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Today's methanol plants have to comply with very detailed ecological requirements regarding the use of synthesis gas. Special attention is given to the responsible use of the large quantities of residual CO2 created by the massive amount of heat generated during the synthesis of methanol.
Through its subsidiary, CRYOTEC, which has concentrated on the intelligent use of residual gases for decades, EPC can offer an exceptionally environmentally friendly CO2 recovery process. Recycling waste products advantageously creates a win-win situation. After separating the carbon dioxide from the flue gas, the plant owner decides whether to use the CO2 himself by recycling it back into the process, and thereby increase the plant's capacity by around 30 percent or, after purification, to supply the ultrapure CO2 to, for example, the food and beverage industry.
There are many different ways of producing formaldehyde and they are subject to a number of determining factors. From a range of different catalysts, the specialists at EPC select the catalysts most suitable for the given commercial conditions and the desired quality of the end products. The reaction and temperature are controlled to optimize the product qualities, such as the various viscosities required.
EPC can construct complete plants that use an automated process and reaction control system to manufacture the desired end product. It goes without saying that we offer not only a turnkey realization but also a viability review of the plant, as well as a wide selection of modern technologies.
We have been working with strong partners for many years to develop our processes. Renowned institutes – such as the Thuringian Institute for Textile and Plastics Research (TITK) and the Fraunhofer Institute – value their cooperation with EPC. In this way, we have built up an impressive potential for innovation. Working together with our customers, this process development has created many attractive new processes for new products. In recent years, EPC has designed and constructed a large number of research and pilot plants for various fields of application. The most recent has been the pilot carbon fibre plant at the TITK in Rudolstadt.
Simulating the crucial basic operations (e.g. reactions, rectifications, washing) of a process helps to identify and eliminate any weak points. Safety measures can be derived from the results of the simulation, and simulations also help the EPC specialists to select the most suitable technologies.
The layout of a plant depends on a wide range of constraints and conditions, for example the process requirements, the amount and arrangement of the equipment, fire and explosion protection requirements, operating and maintenance concepts, whether the plant is located in a new or existing building, open or closed architecture, and so on. In each case, EPC can develop the optimal layout for the plant and meet the customer's specific requirements. This applies to both the construction of a new plant and to the extension or revamping of an existing plant.