Computer applications in the electrochemical industry

Georgia Pacific Corporation´s Bellingham, WA, chloralkali plant installed two microcomputer-based control systems last year. Both applications featured the use of IBM or compatible personal computers and both substantially increased the energy efficiency and the productivity of the 22-year-old plant. The automatic demand control system improved the plant´s load factor from 95 to 99.9%. The automatic cell voltage and current monitoring system for the plant´s 32 DeNora mercury cells reduced the k factor by 21%. Several unanticipated benefits also resulted from the microcomputer applications.<>