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Handbook of Chlor-Alkali Technology pp 387–442Cite as

Chlor-Alkali Technologies

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Abstract

About 97 % of the chlorine and nearly 100% of the caustic soda in the world are produced electrolytically from sodium chloride, while the rest of the chlorine is manufactured by the electrolysis of KC1, HC1, chlorides of Ti and Mg, and by the chemical oxidation of chlorides [1]. The electrolytic technologies currently used are mercury, diaphragm, and ion-exchange membrane cells. Figures 5.1 and 3.10 show the distribution of these cell technologies in the world and on a regional basis [2]. Mercury cells had a world share of 45% in 1984 and declined to 18% in 2001 because of the health and environmental concerns associated with mercury. However, it is still the leading technology in Europe.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Consultant Media, Pennsylvania, USA

    Thomas F. O’Brien

  2. Independent Consultant Grand Island, New York, USA

    Tilak V. Bommaraju

  3. Nagoya Institute of Technology, Nagoya, Japan

    Fumio Hine (Professor Emeritus)

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  1. Thomas F. O’Brien
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  2. Tilak V. Bommaraju
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  3. Fumio Hine
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O’Brien, T.F., Bommaraju, T.V., Hine, F. (2005). Chlor-Alkali Technologies. In: Handbook of Chlor-Alkali Technology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48624-5_5

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