Aug 1 2006
Basell announced today that it plans to build a new Spherilene S polyethylene plant at its Wesseling industrial site near Cologne, Germany. The plant will be based on Basell’s new Spherilene S single reactor gas phase design. Start up is planned for 2008.
Basell currently operates an 80 KT Lupotech G polyethylene plant at Wesseling. This plant will be converted into a new Spherilene S plant based on latest generation technology including the installation of a new reactor system.
“The new Spherilene S process features low investment and operating costs, high on-stream factors and monomer efficiency,†said Just Jansz, president of Basell’s Technology Business. “Spherilene S plants also have true swing capability between HDPE and LLDPE since both products can be produced from the same Ziegler catalyst family.â€
Basell’s new Spherilene technology can be designed in a single reactor configuration (Spherilene S) or with two gas phase reactors in series (Spherilene C) for the production of bimodal grades.
Spherilene S technology is designed to produce products with narrow and medium molecular weight distribution. Both butene and hexene modified LLDPE can be produced as well as HDPE.