Complete Pre-Treatment Solution: MIT Vertical Pumps + TF FRP Fans Deliver 16+ Months of Zero-Leakage, Zero-Downtime Operation

Act 1: The Challenge —— Alkaline and Acid Fumes Across the Entire Line

Background

TESB is an electrocoating company in Malaysia. Its pre-treatment production line includes two key processes: Alkaline Degreasing and Pickling, using alkaline degreasing chemicals, hydrochloric acid, and diluted sulfuric acid. Both process lines need pumps to continuously circulate the tank liquid to filter units. At the same time, the workshop requires an exhaust system to send corrosive fumes to a scrubber for treatment.

However, the production line faced a double equipment challenge. On one side, the pre-treatment liquid reaches 53°C, while the alkaline degreaser contains a large amount of oil and sludge. The pickling solution is an 18% mixed-acid solution. The two processes create alkaline vapor and acid mist that spread through the workshop. On the other side, the exhaust system is also exposed to the mixed corrosive environment. Metal fan housings and impellers rusted quickly, while reduced airflow lowered the scrubber's treatment efficiency.

Detailed Pain Points

The customer had reliability problems with both the pumps and fans:

Pump-side problems:

• Alternating                acid and alkaline fumes in the workshop attacked horizontal pump motors      and bearings, causing frequent electrical failures
• Oil and                        sludge in the alkaline degreaser, together with corrosive components in      the pickling solution, caused both chemical corrosion and organic  contamination of wetted parts
• Shaft seals                 were a weak point, resulting in 2–4 leakage incidents per year
• Average pump         life was only 1.5 years, with a total of 12 days of downtime per      year

Fan-side problems:

• Metal fans                   quickly rusted in the mixed acid-alkali fume environment, causing housing      and impeller corrosion and deformation
• Airflow                         gradually decreased, reducing scrubber exhaust efficiency and increasing      fume levels in the workshop
• Fan failures                caused the production line to slow down or stop, increasing downtime      losses

The total annual cost of one complete equipment set reached $850, including purchase, maintenance, and downtime losses.

Highlight Box — Root Cause Analysis

Root Causes

1.  Double Corrosion Environment: The production line produces alkaline vapor during degreasing and acid mist during pickling. A single protection method could not handle both environments.

2.  Complex Process Liquids: The alkaline degreaser contains oil and sludge, while the 18% mixed acid contains HCl + diluted H₂SO₄. Corrosion and contamination occur at the same time.

3.  Weakness of Horizontal Pump Design: The shaft seal was a weak point. Acid and alkaline fumes could affect the seal, causing repeated leakage.

4.  Wrong Fan Material: Metal fans quickly rusted in acid and alkaline fumes. As exhaust performance decreased, fume levels increased.

5.  Separate Pump and Fan Purchasing: The customer purchased pumps and fans from different brands, resulting in poor system matching and lower overall reliability.

Before Data