Clariant, a player in sustainability-focused specialty chemicals, has announced the successful installation of its EnviCat N2O-S catalyst at the nitric acid plant of Hengli Petrochemical in Dalian, China.
The catalyst installation, completed in June 2024, is expected to reduce the plant’s nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 6,90,000 tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) annually.
The initiative is part of Clariant’s global climate campaign, which provided free EnviCat N2O-S catalyst loads to nitric acid producers lacking abatement technology.
Hengli Petrochemical was among the campaign’s winners. The company operates a large-scale nitric acid facility with an annual capacity of 3,00,000 metric tons.
Catalyst Designed to Support Cleaner Chemical Production
The Clariant’s Catalyst EnviCat N2O-S enables significant reductions in N2O emissions, a greenhouse gas almost 300 times more harmful than CO2. Designed as a drop-in solution, it seamlessly integrates into existing nitric acid plants. It achieves up to 99% N2O removal efficiency for tertiary abatement and 95% for secondary abatement.
Xaver Karsunke, Vice President, Specialty Catalysts, Clariant said, “We are honored to support Hengli Petrochemical in their drive toward cleaner chemical production. Our catalysts not only help industry leaders like Hengli to significantly reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, but also to do so in the most efficient and economical manner possible. Partnerships like this are crucial for accelerating China’s energy transition and meeting the country’s ambitious decarbonization goals”.
Commitment to Sustainability
Hengli Petrochemical, part of the globally recognized Hengli Group, is committed to sustainable and environmentally responsible operations.
The company, which ranked 81st in the 2024 Fortune Global 500, operates the world’s largest terephthalic acid plant and integrates oil refining, petrochemicals, and textiles.
Aibo Zhu, Plant Manager at Hengli Petrochemical, stated, “We are one of the world’s largest chemical companies. Our commitment is to sustainable and environmentally responsible operations across all our businesses.” We are proud to partner with Clariant on this innovative N2O abatement solution. It aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at our large-scale nitric acid facility in Dalian.
Tackling a Global Challenge
Nitric acid, a key ingredient in fertilizer production, is a major source of N2O emissions. Global production of nitric acid stands at 66 million tons annually, with N2O emissions equivalent to more than 100 million tons of CO2eq per year.
Despite this, over half of nitric acid producers lack abatement technologies to address these emissions.
The EnviCat N2O catalyst series offers a practical and economical solution to this issue. With over 50 successful installations worldwide over the past 20 years, Clariant continues. It demonstrate the feasibility of achieving significant emissions reductions without disrupting manufacturing processes.
Climate Neutrality
Through its climate campaign, Clariant aimed to inspire nitric acid producers to transition toward climate neutrality.
Between November 2021 and March 2022, the company selected several winners. Among them was Hengli, who received a complimentary load of the EnviCat N2O-S catalyst.
As per the press release, Clariant is driving impactful solutions for industries through innovation and partnership. These efforts aim to reduce environmental footprints and support global decarbonization goals.
