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Hydrochloric acid, which is hydrogen chloride (HCl) in solution, is produced
primarily as a coproduct of organic chlorination reactions. Its market dynamics
are different from most commodity chemicals in that its supply is mainly a
function of the production of the primary products that produce HCl as a coproduct.
Prices for HCl, at least in the major industrialized regions, tend to be fairly
stable, especially compared with chlorine prices, which can be quite volatile.
Hydrochloric acid is an integral part of the worldwide chlorine industry.
Most of the HCl produced in the United States, Western Europe and Japan is
generated as a by-product in the manufacture of a wide variety of organic chemicals
via chlorination reactions. This supply depends largely on demand for the primary
products.
U.S. production of HCl grew by about 2.5% per year in the late 1990s. With
the exception of the chlorinated methanes industry, production grew in all
outlets. Especially large increases were experienced in the fluorocarbons sector,
where generation of HCl rose by 5% during 1995–2005.
The following pie chart shows capacity for hydrochloric acid by major region:
The following graph shows consumption of HCl by regional end use:
HCl demand in China is expected to grow at 5–7% per year from 2005 to
2010. Consumption of HCl for the manufacture of ethylene dichloride (EDC),
monosodium glutamate (MSG), and vinyl chloride (VCM) constitutes the largest
end use for HCl, accounting for 75% of total demand. HCl demand for EDC and
VCM manufacture will continue to drive demand during the forecast period. Demand
for monosodium glutamate, however, parallels population growth of around 2–3%
per year.
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