Chlorine: A Statistical Review J O H N R. S K E E N Production of chlorine e x p a n d e d five-fold in 1940-44. Alt h o u g h c h l o r i n e -was f o r y e a r s u s e d p r i n c i p a l l y i n w a t e r t r e a t m e n t a n d p u l p a n d p a p e r p r o c e s s i n g , n o w 7 5 % of t h e s u p p l y is u s e d as a n i n t e r m e d i a t e in c h e m i c a l p r o d u c t i o n V>*HLORINE has been established for 35 years as a major chemical in water treatment and pulp and paper processing. Within the past 10 years, chlorine has been used to the greatest extent as an intermediate in the production of such chemicals as carbon tetrachloride, the chloroethylenes, chlorobenzenes, bromine, glycol, and a host of others. Consumption of both the liquid and gaseous forms amounted to 1.5 million tons in 1947. The supply was insufficient for the demand in 1947 and from 1941 until the war ended. With few and short-lived exceptions, capacity for production has exceeded the amount produced in all years of record. When it is considered that a great deficit existed in 1942^44 and again in 1947, a contradiction is implied. T h e explanation is easily found. Electrolytic chlorine capacity more than doubled in the period 1935-40 (Table I ) . The industry then realized something of the demands that war would make upon it. The Chemical Warfare Service began use in 1940. B y 1941, about a third of the production was diverted to the military. T h e industry quickly made commitments for new facilities in the amount of about 100,000 tons. These were completed in 1941 and 1942. Military requirements continued to increase, especially for glycol, chlorinated solvents, and tetraethyllead. In November 1941, a rationing plan for chlorine was formulated which resulted in a "saving" of 60,000 tons a year from pulp and paper production. Conservation Order M-19 placed this element and its products under strictest control in June 1942. Table I. E s t i m a t e d Chlorine Capacity Unit:
Total 1925 1930 1935 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948
1,000 short tons Caustic-Chlorine Pulp and Paper Other
Noncaustic
225 302 359 767
30 30 30 30
175 232 279 651
20 40 50 86
893
35 45 65 65 65 65 70 70
738
1.017 1,025 1,077 1.077 1,090 1,255 1,398
120 163 306 322 322 282 282 282
1,225 1,396 1,464 1,464 1,437 1,607 1,750
These provisions were insufficient and in 1942 the Government found it necessary to expand capacity through CWS arsenals
2194
Table II. Approximate Chlorine P r o d u c t i o n by P l a n t Ownership Unit:
1,000 s h o r t tons Production
ment liq-. All (RFC works other 0 funds)** $ / T o n ( 49.0 212 237 25 1930 209 21 230 35.0 1931 181 1 9 9 18 35.0 1932 251 270 19 35.0 1933 269 287 18 37. O 1934 348 15 363 40.5 1935 403 420 17 43.0 1936 487 20 507 43.0 1937 548 23 571 43. O 1938 556 24 580 35.6 1939 671 26 697 35.0 1940 779 812 33 35.0 1941 17 43 35.0 1,006 1,066 1942 185 63 35. O 1,018 1,266 1943 261 63 35.0 1,020 1,344 1944 134 58 35.0 1,000 1.192 1945 204 901 60 35.3 1,165 1946 249 68 40.8 1,183 1,500 1947 a 1930-34: Power Require ment s in Electrochemical and Electro-metallurgical and Allied Industries, Federal Power Commission, 1938; values are probably low by 2 t o 4 % . b 1930-36; Ibid.; values believed closely correct; this is caustic-chlorine production. c All processes: electrolytic and b y - p r o d u c t , including Hopewell production.
