Sodium hypochlorite vs. chlorine: Kazanorgsintez attends to environmental safety

Sodium hypochlorite will improve drinking water used in the residential complex Salavat Kupere

The production of low-concentrated sodium hypochlorite using electrolysis method from table salt was launched at Kazanorgsintez. The obtained chemical compound will replace chlorine, which the company used for water sterilization. The new method of disinfecting has a higher environmental, industrial and process safety. Moreover, it will improve the characteristics of drinking water composition, which is used at Kazanorgsintez and in the Salavat Kupere residential complex. Read other details about the disinfection of drinking water scheme in the material of Realnoe Vremya.

Equipment for production of sodium hypochlorite is supplied by the German company

Kazanorgsintez launches the production of sodium hypochlorite

Kazanorgsintez PJSC welcomed guests, employees and journalists on the territory of the treatment facilities and external communications shop (OSiVK) to solemnly launch the equipment for the production of low-concentrated sodium hypochlorite using electrolysis method from table salt. The construction of the facility was part of the plan of comprehensive modernization of the shop OSiVK, designed until 2020. The plan implementation began 5 years ago. Over this period, it has been built a new administrative and laboratory building. The boiler that ran on diesel was replaced with a modular block one that uses gas.

''Sodium hypochlorite is the substance of the fourth class, it is not toxic,'' explained chief engineer at Kazanorgsintez PJSC Rafael Safarov

The opening of the sodium hypochlorite production at Kazanorgsintez becomes a necessary stage in the modernization of the shop of treatment facilities and external communications. ''For water disinfection, it is used chlorine, but we stopped using it. Chlorine is the substance of the second class danger. As a potent toxic substance, it turns water treatment plants into hazardous industrial facilities. Sodium hypochlorite is the substance of the fourth class, it is not toxic and not dangerous, it is used to disinfect our drinking water,'' explained chief engineer of Kazanorgsintez PJSC Rafael Safarov.

General contractor, TAIF-ST PLC, for the project implementation on the territory of the shop, performed the work on laying external communications, foundation arrangement for frame building. Installation of frame buildings, including construction, installation and commissioning works in the division of OSiVK were fulfilled by the organization Capital-Stroy PLC.

The company Newtec Umwelttechnik GmbH (Germany) became the supplier of the equipment for the production of low-concentrated sodium hypochlorite in the tender. Its equipment was chosen due to minimal prices and high quality. According to Ildar Sayfutdinov, the head of the shop OSiVK, in the tender there also were Russian participants, but they were only intermediaries of foreign companies.

Ordinary table salt for production of sodium hypochlorite

The chief of the object Ildar Sayfutdinov gave a tour for journalists through the shop of treatment facilities and external communications. He said that for the production of sodium hypochlorite it is needed specially prepared water. In the first stage, drinking water passes through the deferrization system, on the second — through carbon sorption filter it is removed chlorine, at the last stage it is decreased the content of calcium and magnesium in the water. This is necessary in order to exclude the scale appearing on the electrodes in the process of electrolysis.

Ildar Sayfutdinov told about how sodium hypochlorite is produced

Treated water is directed to the container for softening and then enters the saturator. Here the bags of table salt are liquefying and the saturated 24-28% saline solution is prepared. It is used ordinary table salt of extra class for preparing. Next, the saline solution goes to the electrolyzer, pre-mixed with the softened water, thus reaching a concentration of 3% required for the electrolysis process.

''At the end of the process after electrolysis unit, we get the finished product of sodium hypochlorite of 0,6-0,8%. It goes to the storage node. We have a total of 10 vessels with the capacity of 15 cubic meters each, enough for our daily needs in the matter,'' said Ildar Sayfutdinov.

CEO of Newtec Umwelttechnik GmbH Yuan Gao told the correspondent of Realnoe Vremya that Kazanorgsintez was the second company that used their technologies in sodium hypochlorite production. The first city that became interested in the technology of Newtec Umwelttechnik GmbH is St. Petersburg. The plants of the German companies are in demand in the countries of Central Europe and in China.

Water disinfected with sodium hypochlorite will go into the houses in Salavat Kupere residential complex

Kazanorgsintez will produce sodium hypochlorite only for its own needs, they do not plan supply the matter on the market. Ildar Saifutdinov explains this by the fact that establishment of own production is cheaper than buying ready-made hypochlorite. The concentration of the substance that the enterprise produces is more stable, convenient in dosing. Besides, the production virtually eliminates the human factor, the equipment works fully automatically.

Three lines for production of sodium hypochlorite operate at Kazanorgsintez

The automation helps in the supply of water to the main production units of Kazanorgsintez PJSC and Salavat Kupere residential complex. The machine sensitively reacts to the increase in water consumption in the evening and decrease in the morning, easily change the dosage of sodium hypochlorite. This production is fully consistent with existing regulations applicable to such technological processes.

Now there are three lines for the production of sodium hypochlorite operating, and on the territory of the shop of treatment facilities and external communications, they started to design and organise an eight thousand tank for clean water. Its construction is the first stage of increasing the design capacity of the plant necessary to ensure the needs of the developing residential complex Salavat Kupere, as well as also for the future development of Kazanorgsintez.

By Ekaterina Gumarova. Photo: Oleg Tikhonov