Fluorosilicic Acid Transport

Pexgol Pipe for the Transport of Fluorosilicic Acid.

Case Study Nº

70 Customer

Phosphate Mine – ICL Rotem

Israel

1995

Working Conditions

Pressure: 5 bar / Temperature: 60°C

Pexgol Pipes

Pexgol 250 mm, Class 10 | Pexgol 280 mm, Class 10 | Pexgol 315 mm, Class 10

Application

Acid transport

Lenght

Systems made up of hundreds of meters with elbows, tees and branches.

The Challenge

From the beginning ICL Rotem used HDPE, 316 stainless steel and rubberized steel pipes for the transport of fluorosilicic acid. Beyond the costly installation, the tubes suffered from corrosion and wear, forcing maintenance workers to replace the tubes every 5 to 9 months, and on several occasions to stop production altogether.

Pexgol Solution

• In the first instance, PE-X test tubes were placed in the fluid to be transported. Once the laboratories certified that the acid did not carry out any chemical attack on the tubes, 12 meter pipe sections were installed with electrofusion couplings.
Since then, in 1995 till today thousands of meters have been installed transporting fluorosilicic acid without having to replace the tubes or have to carry out any maintenance.
The resistance to high temperatures, abrasion and chemical attacks caused the maintenance costs in the process plant to be significantly reduced and the investment amounts to be reduced in new plant expansion projects.