Clariant successfully installed the Envicat N2O-S catalyst at the nitric acid plant of Hengli Petrochemical. The well-established, drop-in solution removes up to 95% of N2O from the off-gas of nitric acid production plants. Envicat N2O-S was installed as part of Clariant’s global Climate Campaign, which offered a free load of the N2O removal catalyst to nitric acid producers with no abatement technology.
One of the winners of the campaign is Hengli which operates a 300,000 t/a nitric acid plant in Dalian, China. With the successful installation of the catalyst in June 2024, the plant is projected to reduce its N2O emissions by 690,000 t of CO2eq annually. Aibo Zhu, Plant Manager at Hengli Petrochemical, stated, “As one of the world’s largest chemical companies, we are committed to sustainable and environmentally responsible operations across all our businesses. We are proud to partner with Clariant on this innovative N2O abatement solution to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at our large-scale nitric acid facility in Dalian.“
About Hengli
Based in Dalian, China, Hengli Petrochemical Co., Ltd. is a major integrated petrochemicals producer. The company is part of the Hengli Group, an international conglomerate focused on oil refining, petrochemicals, advanced polyester materials, and textiles. The Hengli Group was ranked 81st in the 2024 Fortune Global 500 and operates the world‘s largest terephthalic acid plant.
About nitric acid
Commonly known as laughing gas, nitric acid is essential for manufacturing fertilisers. However, its production emits N2O, which is almost 300 times more harmful to the climate than CO2. The problem is further compounded by the fact that more than half of nitric acid producers do not remove N2O from their off gas. Based on 66 million tons of nitric acid produced annually around the world, N2O emissions equal to more than 100 million tons of CO2eq yearly.
About Clariant’s global Climate Campaign
The solution to this serious problem couldn’t be easier. With the Envicat N2O catalyst series, N2O and other nitrogen oxides can be removed almost completely (up to 99% for tertiary abatement and 95% for secondary abatement). Designed as a drop-in solution, the catalysts can be easily installed in any state-of-the-art nitric acid plant without disrupting the manufacturing process. Envicat N2O has been well-established in the market for more than 20 years, with over 50 successful installations globally.
Clariant’s goal with the global Climate Campaign was to show producers an economical path to emission reduction and inspire them to transition toward climate neutrality. From November 2021 to March 2022, several winners were selected to receive a complimentary load of the Envicat N2O-S catalyst.
