Project STORM - SusTainable OxychloRination developMent

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased demand for a leading Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd (TSCL) product. TSCL have invested to increase capacity by exploiting a new process developed in-house to increase capacity, maximise atom efficiency and reduce energy use. The key raw material is sourced overseas with \>100% price increases experienced linked to the pandemic. It is imperative that TSCL maximise the yield of from every kilogramme of raw material charged to the new process.

TSCL performed the process development by consulting the academic literature and using empirical studies and knowledge gained from over 20 years of operation of the previous manufacture process. Whilst this approach has been successful, detailed mechanistic understanding of this chemistry remains elusive as the literature does not have a consistent view of the mechanism of oxychlorination.

TSCL and the University of Nottingham (UoN) aim to address this by performing experimental and development studies to elucidate the mechanism of oxychlorination and apply this knowledge to drive process optimisation of the newly commissioned installation and support the development of new technologies. This will enhance TSCL's competitive advantage in global manufacture of this product.

By the end of the project TSCL and UoN will have increased their knowledge of the mechanism of oxychlorination and applied this knowledge:

\*To the new process to enhance capacity, maximise atom efficiency (reduce by-products) and reduce energy use.

\*To design new technologies to enhance the sustainability of manufacture.