- The HPPO plant has a capacity of 300,000 metric tons of propylene oxide per year.
- The plant is located at BASF's site in Antwerp, Belgium.
- Dow and BASF began their joint process research program in 2003.
- The production facility construction began in September 2006.
Introduction
The world's largest commercial-scale propylene oxide (PO) plant, utilizing the innovative hydrogen peroxide to propylene oxide (HPPO) technology developed by BASF and Dow, has completed its start-up phase and is now operational. The plant is located at BASF’s site in Antwerp, Belgium, and has a capacity of 300,000 metric tons of PO per year.
Development and Construction
Dow and BASF began their joint process research program to develop and commercialize the HPPO technology in 2003. The construction of the production facility started in September 2006. This collaboration allowed the companies to combine their innovation strengths and bring the technology to market more rapidly.
Economic Benefits
The HPPO technology offers significant economic advantages over conventional PO processes. New PO plants using HPPO require less capital to build, eliminate the need for additional infrastructure or markets for co-products, and simplify raw material integration, needing only hydrogen peroxide and propylene.
Environmental Benefits
HPPO technology also provides environmental improvements, including a 70 to 80 percent reduction in wastewater and a 35 percent reduction in energy usage compared to existing PO technologies. Additionally, the process reduces infrastructure and physical footprint due to simpler raw material integration and the avoidance of co-products.
