Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
0802e0e3-51be-428d-a324-1996d5081cf2
Materials
Associated ID
128473c0-8e54-49fc-a262-6a214d38da69
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
Hydrochloric acid is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride and one of the essential raw materials in the chemical industry, widely used in chemical, metallurgical, pharmaceutical, and other industries. This dataset models hydrochloric acid as a pure substance and includes primary raw and auxiliary materials, energy inputs, atmospheric emissions, and waste from the production process. Infrastructure such as equipment manufacturing and plant construction is excluded from the system boundary. The life cycle inventory is compiled from multiple data sources. The molar ratio of chlorine to hydrogen is 1:1.06, and low-pressure steam is a by-product of the process, with the final inventory derived using a physical allocation method.
Activity Description
Dry chlorine and hydrogen gases pass through buffer tanks and pressure regulators to stabilize their pressures at set values. The stabilized chlorine and hydrogen gases enter the synthesis furnace in a predetermined ratio for combustion reaction to produce hydrogen chloride. Hydrogen and chlorine gas flows are automatically monitored and proportionally adjusted by a ratio controller to ensure proper chlorine-to-hydrogen ratio. The produced hydrogen chloride gas is absorbed in the falling film absorber of a combined three-in-one furnace and further by an external integrated off-gas absorption tower, using pure water as the absorbent.
Process Description
Hydrochloric acid, with the chemical formula HCl and CAS number 7647-01-0, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride available in varying concentrations. It is a strong inorganic acid with high corrosivity and irritancy. Hydrochloric acid can chemically react with many metals, metal oxides, bases, and most salts; it neutralizes with alkaline substances, but shows no reactivity with nonmetals such as phosphorus and sulfur. As an important inorganic chemical raw material, hydrochloric acid is widely used in industries such as pharmaceuticals and dyes, and also serves as an extractant and cleaning agent for metal surfaces.
Time period
2022
2026
Geography
China
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
The chemical reaction equation for the direct synthesis method is Cl2 + H2 -> 2HCl. To ensure complete reaction of chlorine during the process, hydrogen is typically in excess in actual production. Generally, the molar ratio of chlorine to hydrogen fed into the synthesis furnace is controlled at 1:(1.05--1.1). In this dataset, the Cl2:H2 ratio is taken as 1:1.06.