CHLORINE AND SODIUM HYDROXIDE

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (4th Edition) 

Chlorine cannot be stored economically or moved long distances. International movements of bulk chlorine are more or less limited to movements between Canada and the United States. In 1987, chlorine moved in the form of derivatives was 3.3 million metric tons or approximately 10% of total consumption (3). Exports of ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride monomer, poly(vinyl chloride), propylene oxide, and chlorinated solvents comprise the majority of world chlorine movement. Countries or areas with a chlorine surplus exported in the form of derivatives include Western Europe, Bra2il, USA, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. Countries with a chlorine deficit are Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Vene2uela, South Africa, Thailand and Japan (3). 

In 1988 diaphragm cells accounted for 76% of all U.S. chlorine production, mercury cells for 17%, membrane cells for 5%, and all other production methods for 2%. Corresponding statistics for Canadian production are diaphragm cells, 81% mercury cells, 15% and membrane cells, 4% (5). for a number of reasons, including concerns over mercury pollution, recent trends are away from mercury cell production toward the more environmentally acceptable membrane cells, which also produce higher quality product and have favorable economics. 

Chlorine is produced as a gas that is used captively, transferred to customers via pipeline, or Hquefied. Liquid chlorine, of higher purity than gaseous chlorine, is either used internally by the producers or marketed. The percentage of U.S. chlorine gas production subsequently Hquefied has increased over the past ten years reflecting higher demand for high purity chlorine. This percentage was 60.7% in 1978 and 81.1% in 1987 (5). The majority of this chlorine is consumed captively. 

United States Caustic Soda Production. In 1987 U.S. production of caustic soda increased to 10.4 million tons (fig. 1), more than 10% over that of the previous year, furthermore, 1988 production was up another 6.7% to 11.1 million tons. The demand for caustic soda has been very strong in recent years as evidenced by both increased U.S. consumption and a strong export demand. In 1987 the United States exported 1.5 million tons, 14.5% of the total caustic soda production (6), representing a 25.5% increase over exports in 1986. Then, in 1988, caustic soda exports grew by another 4.1%. A weak doUar helped boost the 1987 exports. Growth slowed in 1988, however, as a result of an industry (and world) wide caustic soda shortage, which was caused by lower U.S. chlorine consumption and forced allocations. Because industries switched from caustic to soda ash where possible, the lower 1988 export growth was not indicative of caustic soda s export potential. 

Courtesy of American Chemical Society. k Except refractory dolomite. 

Because clilorine and caustic soda are electrolysis coproducts and clilorine cannot be stored economically, caustic soda production has been very7 

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ALKALI AND CHLORINE PRODUCTS - CHLORINE AND SODIUM HYDROXIDE] (Vol 1)... 

Early demand for chlorine centered on textile bleaching, and chlorine generated through the electrolytic decomposition of salt (NaCl) sufficed. Sodium hydroxide was produced by the lime—soda reaction, using sodium carbonate readily available from the Solvay process. Increased demand for chlorine for PVC manufacture led to the production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide as coproducts. Solution mining of salt and the avadabiHty of asbestos resulted in the dominance of the diaphragm process in North America, whereas soHd salt and mercury avadabiHty led to the dominance of the mercury process in Europe. Japan imported its salt in soHd form and, until the development of the membrane process, also favored the mercury ceU for production. 

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