The market
The global chlorine market in 2010 is estimated at 24 billion dollars, based on a global production capacity of 80 million tonnes. While the United States lost 1.3 million tonnes of production to reach 13.8 million tonnes in the same year, Europe won 500,000 to reach just over 9 million tonnes, it is China, which added a massive production capacity reaching 25 million tonnes in 2010 representing around a third of the world market. While global demand is expected to grow between 2011 and 2015 at an annual rate of 4.4 %, Chinese should increase their capacity in 2011 with an additional 2 million tonnes. Chlorine is produced by subjecting ordinary salt to an electric current. As chlorine is very reactive with water, mercury has been used to neutralize the process. The American chlorine industry still consumes 79 tonnes of mercury for around 14 million tonnes of chlorine. European industry has undertaken to gradually eliminate all of mercury by 2020, but still admits rejecting 0.93 grams of mercury per tonne of chlorine. Chlorine was invented in Sweden by Karl Scheele over two centuries ago. The city of Pittsburgh was - exactly a century ago - the first to mix sodium hypochlorite (or chlorine) in public drinking water to control bacteria. This led to a spectacular increase in demand and a significant reduction in epidemics. Chlorine dissolves in water reacts with iron and manganese, then reacts with bacteria, which effectively controls the spread of diseases. However, protozoa forming cysts (cryptosporidium) cannot be eliminated even at high concentrations. The American Wisconsin State Hospital established that 80 % of the residual free chlorine enters the human body by skin absorption. Although it has been the most effective for decades in public health management, chlorine causes allergies and has been associated with cancer, arteriosclerosis and anemia. Chronic accumulation causes protein damage that causes dry hair and rashes, and creates a large number of free radicals that accelerate aging.
Innovation
Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States has advised municipalities to reduce and limit the quantity of chlorine in drinking water, there has been a wide search for spare solutions. However, its use is prescribed by laws and orders. Public health officials hesitate to replace chlorine or trying other chemicals such as powerful triclosan (polychlorophenoxxphenol) which, over time, risks causing even more unforeseen consequences. The advantage of chlorine is that its harmful effects are well known. The option was to continue to apply chlorine in drinking water networks, but to have it removed before consuming it. The use of filtration based on active coal, minerals or even ion exchangers has given birth to a new growing industry with hundreds of suppliers. However, the filters are wasted and end up in landlord sites where they continue to contaminate and often depend on higher energy consumption than that necessary for chlorine production in the first place. Hu Bor Yu, Liu Chen Panc and Liang Teh Ming, researchers from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan observed that the water flow (chlorine) contains kinetic energy that her colleagues have succeeded in exploiting for produce electricity. This electrical energy generated by the tube flow increases its laminar flow by applying a simple geometric change, the tube becomes smaller. The electricity thus produced is applied to the anode and the electrolyser created eliminates in situ the chemical potential of the residual chlorine. The process does not require external energy, does not consume materials, reacts quickly in the flow of water at the very moment, is durable, inexpensive to install and requires no maintenance. Performance improves as the flow rate increases and the water temperature increases. Potential applications go beyond chlorine. The same process can destroy perchloric acid (HCLO4), sodium sulfite (naso3) and water impurities which are harmful to our health. This creates an innovative approach to water purification where chemicals and filters have traditionally dominated the market. This implies that "something is substituted by nothing", or that chemistry has been (partially) replaced by physics, two fundamental characteristics of the blue economy.
The first cash flow
ITRI's research team quickly concluded that this technology is widely used in houses where the harmful effect of (excessive) use of chlorine is well documented. The installation of this self-almetant chiefloration apparatus in combination with the generation of lights that indicate water temperature thanks to self-erased sensors offers another set of innovations that make the house safer. And when the water temperature increases, the effectiveness of the elimination of chlorine improves. These devices are inexpensive and as no additional wiring is necessary, they offer a platform for many enthusiastic entrepreneurs ready to enter the market.
The opportunity
While domestic use is an obvious first entry into the market, its application can be combined with many other innovations, such as vortex in ice production where the presence of chlorine requires more energy to freeze water, Adding another energy saving element without requiring an expensive device. And, since the production of energy from water flow has been proven in large volume systems, generating a minimum reduction in flow while generating 50 watts of electricity supplying powerful LED lamps, the system is ready for industrial applications such as ultra clean water production for food industries and drinks that depend on expensive filters that must be replaced each month and sometimes each week. Although it is impossible to hide a preference for the total elimination of the use of chlorine, we cannot have the perfect position which opposes good and at best. As the use of chlorine in drinking water is often regulated, the option offered by the self-alienated chicken device allows us to operate in this transitional world. It also provides an introductory period of substitutes, going beyond the stigma of chlorine, making it possible to clean up the sources of pollution in an effective material and energy manner. It is an entrepreneurship platform generating jobs, one of the priorities of blue economy.
