Expanded perlite insulation selected for process piping in $80 million boric acid plant

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1982 · Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States)

OSTI ID:6727271

Nannini, L ^[1]; Gaines, A

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1. U.S. Borax, Los Angeles, CA

U.S. Borax's new $80 million chemical facility in Boron, California utilizes the most modern technology to produce 200,000 tons per year of boric acid that is used in texyile fiber glass, various types of heat resistant glasses, metallurgy, drugs and cosmetics. The boric acid plant contains thousands of feet of pipe to convey liquors to mixing tanks, clarifiers, crystallizers, centrifuges and other equipment for the refining process. Steel pipe lined with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was used for a major portion of the piping system to avoid corrosion problems and assure products free of contaminants. The process lines were insulated with a lightweight, asbestos-free product made of expanded perlite containing millions of air cells for low thermal conductivity, bonded together by special binders and reinforcing fibers for good compressive strength. The rigid, molded, insulation can withstand continuous and cycling temperatures to 1500/sup 0/F with minimal shrinkage, and contains less than 150 ppm chlorides to avoid stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels. The boric acid plant, which is one of the world's largest, began operations in August 1980, and the performance of the expanded perlite pipe insulation in maintaining process temperatures is considered very satisfactory. Any line leakage that occurred during start-up or normal operation has not affected the heat barrier efficiency or structural integrity of the insulation. The combined strength of the insulation and PVC jacket has prevented any serious damage to the pipe covering when struck or scraped.

• OSTI ID: 6727271
• Journal Information: Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States), Vol. 45:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BORATES
PRODUCTION
BORIC ACID
PERLITE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMAL INSULATION
PIPES
PROTECTIVE COATINGS
POLYVINYLS
CORROSION PROTECTION
SODIUM
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
IMAGES
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ALKALI METALS
BORON COMPOUNDS
COATINGS
DATA
ELEMENTS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
METALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLYMERS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
320302* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Materials
360600 - Other Materials