Nalco ACT Advanced Condensate

Treatment reduces corrosion in

MEE plant at a European sugar mill

Figure 1 Multiple-Effect Evaporator at a European sugar mill

Situation
An evaluation was carried out to trial
the effectiveness of Nalco ACT
Advanced Condensate Treatment to
protect the Multiple Effect Evaporators (MEE) at a European beet sugar
mill. MEE is used to concentrate the
sugar thin juice coming from the
clarification process (Figure 1).
The exhaust steam coming from a
turbine is used to heat up the first
body and then after condensation, is
collected in the first effect condensate receiver tank before being
returned to the boiler. The vapour
produced is used to heat up the
second body and the condensate
produced is collected in the second
condensate receiver tank. This
condensate is also returned 100%
to the boiler. The metallurgy of the
system is admiralty. Since the vapour
produced in the first effect contains
a lot of ammonia, stripped from the

sugar thin juice, the corrosion rate on

the copper heat exchangers of the
second body is always very high.
Normally the system is not treated
or an oxygen scavenger is added to
control the oxygen concentration in
the condensate. The results are that
the amount of copper present in
the second condensate is always
above 150 ppb.

Programme
During the sugar campaign, the first
effect vapour of the MEE was treated
initially with an oxygen scavenger.
The Nalco ACT programme was then
tested during the last week of the
sugar campaign, being fed at the same
point as the oxygen scavenger.

(Continued on Reverse Side)

Brochure E-196E

Condensate monitoring was conducted on the second condensate

tank, measuring the total amount of
copper present. The total amount of
copper dissolved daily was evaluated
based on the condensate feed rate
and the ppm of copper registered
daily.

Performance
The values of copper measured
during the treatment with and
without the Nalco ACT programme
are shown in Figure 2. As can be
seen, the total amount of copper
coming from the 2nd body decreased
immediately after starting the
treatment with Nalco ACT. Figure 3
shows the average value of copper
registered before and after the Nalco
ACT treatment. The reduction was
measured from 0.29 Kg Cu/day
without treatment to 0.12 Kg Cu/day
with Nalco ACT. Since the sugar
campaign lasted 60 working days, the
whole amount of copper dissolved
without the Nalco ACT treatment
would be 17.4 Kg.

Figure 2 Copper concentrations dropped steadily after the adoption

of Nalco ACT.

Return on Investment
Although the treatment with Nalco
ACT was done only on a short
period of time, compared to the
previous one, it was possible to
evaluate an immediate benefit,
shown by the reduced level of
copper measured in the condensate.
The decrease observed was as
high as 58%.

Figure 3 Reduction in daily average copper concentrations was used

as the criterion for success. At this sugar mill, copper concentrations
were reduced over 85%!

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