material world. applications which can significantly 2018, then-Minister for Ecological Another advantage of hydrogen is that and Inclusive Transition Nicolas Hulot help India, the planet’s third-largest it can be obtained from a number of emitter of carbon dioxide, to vowed to establish France as world sources. leader in hydrogen. Few months decarbonize its growth. ‘Grey hydrogen’ is produced from down the line, the country deployed • However, one of the key fossil fuels (& is therefore, relatively its first hydrogen-powered passenger disadvantages of using green and less eco-friendly), ‘blue hydrogen’ can bus. blue hydrogen is the high cost of producing and maintaining it. be manufactured from fossil fuels with Germany has adopted a ` 9 billion • Yet, its important to recognize carbon capture and storage and ‘green (US$ 10.2 billion) National Hydrogen that developing economies have hydrogen’ is made from renewable Strategy, with emphasis “green at least as much to gain from a electricity (& is hence, the most eco- hydrogen” production. It is one of move towards green hydrogen as friendly fuel). Hydrogen, especially the first countries in the world to do industrialized ones. the blue/green one, can play an so. Japan has set an ambitious target integral role in curtailing the country’s of setting up 40,000 fuel cell vehicles There’s a universal clamor to carbon dioxide emissions and by 2020; 200,000 fuel cell vehicles decarbonize development in order improving air quality. Consequently, by 2025; and 800,000 by 2030; 320 to cut down greenhouse emissions as people breathe fresh air, diseases hydrogen refuelling stations by 2025; and check global warming. With the related to air pollution like allergic and 900 by 2030; and. 1,200 fuel debate intensifying around net zero cough are also likely to drop. cell buses by 2030. South Korea also carbon emissions, the pressure on Another major advantage of hydrogen rolled out the Economic Promotion India, particularly, is mounting as it is its versatile uses. For example, and Safety Control of Hydrogen Act, is seen as the planet’s third-largest liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel has which deals with three key areas – emitter of carbon dioxide. Hydrogen played an important role in space hydrogen vehicles, charging stations (particularly ‘green hydrogen’ exploration since NASA’s Apollo and fuel cells. produced from renewable electricity or ‘blue hydrogen’ obtained from program and can be used in fuel India too has taken a few steps in this fossil fuels with carbon capture and cells to produce electricity. Apart regard. Lately an alliance of energy storage) could be key to India’s vision from this, it can be used to make and industrial firms named India H2 for decarbonizing development. steel, aluminium, electronics and in Alliance (IH2A) has come together A TERI report estimates that the public transportation. Plus, unlike for commercializing hydrogen potential scale of hydrogen use in some of the other forms of energy technologies and creating a hydrogen India is likely to increase between 3 like solar power, it can be obtained economy. It will focus on the 8 | Alkali Bulletin May 2021
establishment of standards for storage List of assumptions for the techno-economic analysis and transport hydrogen in pressurized and liquefied form. Further, Fusion Component Unit 2020 2030 2040 Fuel Green — which has offices in Solar cost US$/kW 405 317 281 Ireland and Portugal —signed an Wind cost US$/kW 848 642 534 agreement with BGR Energy Systems to collaborate in this field. Alkaline electrolyser cost US$/kW 950 625 (400) 450 (200) Alkaline electrolyser efficiency % 66.5 68 (71) 75 (80) Meanwhile, the Government of India Hydrogen storage cost US$/kW 582 345 100 (89) is working well on its plan to boost India’s renewable power capacity to Alkaline electrolyser life Years 20 20 20 175 gigawatts (GW) by 2022. It has Alkaline electrolyser operation and % 7 5 5 also given impetus to scaling up the maintenance gas pipeline infrastructure across the Power converter US$/kW 60 60 60 country and is working to scale up Solar operation and maintenance % 2.5 2.5 2.5 its power grid system. Further, the Finance Minister in the Union Budget Wind operation and maintenance % 2.3 2.3 2.3 for 2020-21 formally announced Storage operation and maintenance % 1 1 1 the National Hydrogen Energy Power converter operation and % 2 2 2 Mission (NHM) initiative, which aims maintenance at the generation of hydrogen from Demineralised water US$/tonne 1.25 1.25 1.25 green power resources. Source: CEEW & SHAKTI Luckily, India’s favorable geographic a big demand from steel industry, but conditions and presence of abundant A UNEP report justifies the same: India has. Industries will be one of the natural elements work to its advantage significant drivers down the line, and Developing economies have at hence, the focus should be on the and help the nation move one step least as much to gain from a move closer to achieving this dream. What industrial decarbonization. towards the hydrogen economy doesn’t work to the country’s favour, as industrialised ones, since they But the government will also have however, is the huge cost involved in generally suffer more from urban to create a conducive ecosystem producing green hydrogen. Currently, pollution and their economies tend to to support the hydrogen economy. the technology used in production be more energy intensive. This could be in the form of creating and use of hydrogen like carbon favorable incentives like tax breaks for capture and storage (CCS) and This calls for exploring some solutions investors as well as creating suitable hydrogen fuel cell technology are to make it more commercially viable. infrastructure systems connecting at a nascent stage and therefore, One thing that can be done is to states with renewable energy (eg producing it may not be commercially create attractive policies to promote Gujarat) with states having hydrogen viable. Further, the example of South foreign investments in the sector. Not requirements (eg Odisha). With Korea highlights that even maintaining only will that align with the objective appropriate capacity addition to fuel cells is a costly affair. The table of Atma Nirbhar Bharat, foreign renewable power generation, and a given below gives an insight into this. collaboration will also enhance the favourable policy ecosystem, India cash crunch faced by the country, can catapult itself as a South Asian Another disadvantage of hydrogen is promote R&D in India and facilitate that owing to its low density, it has to leader in producing affordable green technology transfer and exchange of hydrogen. If all goes well, it can be converted into a liquid form for ideas. storage. This reduces its efficiency also emerge a leading exporter of as a source of energy. It is also tricky Encouraging competition between hydrogen like Australia, Netherlands, to move around due to its lightness. the players will also reduce the cost. Canada and USA. Lastly, it is a highly flammable and Mass production of volumes can volatile substance that cannot be also play a role in this regard. Tirtha Author easily detected as it is colourless and Biswas, Program Lead, Council on Ms. Nikhaar Gogna, She is working as odourless. Energy, Environment and Water, adds: a writer/editor with Trade Promotion Council of India, an organisation Winning the clean energy The approach that the hydrogen recognised by the Ministry of prize economy should take is also a Commerce and Industry function of how a country’s industrial While it is true that green hydrogen is structure is currently and what it is (Reproduced with permission from Trade costly, it is a promising bet to a much likely to be 20 years down the line. Promotion Council of India, 25th May more sustainable and cleaner future. For example, Europe might not have 2021) Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 9
Researchers find Novel Way to convert Single Use Plastics Researchers from the University The work, reported in a paper in “Chemical conversion is the most of Delaware’s Center for Plastics Science Advances focuses on using a versatile and robust approach to Innovation (CPI) have developed a novel catalyst and unique process to combat plastics waste,” said Dion direct method to convert single-use quickly break down these hardest-to- Vlachos, the project principal plastic waste — plastic bags, yogurt recycle plastics, known as polyolefins. investigator and the Unidel Dan Rich containers, plastic bottles and bottle Polyolefins account for 60 to 70 Chair in Energy Professor of Chemical caps, packaging and more — to percent of all plastics made today. and Biomolecular Engineering at UD. ready-to-use molecules for jet fuels, diesel and lubricants. Litter, including plastic waste, is a Creating ready-to-use global and local problem. This bottle molecules Millions of tons of plastic end up was in the Brandywine Creek in in landfills every year. It’s a big Delaware. The UD research team used a societal problem and an even larger chemical process called hydrocracking environmental threat. The UD-developed process requires to break down the plastic solids into approximately 50 percent less energy smaller carbon molecules. Catalytic In the United States, less than 9 than other technologies, and it doesn’t cracking is not new. Refineries have percent of plastic waste is recycled. involve adding carbon dioxide to the used it to convert heavy crude oil into Instead, more than 75 percent of atmosphere, an emissions savings over gasoline for years. The research team’s plastics waste ends up in landfills and other commonly used techniques. It method also converts the material into up to 16 percent is burned, a process can be done in just a couple hours at branched molecules that allow them that releases toxic gases into the low temperature, around 250 degrees to be more directly translated into an atmosphere. Celsius. end product. 10 | Alkali Bulletin May 2021
“This makes them ready-to-use in our quest for depolymerization match thanks to researchers at UD’s molecules for high-value lubricant processes that involve less energy Center for Plastics Innovation. The or fuel applications,” said Vlachos, intensive pathways and generate UD research team’s method can treat who also directs the Delaware Energy highly specific breakdown targets, a variety of single-use plastics, even Institute and the Catalysis Center for said CPI director LaShanda when they are mixed together, a plus Energy Innovation at UD. Korley, Distinguished Professor of considering the way recyclables are Materials Science and Engineering managed. Another first step is getting The catalyst itself is actually a hybrid and Chemical and Biomolecular people not to litter. material, a combination of zeolites Engineering. “This fundamental and mixed metal oxides. understanding opens up a new route Next steps in the CPI research include toward plastics waste valorization.” exploring what other plastics the Zeolites are known to have properties team’s method can treat and what that make them good at creating Hard-to-recycle plastics, such as products it can make. Fuels, such as branched molecules. Mixed metal plastic bags, may have met their diesel and jet fuel, are among the oxides, meanwhile, are known for match thanks to researchers at UD’s possible end-products enabled by the their ability to break down large Center for Plastics Innovation. The UD researchers methods. molecules just the right amount UD research team’s method can treat without overdoing it. “Alone these a variety of single-use plastics, even “As this circular economy gets going, two catalysts do poorly. Together, the when they are mixed together. the world will need to make fewer combination does magic, melting the original plastics because we will be plastics down and leaving no plastic Andrew Danielson, a UD senior reusing materials made today into the behind,” Vlachos said. chemical engineering major involved future,” he said. in the project said, “Plastic waste The team’s catalyst materials are is a serious environmental issue. I “We want to use green electricity commonly used and, therefore, fairly believe that this research can help to drive the chemical processing inexpensive and abundant. lead to better methods of plastic involved in making new things. We repurposing,” said Danielson, whose are very far away at the moment from “These are not exotic materials, so seeing this, but that’s where we are contributions to the work included we can quickly start thinking about headed over the next 10 to 20 years,” verifying the data collected during how to use the technology,” he said. Vlachos said. the project by reproducing the He and Liu have filed a provisional experiments. Co-authors on the paper include patent on the novel bi-catalyst and unique method through UD’s Following graduation in May, Sibao Liu, a former UD postdoctoral Office of Economic Innovation and Danielson will put this research researcher, now an associate Partnerships. experience to work in the chemical professor of chemical engineering industry. He’s already landed a and technology at Tianjin University; Sustainable solutions, circular job in process controls, a part of and CPI researchers Pavel Kots, a UD economy the manufacturing process that postdoctoral fellow; Brandon Vance, involves controlling variables, a UD graduate student; and Andrew Reducing plastic waste by chemically Danielson, a senior majoring in converting it to fuels can play a such as temperature, pressure and conductivity, among other things. chemical engineering. powerful role in driving a circular economy. “This innovative catalytic (Reproduced with permission from Hard-to-recycle plastics, such as approach is a significant advance Chemical Today, 6th May 2021) plastic bags, may have met their Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 11
India-EU Economic Relations: A New Chapter Unfolds Sakshi Garg, Researcher After an eight-year hiatus, India and the European Union have relaunched talks on trade and investment issues. The scope of India-EU partnership goes much beyond trade & commerce to cover digital, energy, transport and people-to-people connectivity. • The European Union is India’s largest trading partner, while India is its tenth largest trading partner for merchandise trade. Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, France and Italy are India’s top trading partners in the EU. • Merchandise trade between India and the EU has witnessed a lackluster performance, hovering around the US$ 90 billion figure since a decade. Trade in services between India and the EU, though, is gaining increasing importance in their economic ties. India is a net bilateral economic relations. 2019-20, the bilateral trade stood exporter of services to the EU. at US$ 90 billion, of which India’s India and EU began negotiations on exports to and imports from EU • As India and the EU restart a Broad-based Trade and Investment were at US$ 44.9 billion and US$ 45 negotiations on trade, it is hoped Agreement (BTIA) first in 2007. billion, respectively. Trade between that they will be able to leverage However, the negotiations came India and the EU has witnessed a their trade potential better. to a halt in 2013 over a number lackluster performance, hovering • The revitalized partnership could of differences. Although dialogue around the US$ 90 billion figure since be a driving force for development continued in the subsequent years, a decade (Figure 1). in the Indo-Pacific. The scope of yet it is only now that India and EU India-EU partnership goes much have decided to resume negotiations Within the EU, Germany is India’s beyond trade & commerce to for a balanced, ambitious, most important trade partner, cover digital, energy, transport and comprehensive and mutually accounting for almost a quarter of people-to-people connectivity. beneficial trade agreement. They will India’s trade with the grouping. The also be launching negotiations for two other top trade partners are Belgium A new chapter is set to unfold in separate agreements on investment (16%), Netherlands (13%), France the history of India-European Union protection and geographical (13%), Italy (11%) and Spain (6%). economic relations. The adoption of indications. the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Coming to the composition of trade, Indo-Pacific in April this year implies in 2019-20, product categories Merchandise trade deeper engagement between India having the largest share in India’s and the EU as India is an important The European Union is India’s largest export basket were petroleum oils; actor in the geopolitical framework. trading partner globally, while India organic chemicals; machinery and Secondly, the collective decision to is EU’s tenth largest trading partner mechanical appliances; gems and relaunch trade talks at the recently for merchandise trade. India’s trade jewellery; electrical machinery; and concluded India-EU Leaders meeting with the EU accounts for about 11% apparels. It is worth noting here that is expected to give a fillip to the of its total trade with the world. In 12 | Alkali Bulletin May 2021
India’s trade with the European Union over the last decade (in US$ billion) 18 billion) worth of services, thereby running a trade surplus of € 2.9 billion with the grouping. Similar to the case of merchandise trade, India’s top trading partners in the EU in services are Germany, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Ireland and Finland. Globally, Germany was India’s top destination for exports of transport and logistics services, Netherlands for engineering and construction services and France for maintenance and repair services. In 2019, other business services, Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry which include research and development, legal, accounting, management consulting, technical Table 1- India’s top trade partners in the EU in 2019-20 (in US$ billion) and trade-related services was the largest exported service category Country Exports Share Imports Share Total Share in by India to the EU, running a huge in total in total trade total trade positive trade balance. The other exports imports with the top exported categories were to the EU from the EU telecommunications, computer EU and information; transport; and travel. Coming to imports from the Germany 8.3 18% 13.7 30% 22.0 24% EU, the top service categories were Belgium 5.8 13% 8.9 20% 14.7 16% telecommunication, computer and Netherlands 8.4 19% 3.4 8% 11.8 13% information followed by transport; France 5.1 11% 6.2 14% 11.3 13% other business services; travel; and charges for the use of intellectual Italy 5.0 11% 4.5 10% 9.5 11% property. Spain 3.9 9% 1.6 4% 5.6 6% Poland 1.5 3% 0.8 2% 2.4 3% Stumbling Blocks Sweden 0.7 2% 1.1 2% 1.9 2% A study[3] estimates that a Free Trade Denmark 0.7 2% 0.6 1% 1.4 2% Agreement between India and EU in goods and services would lead Ireland 0.5 1% 0.6 1% 1.1 1% to additional gains in the range of ` Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry 8 billion (US$9.72 billion) to ` 8.5 billion (US$10.32 billion) for both the EU and India. So, what has kept India about 13% of the total exports to the Trade in Services and EU from realising these gains? EU were of the commodity “other petroleum oils and oils obtained from Trade in services between India • High tariffs: Around 42% of India’s bituminous minerals’ (HS 271019) and the EU is gaining increasing exports to the EU enjoy low tariffs alone. As regards India’s import importance in their economic under EU’s General GSP scheme. basket from the EU, the top products ties. Particularly for India, EU is India’s highest exports to the EU are machinery and mechanical an important export destination, under this preferential arrangement appliances; diamonds; aircrafts; accounting for more than 25% of its are of apparels, machinery and electrical machinery; and instruments total service exports. India is a net appliances, footwear, articles of used for optical, photographic, exporter of services to the EU. In leather and plastics. checking precision, medical and 2019, India exported services worth € 17.7 billion (US$ 21.5 billion) to the This is, however, a temporary surgical purposes. arrangement as the preferences are EU and imported € 14.8 billion (US$ Alkali Bulletin May 2021 | 13
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