Chemical plant

A chemical plant (also chemical plant, chemical plant ) is a technical system, are prepared industrially by chemical reactions in the raw materials and reaction products. Here, the goal is to produce from inexpensive raw materials and intermediates expensive recyclables.

History

The establishment of chemical factories was carried out with the industrial revolution, as the understanding of chemical processes in the 19th century made ​​controlled chemical reactions on a larger scale manageable. Before you set about chemical processes in the tanning of hides and dye manufacturing mostly on manufacturing scale one, without knowing the underlying chemical processes.

1778 was built in Winterthur with the laboratory the first chemical factory in Switzerland. Founded in 1788 Chemische Fabrik Marktredwitz was the first chemical factory in Germany. Also founded in Braunschweig in 1759 Chemische Fabrik brothers Gravenhorst is often referred to in publications in the field of chemical and pharmaceutical history as the first chemical factory in the German language area. The first large- engineered products were soaps, auxiliaries for bleaching textiles and glassmaking - herewith, for example, began the history of BASF to 1865.

Techniques

Chemical Factories require a number of special equipment:

• Reactors for carrying out chemical reactions
• Pumps and piping systems for mass transport within a plant
• Apparatus for distillation, adsorption, absorption, desorption, extraction, drying, heating, cooling, vaporizing, condensing, filtering, crystallization, precipitation, grinding, sieving, mixing, stirring, settling, etc. These methods are known as unit operations and are the building blocks a chemical process.
• Laboratories to check the quality of the chemicals used and generated

Infrastructure

Transport routes

A chemical factory requires connections to transport routes. For many chemicals ( dangerous goods) require transport restrictions and regulations, often a rail connection and sometimes a boat landing. For example. chlorine may not be transported by truck. In a larger scale pipelines also be ( as oil ) used for delivery and removal of gases (such as natural gas or ethene ) and liquids.

Wastewater / exhaust

Chemical factories usually have their own sewage treatment and treatment, since the contaminants are often very complex and of normal sewage plant not controllable. For the contaminated exhaust air chemical plant specific filter systems are provided.

Werkfeuerwehr

Larger chemical factories are equipped with a specially designed according to the requirements equipped plant fire department as well as through an ensured by trained staff first aid care on the premises.

Storage

The storage of raw materials and products required to ensure a continuous production. Unstable or flammable substances, for example, require special safeguards.

Access restrictions

Chemical factories have strict access restrictions, are accessible only through guarded gates and otherwise fully fenced. Employees have company ID cards, while suppliers and visitors must sign in and out at the inputs.

Energy supply

On energy in a chemical factory mainly heat and requires a smaller scale electric current. Heat is often generated at least partially internally, as individual (exothermic ) processes generate heat that can be used in other systems. The heat is mostly transported as superheated steam. Larger factories often have their own power plants for the production of heat and electricity.

Staff

The employee in a chemical plant are specially trained chemical technician, now called chemical technicians, chemical engineers, and ( often technical ) chemists and electricians, fitters and other professionals that are necessary for the operation of a technical system.

Hazards

Chemical Factories pose many hazards:

• Susceptibility to air, land and water. This is excluded in the industrialized countries, in essence, by no means, however, in developing and emerging countries.
• Fire and explosion hazard. Chemical reactions can be highly exothermic run and need a reliable cooling. In case of failure, a reaction " go through " and lead to fire or explosions. Some substances are air -, shock or heat sensitive and can not cover abuse, storage caught fire.
• Accidents due to complex technology, technical defects or negligence. Industrial accidents in chemical plants pose particular risks because of the toxicity and other harmful properties of chemicals produced.

Regulations

Chemical Factories subject to extensive government oversight and restrictions designed to ensure safe operation. This applies not only to the chemicals used, their use and their properties ( see also REACH) must be documented. For the safety rules for the protection of workers and employees professional associations and are responsible for compliance with labor and environmental regulations, the Labour Inspectorate.

Typical large-scale processes

• In refineries, crude oil is distilled and recycled, and gasoline, kerosene, diesel and other byproducts generated.
• In the basic chemicals production is the most common process is the cracking of petroleum. Methanol, ethanol, ethene, propene, butene, and benzene are some of the more important basic chemicals, other non- petroleum-based commodity chemicals are chlorine, ammonia, phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide
• Desulfurization of natural gas
• Chlor-alkali electrolysis for the production of chlorine
• Polymerizations to produce plastics
• Haber- Bosch process for ammonia production

Examples

• Chemische Werke Albert
• Chemical works Kluthe