The Urethane Blog
September 28, 2023
Frequent Explosion Accidents: What are the Dangers of Hydrogen Peroxide?
PUdaily | Updated: September 21, 2023
Following the explosion occurred at the hydrogen peroxide production area of Luxi Chemical, a subsidiary of Sinochem Holdings, on May 1, which resulted in 9 deaths, 1 injury, and 1 person missing, another explosion occurred in the hydrogen peroxide workshop at Risun Chemical on September 14. It is the second major hydrogen peroxide accident that has occurred within China in 2023.
Why is hydrogen peroxide so dangerous?
Electrolysis, anthraquinone (AQ), isopropanol oxidation, electrochemical cathode reduction of oxygen, and auto-oxidation (AO) are commonly used in the production of hydrogen peroxide. The AQ method is currently the most mature method, and over 99% of hydrogen peroxide plants in China use this technology. The AQ process for hydrogen peroxide production has a high hazard coefficient. It involves using hazardous raw materials and going through hazardous processes to produce a hazardous product.
The first reaction in the production process of hydrogen peroxide, namely hydrogenation, is a hazardous chemical process that is subject to strict regulation. It has the following hazardous characteristics: (a) The reactants have explosiveness, and the explosion limit of hydrogen gas is 4-75%, making it highly flammable and explosive. (b) Hydrogenation is an exothermic reaction, and when hydrogen gas comes into contact with steel under high temperature and pressure, carbon molecules in the steel can react with hydrogen gas to form hydrocarbons, reducing the strength of the steel equipment and causing hydrogen embrittlement. (c) The regeneration and activation of catalysts can easily cause explosions. (d) The exhaust gas from the hydrogenation reaction contains unreacted hydrogen gas and other impurities, which can easily cause ignition or explosion during discharge. The second reaction in the hydrogen peroxide production – oxidation – is also a hazardous chemical process that is subject to strict regulation. It’s hazardous because that the peroxidation process has a strong risk of decomposition and explosion due to the presence of peroxide groups (-O-O-).
Hydrogen peroxide is currently an important raw material for the production of propylene oxide. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide products in China is mainly 27.5%. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for high concentration products (>50%), as the use of high concentration hydrogen peroxide can effectively improve the production efficiency and product quality. The HPPO process often uses hydrogen peroxide with a concentration of 50% to 70%.
Currently, the key players in China’s HPPO-based propylene oxide industry are Jilin Shenhua and Sinopec Changling. In 2011, Jilin Shenhua introduced HPPO technology from Degussa and Uhde, with an investment of CNY 2.5 billion, and built the first and largest HPPO plant in China with a scheduled capacity of 300 ktpa. The plant started operations in July 2014. In 2013, Sinopec planned to adopt independently developed HPPO technology and invested about CNY 1.28 billion to build a 100 ktpa industrial plant at the company’s Changling Branch. The plant was completed in July 2014, and successful trial operation was conducted on December 6 of the same year. This marked Sinopec as the third company in the world to own the patent for producing propylene oxide using hydrogen peroxide technology, breaking the monopoly of foreign countries on this technology.
In addition to the aforementioned two producers, Taixing Yida Chemical (independent R&D), Qixiang Tengda (authorized by Evonik and ThyssenKrupp Uhde), Jincheng Petrochemical (independently developed by China Tianchen Engineering), and Jiahong New Material (using the process owned by China Catalyst Holding Co., Ltd) have also successfully operated their HPPO facilities in recent years. The current production capacity of HPPO (Hydrogen Peroxide to Propylene Oxide) plants in China has reached 1.55 mtpa.
However, the current stability of HPPO facilities is poor, with frequent shutdowns and maintenance issues. Although there are many newly completed or planned HPPO projects, there are still significant uncertainties and obstacles. The main reasons are as follows:
1) Inadequate hydrogen peroxide supply: Due to its unstable and highly explosive nature, hydrogen peroxide cannot be transported over long distances. It has a limited sales radius (300-500 km). Currently, hydrogen peroxide production in China is mainly concentrated in East China (63%), North China (6%), and Central China (14%), primarily located in chemical-intensive provinces such as Shandong, Hubei, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. Southwest (4%), northwest (2%), and northeast (6%) regions have minimal production capacity, resulting in an imbalance between production layout and market size. On one hand, in some areas with concentrated downstream industries, there is a supply shortage of hydrogen peroxide, resulting in high transportation costs. On the other hand, some regions have excessive production facilities, with capacity far exceeding demand. Therefore, the issue of hydrogen peroxide supply needs to be addressed. The construction of new hydrogen peroxide plants requires sufficient hydrogen resources and faces difficulties in approval due to the classification of hydrogen peroxide as a hazardous chemical.
2) The production requires high-concentration hydrogen peroxide, while the preparation of high-concentration hydrogen peroxide presents certain difficulties. Currently, in Jilin Shenhua’s plant, the required 70% hydrogen peroxide is supplied by Evonik. The high cost leads to poor profitability of the plant.
3) In the HPPO process, hydrogen peroxide has high activity and can produce some aldehyde impurities during the production process, which can have an impact on downstream production.
September 28, 2023
Quadrant Performance Materials Names Geoff Stephenson as Vice President of Sales
McKinney, TX, September 27, 2023 –(PR.com)– Quadrant Performance Materials (QPM), a global leader in high-performance materials, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Mr. Geoff Stephenson as its new Vice President of Sales. In this strategic leadership role, Mr. Stephenson will drive the company’s sales efforts and strengthen its spray foam insulation market position across key industries.
Geoff Stephenson brings over 15 years of sales and management experience in the spray foam materials and manufacturing sector. He has a proven track record of delivering growth and driving revenue in competitive markets. Prior to joining Quadrant Performance Materials, Mr. Stephenson held executive sales positions at Henry Roofing and Foam where he consistently exceeded sales targets and enhanced customer relationships.
In his new role, Mr. Stephenson will be responsible for leading the sales team, developing, and executing sales strategies, and identifying new opportunities for Quadrant Performance Materials’ innovative product portfolio. His industry expertise and leadership will play a pivotal role in strengthening customer partnerships and expanding the company’s market share.
“We are delighted to welcome Geoff Stephenson to our executive team,” said QPM President & CEO Robert Jamieson. “His extensive experience, strategic vision, and customer-centric approach align perfectly with our company’s values and objectives. We look forward to his leadership as we continue to innovate and deliver cutting-edge solutions to our customers.”
Geoff Stephenson expressed his excitement about the new role, stating, “I am honored to join Quadrant Performance Materials, a company known for its commitment to quality and innovation. I am eager to work with the talented sales team and contribute to the company’s growth trajectory by delivering value to our customers.”
For more information on the line of spray foam products, please visit www.QuadrantPM.com or call 972-542-0072.
September 24, 2023
48,000 mattresses sold at Costco recalled for mold risk
Lara Bonatesta
20 hours ago
(WHTM) — The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that 48,000 mattresses that were sold exclusively as Costco have been recalled by FXI Inc. due to the risk of mold exposure.
The recalled mattresses include Novaform ComfortGrande 14-inch and Novaform DreamAway 8-inch mattresses.
The ComfortGrande 14-inch mattress has a blue base with “Novaform” written in white letters.
The DreamAway 8-inch mattress has a gray base with “Novaform” written in white letters.
The item number can also be found on the mattress box and on the law tag attached to the mattress. Only mattresses with the following model/item numbers and manufactured at FXI’s San Bernardino, California facility between January 2, 2023, and April 28, 2023, are included in the recall:
| ComfortGrande 14″ Mattress | ||
| ITM/ART # | Price | |
| King | 1413200 | $700 |
| Cal King | 1413201 | $700 |
| Queen | 1413202 | $580 |
| Full | 1413203 | $500 |
| Twin | 1413204 | $400 |
| King | 1413200 | $750 |
| Queen | 1413202 | $600 |
| DreamAway 8″ Mattress | ||
| ITM/ART # | Price | |
| Twin | 1698562 | $160 |
| Full | 1698564 | $210 |
| Twin | 1698562 | $150 |
| Full | 1698564 | $200 |
FXI has received 541 reports of mold on the mattresses. No injuries have been reported.
The recalled mattresses were sold at Costco in the Northwest United States and in the San Francisco Bay area and online at www.costco.com from January 2023 to June 2023 for between $150 and $750.
Consumer Contact
FXI Inc. toll-free at 888-886-2057 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or online at https://novaformcomfort.com/pages/recall or https://novaformcomfort.com and click Product Recall on the site for more information.
September 21, 2023
Made it to the big board . . .
September 19, 2023
Dow MDI distillation and prepolymers facility starts commercial operation in Freeport, Texas
New capacity available to support and advance downstream polyurethane growth in automotive, construction, consumer, and industrial markets
MIDLAND, Mich. – September 19, 2023 – Dow (NYSE: DOW) announced today the start-up of a new MDI distillation and prepolymers facility at its world-scale manufacturing site in Freeport, Texas. This investment optimizes Dow’s existing asset infrastructure and advances Dow’s leading positions in attractive applications in automotive, construction, consumer, and industrial markets.
The new Freeport MDI facility, which replaces Dow’s North America capacity in La Porte, Texas, will supply an additional 30% of product to Dow’s customers. In coordination with the start-up of the new MDI facility, Dow shut down its polyurethane assets at the La Porte site.
“Our customers are looking for a cost competitive and reliable supply of key upstream polyurethane raw materials to support their growth,” said Jane Palmieri, president of Dow’s Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure operating segment. “The back integration at the Freeport site enhances operational flexibility and reliability and delivers a more sustainable production process ensuring that we are best positioned to support our customer needs and downstream growth.”
The new facility in Freeport delivers a more sustainable production process by:
- Lowering Dow’s annual greenhouse gas emissions from operations – the equivalent of removing 6,000 cars off the road each year;
- Decreasing the amount of freshwater intake; and,
- Reducing the percentage of wastewater discharged annually.
Dow’s extensive Polyurethane franchise upgrades key polyurethane components and systems to produce rigid, semi-rigid and flexible foams, and coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers and composites. These products are used in various applications ranging from industrial and infrastructure solutions to consumer comfort solutions such as flooring, furniture, bedding and footwear, to automotive solutions for vehicle interior, and energy-efficient insulation materials.
https://corporate.dow.com/en-us/news/press-releases/dow-mdi-distillation-and-prepolymers-facility
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