Vipel Approved for Chlor-Alkali Hot Wet Chlorine

Chlorine and sodium hydroxide are key chemicals needed for many plastics and bleach-type products. They also are extremely corrosive and reactive materials that require equipment with exceptional corrosion resistance to ensure safe product handling and long-term system integrity. Fiberglass with corrosion-resistant resin is a highly effective choice for these environments.

A major chlor-alkali producer with plants located across the US sought a replacement resin that would match or surpass the performance of their existing material. The specifications for these materials were extremely important to ensure that the products would stand up to harsh, corrosive environments. Development can take years just to establish that a product will endure over time.

The approval process began in 2010 with the creation of a large-diameter blind flange using AOC K190 as a test laminate. This flange was installed on the end of the plant’s chlorine header system, which collected chlorine from the electrolysis cells and distributed the chlorine for further downstream processing. The temperature in this header system is typically 200F with excursions to 210F.

The test flange was constructed with .50” corrosion barrier using AOC K190 resin and a BPO/DMA cure system. After over 3 years in service, this flange was inspected by the end user and the end user’s consultant and found to meet their specifications.

Examination of the chlorine ‘butter’ (the top surface of the corrosion barrier that reacts with the chlorine, creating a layer that reduces further permeation and reaction to the remaining laminate) indicated that AOC K190 is a suitable resin for this application.

AOC K190 resin is currently specified by other major chemical and chlor-alkali producers for their chlorine header systems, as well as by this specific end user.