22
Plastics for Process Plants and Equipment Symposium on Mineral Processing, Plant Design, Control and Practice October 2002 Prolite Plastics Guyle McCuaig

Plastics for Process Plants and Equipment Symposium on Mineral Processing…static1.squarespace.com/static/56c4bb86a3360cff738ad687/... · Symposium on Mineral Processing, Plant Design,

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Plastics for Process Plants and

Equipment

Symposium on Mineral Processing,

Plant Design, Control and Practice

October 2002

Prolite Plastics

Guyle McCuaig

Design Issues Associated with

Plastics in Hydrometallurgy

Existing applicable international standards

Industries served and suggested materials

Suggested high temperature service ranges

New hydrometallurgy technologies

History of plastics in the mining industry

Chemical corrosion advantages of Dualaminates

Comparison to metallic equipment

Restrained pipe structures vs. HDPE pipe in field

Thermoplastic concrete lining methods

Low temperature study of plastics in hydrometallurgy

Existing Applicable International

Standards

1 DIN 16965 Part 2: Type B pipes dimensions

2 DIN 16964: General quality requirements and testing

3 DIN 53769 Part 1: Determination of the adhesive shear strength of Type B pipeline components

4 DIN 16966 Part 2, DIN 16966 Part 4, DIM 16966 Part 5

5 DIN 16966 Part 8: Laminated joints dimensions for Type B piping

6 BS 6464: 1984 – British Standard specification for reinforced plastics pipes, fittings and joints for process

plants

7 PRN 88: Swedish pressure piping code plastics

8 DIN 16962 Part 4-12: Polypropylene pipe and fittings, dimensions, fusion and general quality requirements

9 DIN 16963 Part 4-10: Polyethylene pipe and fittings, dimensions, fusion and general quality requirements

10 DVS 2207 Part 15: Heating element butt welding of PVDF and ECTFE pipe and fittings

11 CGSB 41-GP-22: Cdn. Std. for: Process equipment; Reinforced polyester; Chemical resistant, custom contact

moulded pipe and fittings (NBS PS-15-69 American equivalent)

12 ASME B31.3-1996: Process piping, ASME code for pressure piping B31.3

13 ASTM C1147-95: Standard practice for determining the short term tensile weld strength of chemical resistant

thermoplastics

14 ANSI/AWS G1.10:2000 – Guide for the evaluation of hot gas and heated tool thermoplastics welds

15 CEN (Europe): IN process standard for approval testing of plastics welding personnel in Europe

Industries Served and Suggested

Materials

Zinc Sulphide/Oxide Launders @ 90° C Sulphuric Acid PP-H/FRP

Copper Electrowinning @ 70° C Sulphuric Acid PVC/FRP

Magnesium Electrolysis @ 100° C HCl PVDF/FRP

Silver Electrolysis @ 80° C Nitric Acid PVDF/FRP

Indium, Germanium Electrolysis @ 80° C HCl

FRP

PVC/FRP

PVDF/FRP

Columbium & Zirconium for Organic Raffinate HCl, BenzeneFuran

ECTFE/FRP

Off-Gas Scrubbing of SO2 (Gold) H2SO4

PP/FRP

PVC/FRP

Zinc Electrolysis Cell Feed H2SO4 PP/FRP

Selenium Reduction from Silver Refining SO2 ECTFE/FRP

Phosphoric Acid in Fertilizer Manufacturing H3PO4

FRP

PP/FRP

Low Concentration Leaching of Copper Ores H2SO4 HDPE Pipe

Perchloric Acid Laboratory Fumehoods Perchloric Acid PVC/FRP

Hydrometallurgical and

Electrochemical Processes:

Typical Materials

TABLE 3

Mineral Process Industries Served and Suggested Materials

Suggested Thermoplastic & Dual

Laminate Pipe Temperature &

Service Ranges

LINERMAX. TEMP

PLASTIC ONLY

MIN.

TEMP.MATERIAL SPEC.

MAX. TEMP

SERVICE

DUAL LAM.

MIN. TEMP.

SERVICE

DUAL LAM.

DIN 16964 BOND

STRENGTH N/MM2

PVC 60ºC -15ºC ASTM 1784 80ºC -15ºC 7

CPVC 90ºC -15ºC ASTM 1784 100ºC -15ºC 7

PP-H 90ºC -15ºC ASTM D4101 100ºC -30ºC 3.5

PVDF 140ºC -40ºC ASTM D3222 121ºC -40ºC 5

ECTFE 180ºC -76ºC ASTM D3275 121ºC -50ºC 5

MFA 260ºC -190ºC ASTM D6314 121ºC -50ºC 5

HDPE 80ºC -50ºC D1248 85ºC -50ºC 3.5

PFA 260ºC -190ºC D3307 121ºC -50ºC 5

Zinc Sulphide/Oxide PP/FRP

Launders

• Zinc sulphide slurry

• 80ºC service

• Clarifier bypass line

15% sulphuric acid

complete with high

percentage solids

• Extreme outdoor

temperature

Copper Electrowinning

PVC/FRP Header

• Copper ore in

concentrated sulphuric

acid solution at 70ºC

• Large 24” diameter

PVC/FRP piping

carrying heavy liquid

• Low level organic

precipitate carrier

• High altitude plant

Copper Electrowinning PVC and FRP

Fences Used in Solvent Separation

• Copper sulphate

solution separating

organic precipitate

• PVC fences complete

with FRP beams and

thermoplastic fasteners

• Inserted into HDPE

lined concrete cells

Magnesium Extraction from

Asbestos PVDF/FRP Ducting

• High temperature

ducting in PVDF/FRP

for collection of off gas

containing product

magnesium (100ºC) in

HCl carrier

• Fire retardant resin

(brominated vinylester)

• 50 psi rating-outdoors

Silver Electrolysis in Nitric Acid

PVDF/FRP

• PVDF/FRP piping for

nitric acid transfer used

in gold parting

• PVDF liner with epoxy

novolac resin exterior

• Hi-purity PVDF for

gold/silver collection

and electrolysis

Indium and Germanium

Electrolysis

• PVDF/FRP baskets for

Germanium collection

in Indium process

• Membrane liner

inserted to collect

heavy precipitate

• High concentration

HCl service at 80 ºC

Columbium and Zirconium

Raffinate in Furan Tanks

• Furan resin tanks for

ambient temperature

extraction of Zirconium

and Columbium raffinates

• Organic solvents and

concentrated HCl

• Abrasion and fire

retardancy issues

Gold Roaster Off-Gas Scrubbing

PP/FRP Tower

• European designed

sulphuric acid gas

collection tower from

gold roasting process

• High temperature 90ºC

service with sulphuric

liquid and gas phase

• Packed bed and Venturi

scrubbing system

Zinc Electrolysis PP/FRP Cell

Feed Tank

• Main zinc electrolyte

European designed

rectangular cell house

feed tank

• Heavy continuous

liquid loading and

thermal cycling

• Electrochemical

currents and 80ºC

Selenium Reduction in Silver

Refining in ECTFE/FRP

• Selenium reduction

vessel using

concentrated HCl and

some SO2 gas

• Permeation problem

with SO2 gas solved

with ECTFE liner

• Agitation and abrasion

severe within vessel

Phosphoric Acid Produced in

Fertilizer Plant

• Phosphoric acid

corrosion problems

solved with vinyl ester

resins with straight FRP

liners

• Vacuum service solved

with laminate theory

• Replaced SS 316 and

other metals

Low Concentration Sulphuric

Acid Leaching of Ores

• HDPE pipe is slotted

and laid out over a

vast controlled area to

distribute sulphuric

acid on ore bed

• Leachate is collected

in a flexible PVC liner

and distributed by pipe

to refining process

Large Diameter HDPE Pipe

Installation for Mining Tailings

• HDPE pipe is the most

versatile and forgiving

thermoplastic used in

mineral processing

• Lightweight - up to 63”

• Abrasion resistant

• Inexpensive and easily

welded by butt fusion or

gasket joined

UHMW Lined Steel Hopper For

Abrasion Resistance

• UHMW lined steel

slurry hopper for

severe abrasion

• Ambient temperature

• Can be relined by

mechanical fastening

technique

• Is not considered

liquid tight or welded

Perchloric Acid Laboratory

Fumehoods in PVC/FRP

• Perchloric acid and

aqua regia venthoods

in laboratories

• Can be washed down

with water to avoid

explosive mixture

• PVC/FRP construction

for long term

corrosion and safety

HDPE Concrete Liner for Dome

of 130 ft dia. Sludge Digestor

• 130 ft. dia. domes for

sludge digestor tanks

• HDPE concrete liner

welded and fastened to

internal forms

• Concrete roof to be

poured on top surface

• All internally welded

Conclusion and Future of Dualaminates in the

Mineral Process Industry and Hydrometallurgy

Thermoplastics, thermosets and dualaminate equipment and piping has been growing in the

world-wide mineral processing industry for everything from liquid slurry lines, to gas transfer lines to

high pressure piping and vessels.

Plastic materials have non-metallic/non-electromagnetic properties which is important for

electrochemical corrosion, grounding, and safety, as well as for eliminating the need for costly

instrumentation.

In leaching processes, plastics have lightweight properties where piping can be easily moved,

in outdoor operations can resist temperatures as low as -50°C and will withstand corrosion and U.V.

attack for long periods of time. In remote mountain operations the plastic piping is moved much more

easily than metal or concrete.

In gas cleaning operations, high temperature fluoropolymers have and will replace existing lead

lined, acid brick lined or alloy materials in the following years.

The critical decision in choosing a thermoplastic, a thermoset or a dualaminate material for your

processing application is now made easier with a wider range of material options.