Thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH (Dortmund, Germany) announced the commissioning of its EnviNOx system for Covestro Polymers (China) Co. Ltd. at their nitric acid plant in Shanghai Chemical Industry Park (SCIP). This state-of-the-art technology will significantly reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Covestro’s NAUCI plant in SCIP is part of their global network of facilities dedicated to producing high-performance polymers and plastics such as polyurethanes, polycarbonates and precursors for paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants. The successful commissioning of the EnviNOx system at this site marks another milestone in Covestro’s journey towards full circularity and climate neutrality. Earlier this year, Covestro announced a breakthrough in emissions-reduction from nitric acid production at its site in Baytown, Texas.
Michael Huang, General Manager of Covestro Integrated Site, Shanghai: “We are thrilled with the outstanding performance of the EnviNOx® system and the smooth project execution. This project is a testament to our environmental responsibility and Covestro’s commitment to reach climate neutrality in scope 1 and 2 emissions until 2035.”
Nadja Håkansson, CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde: “The successful implementation of another EnviNOx® system in China underscores our capability to provide innovative solutions that address global environmental challenges.”
The EnviNOx® technology, developed by thyssenkrupp Uhde, is a leading solution for the combined removal of N2O and NOx from industrial emissions. It has been successfully implemented in over 60 installations worldwide, reducing CO2-equivalent emissions by more than 24 million metric tons annually. The system’s ability to achieve near-zero NOx emissions and significant N2O reduction makes it an essential tool for industries aiming to meet stringent environmental regulations. Thanks to its versatile design, it can be easily installed into the tail gas systems of industrial chemical plants as a tertiary abatement solution. In addition, the tertiary EnviNOx® unit can ideally be combined with secondary measures/catalysts for N2O removal.
World-leading, high-performance climate protection technology
The EnviNOx® system, licensed, engineered and supplied by thyssenkrupp Uhde, comes as a complete package of proprietary reactor, a proprietary high-performance tertiary catalyst manufactured by BASF, and all necessary components and control systems for integration into the tail gas system.
By additionally combining Uhde’s EnviNOx® technology with a secondary catalyst from BASF, Covestro achieved a reduction in N2O and NOx emissions well beyond 99%, successfully lowering the levels to below 1 ppm. This advancement is expected to enable Covestro to reduce annual N2O emissions in their nitric acid plant in addition by more than 200,000 tons of CO2 equivalents. “Our combined expertise with thyssenkrupp Uhde is already making a difference in our joint goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our research and development teams are continuously pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking to design and produce catalysts with high activity and durability, supporting our customers in their sustainability transformation”, said Detlef Ruff, Senior Vice President, Chemical Catalysts and Adsorbents at BASF.
Well-proven solution, designed and built to last
Originally developed for nitric acid plants, the EnviNOx® system can be adapted to various industrial processes. This flexibility makes it a versatile solution for emission control in various applications. In China, for example, it has first been successfully installed in caprolactam plants over 10 years ago. The current project for Covestro is the third EnviNOx® system in China in total, contributing to the country’s environmental ambitions. The very first installation of an EnviNOx® unit at an industrial scale dates back more than 20 years. Since then, the EnviNOx® process and catalyst have been continuously developed further and optimized. With the experience of over 3000 chemical plants built in a broad range of process technologies, thyssenkrupp Uhde offers a robust, low-maintenance solution.