Catalyst recovery units
Our step out technology has consistently reduced greenhouse gas emissions and the production of solid and liquid waste. Differentiated pieces of equipment have been installed across our global asset base in the US, Europe and Asia. That includes highly efficient catalyst recovery units.
Catalysts are substances that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. In our business, we use catalysts such as cobalt and manganese during the PTA production process.
Catalysts can escape from the process through waste streams, however by recovering and reusing them, this reduces the need for new materials and hazardous waste. Maintaining a high level of active catalysts within a process also ensures optimal reaction efficiency. Both contribute to more sustainable production processes.
Anaerobic reactors
Our step out technology has been deployed across our production assets in the US, Europe and Asia. That includes anaerobic reactors, bioreactors used in chemical manufacturing and wastewater treatment. They utilize anaerobic (meaning an absence of oxygen) microorganisms to break down organic effluent waste. In our case, the reactors use bacteria to consume organics in the waste and release methane, a biogas that is used as a new energy source to replace the use of natural gas in our operations.
Our waste treatments also produce some residue that can be sold and reused, for example as raw materials in the cement industry or as fertiliser by agriculture companies, depending on the composition or use.
