Meeting the challenges related to material issues in chemical industries

Reliable performance and profitability are two important requirements for any chemical industry. In order to achieve high level of reliability and excellent performance, several issues related to design, materials selection, fabrication, quality assurance, transport, storage, inputs from condition monitoring, failure analysis etc. have to be adequately addressed and implemented. Technology related to nondestructive testing and monitoring of the plant is also essential for precise identification of defect sites and to take appropriate remedial decision regarding repair, replacement or modification of process conditions. The interdisciplinary holistic approach enhances the life of critical engineering components in chemical plants. Further, understanding the failure modes of the components through the analysis of failed components throws light on the choice of appropriate preventive measures to be taken well in advance, to have a control over the overall health of the plant. The failure analysis also leads to better design modification and condition monitoring methodologies, for the next generation components and plants. At the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, a unique combination of the expertise in design, materials selection, fabrication, NDT development, condition monitoring, life prediction and failure analysis exists to obtain desired results for achieving high levels of reliability and performance assessment of critical engineering components in chemical industries. Case studies related to design, materials selection and fabrication aspects of critical components in nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, NDT development and condition monitoring of various components of nuclear power plants, and important failure investigations on critical engineering components in chemical and allied industries are discussed in this paper. Future directions are identified and planned approaches are briefly described

Solvent Extraction Studies of Gadolinium in Tri-Butyl Phosphate

AbstractFast reactor spent fuel reprocessing plants should be designed for inherent criticality safety due to high plutonium content. Addition of soluble neutron poison is one way to do that. Gadolinium is the best choice based on neutron absorption cross section and chemical compatibility. In this work, using classical thermodynamic approach, the distribution coefficient of gadolinium in tributyl phosphate has been calculated and compared with the experimental data. The influence of acidity and uranium at equilibrium on gadolinium distribution in tributyl phosphate has been investigated. The result establishes the feasibility of employing gadolinium as soluble neutron poison in fast fuel reprocessing

Impregnation of S-layer protein isolated from extremophilic Bacillus Licheniformis NARW 02 onto titanium phosphate ceramic enhances uranium removal from aqueous solution

In the present study, bioceramic was prepared by impregnating surface layer protein (S-layer) isolated from extremophilic bacteria Bacillus licheniformis NARW 02 onto sol–gel-derived titanium phosphate (TiP) ceramic. The prepared bioceramic was used for adsorption of uranium ions from aqueous solution and compared with control lacking S-layer protein. The distribution coefficient value of TiP and bioceramic for uranium adsorption was 100.65 and 432.48 ml/g respectively. This study indicates that the bacterial S-layer can be potentially used to enhance the adsorption efficiency of the ceramics used in separation of uranium from waste water

Enhanced anticorrosion properties of nitrogen ions modified polyvinyl alcohol/Mg-Ag ions co-incorporated calcium phosphate coatings

Nitrogen ions (70 keV) were implanted on composite coatings containing polymer/Mg (magnesium)–Ag (silver) ions co-incorporated hydroxyapatite which is developed by microwave irradiation. Average crystallite size of modified coatings is reduced to 80% compared to pristine. The variation of bond strength of modified coatings is realized. The electrical resistance (77%), microhardness (4.3%), roughness (4.5 times) and pore size are enhanced on the modified coatings. Superhydrophilic surface is tuned to hydrophobic on implantation. At higher fluence (1×1017 ions/cm2) depicted an enhanced corrosion potential compared to the other coatings. Thus, the new insight of modified coatings is realized by correlating phase-structure, surface and anticorrosion