PVDF HV-Liner pipes from AGRU were installed for corrosion protection in a dual-laminate piping solution at Solvay® Speciality Polymers. Scope of the project was to install an 800 m long vent line, connecting two different production areas in the Spinetta Marengo (Italy) plant.
The Application and the Challenge
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| Fig. 1: Solvay® PFVE plant in Spinetta Marengo |
Over the last few years, cases of corrosion that perforated the existing pipelines, connecting two different production areas in the Spinetta Marengo Plant, increased significantly. The main cause for this corrosion was moisture, which decomposed organics containing iodine and fluorine into very aggressive acids. Those acids then caused pittings, leading to leakage of chemicals, and therefore production shutdowns for piping repairs in complex conditions. This resulted in a growing loss of production which reached 3.6% in the last year.
The goal of this intervention was to improve overall equipment effectiveness for the existing process.
The solution: PVDF HV-Liner piping system reinforced with FRP
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| Fig. 2: Specially surface treated PVDF HV-Liner pipe from AGRU reinforced using FRP |
Dual laminate piping is a composite solution able to withstand harsh environments: while the Fibre Reinforced Plastics (FRP) pipe provides the necessary stiffness, the fluoropolymer inliner provides chemical resistance for the application. A detailed design analysis showed that PVDF could withstand these harsh conditions better than special alloys. "The excellent properties and very good chemical resistance of PVDF makes this material perfectly suitable for the inside lining of FRP pipes", confirms Markus Haager, Product Manager Fluoropolymers at AGRU Kunststofftechnik GmbH.
In coordinating with all functions within the Solvay® Group, Solef PVDF was specified for this specific project. "We have then worked along the value chain with all stakeholders to make this success happen", said Bruno Pendélio - Sales Development Manager - Industrial Energy & Environment, from Solvay® Speciality Polymers.
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| Fig. 3: Dual-laminate pipe installation in Spinetta Marengo |
The installation process
AGRU Kunststofftechnik GmbH supplied about 800 m of specially surface treated PVDF HV-Liner pipes and also surface treated fittings via our Italien distributor HÜRNER ITALIA to the FRP specialist Nuova Sguassero SRL. In their facility located in San Giorgion Nogaro they prefabricated the dual-laminate pipes before delivering and installing them in Spinetta Marengo. Since November 2018 the piping system is in full operation and working as expected by Solvay®.
