Zero-Corrosion HF Acid Transfer:
12,000 L/day, 36+ Months Uninterrupted
How a leading Vietnamese semiconductor supplier eliminated hydrofluoric acid leakage risk, reduced maintenance costs by %?5,000/year, and achieved full EHS compliance using Meibao's MB-F Series PTFE-lined magnetic drive pumps.
The pump has been running continuously for over 36 months without any corrosion issues. The zero-leakage design gave our entire EHS team complete peace of mind | something we never had with our previous supplier.
Viet Semiconductor Components JSC
From Three Major Leakage Incidents to 36 Months of Bulletproof HF Transfer
Viet Semiconductor Components JSC operates a 200mm wafer fabrication facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, processing 12,000 litres of hydrofluoric acid daily for silicon wafer etching. A history of pump failures and toxic HF leakage incidents made this one of Meibao's most demanding | and most rewarding | installation projects.
Viet Semiconductor's wafer etching process relies on hydrofluoric acid (HF, 38% concentration) at operating temperatures of 75 | 0°C. HF is one of the most corrosive chemicals in industrial use | it attacks glass, silicon, and most metals rapidly, making pump material selection critically important.
The facility had previously used 316L stainless steel mechanical seal centrifugal pumps from a European manufacturer. Within 8 months of installation, every pump showed signs of intergranular corrosion on the housing interior. The situation reached a critical point when a pump housing corroded through entirely, resulting in a significant HF leak.
The incident required full facility evacuation, a 72-hour shutdown for decontamination, %?80,000 in emergency remediation costs, and regulatory scrutiny that threatened the facility's environmental permit. Three workers required medical monitoring for HF exposure.
| Metric | Before Meibao | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Pump Lifespan | 8 months average | 2 replacement cycles/year per pump |
| Annual Downtime | 216 hours/year | ~9 full production days lost |
| Leakage Incidents | 3 major, 12 minor/year | EHS regulatory risk, worker safety hazard |
| Annual Pump Cost | %?20,000/year | Purchase + labour + downtime losses |
| HF Concentration | 38% | Above 20°C threshold for most metals |
| Operating Temp | 75 | 0°C | Accelerates all corrosion mechanisms |
Meibao's engineering team conducted a detailed application review, including media analysis, temperature profile, flow requirements, and site constraints. The conclusion was clear: only a fully fluoroplastic-lined pump with a hermetic magnetic drive | no metallic wetted parts whatsoever | could deliver reliable long-term performance in this environment.
We proposed the MB-F Series: a fully PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) lined magnetic drive centrifugal pump, with NdFeB permanent magnets providing torque transmission through the containment shell. The entire wet-end | housing, impeller, shaft, and bearing | is PTFE or PTFE-lined carbon.
Six units were sized to match the facility's 2,000 L/hour per unit flow requirement at 28m head. Custom high-temperature motors (rated to 150°C) were specified to handle the 80°C media with adequate safety margin. Flange connections were matched to existing pipework for a drop-in retrofit without process modification.
| Specification | Selected Model: MB-F200-PTFE | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Wet-End Material | PTFE (100% wetted surfaces) | Zero corrosion, HF compatible at any temp |
| Drive Type | NdFeB Magnetic Drive | Zero leakage | no mechanical seal |
| Max Flow | 3,000 L/h per unit | Margin above required 2,000 L/h |
| Max Head | 35 m | Handles system pressure drop |
| Motor Rating | 7.5 kW, IE3, 150°C rated | Safe margin above 80°C media temp |
| Units Installed | 6 units (3 duty, 3 standby) | Hot-standby redundancy for 24/7 ops |
| Sealing | Zero (hermetic magnetic coupling) | No wear parts, no leakage path |
| Certification | CE, ATEX Zone 2 available | Fully compliant for EU exports |
36 months after commissioning, all six Meibao MB-F pumps remain in continuous operation with zero leakage events, zero maintenance interventions, and performance consistently within n3% of factory test data. The client's EHS audit | previously a source of anxiety | is now a formality completed without a single non-conformance finding.
Most significantly, the %?5,000 in annual savings has allowed the client to redirect capital toward their planned 300mm line expansion, which is now underway with Meibao confirmed as the preferred HF pump supplier for the new facility.
- Flow3,000 L/h max
- Head35 m
- Wet-End100% PTFE
- DriveNdFeB Magnetic
- Motor7.5 kW IE3, 150°C
- Temp Rating120°C continuous
- MaterialPTFE pressure vessel
- Max Pressure10 bar
- PurposeMagnetic coupling barrier
- BenefitSecondary containment
- InspectionVisual | no wear parts
- MaterialPTFE-lined steel
- SizeDN50 / 2" NPT
- PurposeDrop-in pipework retrofit
- CustomYes | site survey matched
- IncludedFull gasket set
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