Page 180 - CW E-Magazine (16-4-2024)

AMAI Conference AMAI Conference

Mr. P.N. Ojha, Executive Director, in chlorine applications. The choice of
Kutch Chemical Industries Ltd., spoke construction materials for chlorine ser-
about the challenges in development vice depends on equipment design and
of material of construction (MoC) for operating conditions. “Carbon steel is
chlor-alkali facilities given the corro- very reliable in specifi c conditions; it
sive nature of the chemicals involved. can be used when the chlorine is dry
enough and the temperatures are not
The most common chlor-alkali too high,” he explained.
process involves the electrolysis of
aqueous sodium chloride (brine) in a Corrosion in chlorine-handling ope-
membrane cell. The MoC employed rations is primarily a result of moisture
in a chlor-alkali plant encounter one entering the system. Therefore, it is
or more of the reactants such as: acid, imperative that moisture be excluded,
oxygen, chlorine (gaseous or dissolved), he said.
caustic, and hydrogen. All these species
have the potential to degrade the mate- Mr. Raxit Mansinh Rodiya, Sr. Man-
rials they are exposed to. ager (Application Dev. and Marketing),
Mr. Aditya Shriram Audience Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd., spoke
especially in the chlor-alkali industry.  Using inhibitors or additives to “If we are able to identify the root compatibility should not just focus on operational conditions, balancing main- about the benefi ts of fl uoropolymers
The industry handles hazardous materi- modify the environment; cause of corrosion, we will be able operating conditions, but also on start- tenance costs due to corrosion versus and its various applications in chlor-
als and the conditions are very corro-  Controlling operating parameters to mitigate it. Pollution is a surface up and shutdown procedures. investment and power costs, he said. alkali plants through case studies. Fluoro-
sive, he said. He emphasised that taking such as temperature, pressure, or phenomenon – you need a material, a polymers, including PTFE (polyethy-
preventive measures are vital, as corro- fl ow rate; surface and an environment – in the Dr. S.K. Chakravorty, Independent Mr. Yogesh Gujarathi, General lene-tetrafluorethylene-copolymer),
sion is irreversible.  Performing regular inspection and absence of any one corrosion does Consultant (Plant Engineering), noted Manager Process Design & Export FEP (tetrafl uorethylene-hexafl uorpro-
monitoring; and not occur,” said Dr. Manishkumar that every Rupee invested in corro- Marketing, Graphite India Ltd., dwelt pylene-copolymer), PVDF (polyvinyli-
The inaugural session of the con-  Implementing corrosion manage- Yadav, Assistant Professor, Department sion management saves around Rs. 7 on corrosion in hydrochloric acid syn- dene-fl uoride), PFA (perfl uoralkoxy-
ference also witnessed the release of ment systems and best practices. of Chemical Engineering, Institute of in corrosion losses. “It is far easier and thesis units and how graphite-based polymers), and other derivatives are
a ‘Compendium on Combating Corro- Chemical Technology (ICT). He ex- cheaper to select materials and protec- materials can ensure corrosion-free ope- typically far more resistant compared to
sion in Alkali Industry’. These strategies can help extend the plained the selection procedure for the tive systems in advance than to clean up rations. He noted that after selection of non-fl uorinated substances. This makes
service life of equipment, improve ope- right MoC and ensuring the compati- corroded components and apply protec- graphite as MoC, it has to be ensured them especially useful in construction
The two-day conference witnessed rational effi ciency & safety, and lower bility of the MoC with the medium. tion after corrosion has set in,” he that the process control parameters are materials for linings, pipe work and
six curated sessions covering topics environmental risks and costs, they said. He advised that the choice of MoC for emphasised. within range to ensure corrosion-free other equipment.
such as corrosion management techno- operations.
logies, optimising process through cor- Asset integrity management is a Mr. Rahul Patel, AGM Mechanical,
rosion prevention, learning from effec- key requirement in designing inhe- Mr. Hong Hanki (Harry), Chief DCM Shriram Ltd., pointed out that
tively mitigating corrosion, advanced rently safer and reliable equipment. This Representative-ASEAN & Korea, JOC the MoC has to be fi nalised after con-
corrosion resistant materials, and coat- complements preventive maintenance, Technical Engineering Co. Ltd., China, sidering the life-cycle cost (LCC) and
ings & linings to prevent corrosion. said Dr. Chakravorty. informed that in addition to supplying not the initial cost of investment, which
new electrodes, JOC also offers cost- might be higher. “LCC study should be
Technical sessions He described how material selec- effective electrolyser renovation services carried out before procurement of any
Speaker at the conference highligh- tion, environment alteration, design, from China to help address corrosion new equipment, pipelines & its acces-
ted the various prevention and mitiga- cathodic protection, coatings and cor- problems. “JOC has developed tech- sories to get optimum life in compara-
tion strategies that can be implemented rosion inhibitors can help in combat- nologies and methods to prevent cor- tively lesser cost. The best MoC should
to tackle corrosion. Some of the general ing corrosion. He also spoke on various rosion of electrolyser and reduce opex be studied & evaluated on the basis of
principles discussed included: corrosion monitoring techniques. These through renovation, which is suitable environment conditions & chemical
 Selecting the appropriate material can help to determine how corrosive the for all mainstream electrolysers in the service,” he said.
for the service conditions; environment is and at what rate metal chlor-alkali plant,” he said.
 Designing equipment to minimise loss is being experienced. Mr. Rohit Ojha, Lead Scientist and
stress and crevices; Mr. Ton Manders, Technical and Technical Marketing Specialist for the
 Applying protective coatings or lin- The main problem in the chlor- Safety Director, Euro Chlor, spoke Tube Division, Alleima India Pvt. Ltd.,
ings; Technical session alkali cell room is to fi nd the optimum about the use of carbon steel as a MoC covered the corrosion challenges in

180 Chemical Weekly April 16, 2024 Chemical Weekly April 16, 2024 181

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