Antwerp, Belgium - BASF SE and Dow Chemical Co. have completed the start-up phase of their joint-venture propylene oxide (PO) plant at BASF's site in Antwerp, Belgium.
The facility is the largest PO plant in the world and is the first based on the hydrogen peroxide-to-propylene oxide (HPPO) technology jointly developed by BASF and Dow, said a 5 March joint statement. The plant has a capacity of 300 kilotonnes of PO per year, the statement added.
"HPPO is an exciting new technology that will improve the competitiveness of our polyurethanes business," said Pat Dawson, president of Dow Polyurethanes. "The start-up is a culmination of considerable research and development and is a tribute to the longstanding and successful partnership of Dow and BASF."
"This HPPO plant will further strengthen our successful polyurethanes business," said Jacques Delmoitiez, president of BASF's Polyurethanes division. "Its advanced technology and world-scale capacity secures a cost leadership position for both companies," Delmoitiez added.
BASF and Dow claim that PO plants built using HPPO technology are advantageous because they: require simple raw material integration, as just hydrogen peroxide and propylene are needed; reduce wastewater by 70 to 80 percent; reduce energy usage by 35 percent, compared with existing technologies; as well as reducing infrastructure and physical footprint and avoiding co-products. (RD)
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