Can the tower body of a desulfurization tower using the limestone-gypsum process be made of 316L stainless steel?

May I ask: Are there any actual achievements in this area?

In current desulfurization units that use the limestone-gypsum process, the desulfurization towers are generally lined with stainless steel or high-nickel alloys. For specific information, you can consult environmental protection companies specializing in desulfurization, such as: Jinan Guoneng Environment, Luoyang Tianyu, Yijin Environmental Protection, Zhejiang Tianlan, AVIC Taida,....

Can the tower body of a desulfurization tower using the limestone-gypsum process be made of 316L stainless steel? Can stainless steel be used for flue gas desulfurization towers? Considering the composition of flue gas, it contains not only large amounts of sulfur and sulfides, but the operating environment also features fluctuations in acidity and alkalinity. More importantly, the medium used contains large amounts of chlorine and chlorides, which can lead to pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking in stainless steel materials, especially in the weld seams and their heat-affected zones. Therefore, using stainless steel as the lining for desulfurization towers does not yield good results. Generally, using carbon steel for desulfurization towers along with corrosion prevention measures is the current mainstream approach.

Thank you for your advice! For over a decade now, I have been gathering information on this topic! Based on what is known so far, regarding the material used for the towers in magnesium-based and alkali-based desulfurization processes, 316L stainless steel is used in some cases, and its performance is quite good; no significant corrosion has been observed. However, for desulfurization towers using the limestone-gypsum method, there is no record yet of 316L material being used for the tower body. For desulfurization towers using the limestone-gypsum process, glass flake anti-corrosion protection is employed in the majority of actual applications. Glass scales tend to fall off, so the performance is not very good. Can the tower body be made of 316L stainless steel? I’ve had this question in mind, so I need to keep asking around.

Thank you for your advice! Numerous practical applications have proven that the magnesium-based and alkali-based desulfurization processes, when using 316L stainless steel for the tower structures, yield quite good results. For example, the desulfurization tower used in the magnesium-based desulfurization process at Formosa Plastics Ningbo Power Plant is made of 316L stainless steel; it has been in use for over a decade now. I visited that plant in 2012. Our company uses an alkaline desulfurization process. Since 2012, the existing glass flake towers have had an additional layer of 316L stainless steel installed inside them, and to date, no signs of corrosion have been observed. The performance is quite satisfactory. However, can 316L stainless steel be used in the limestone-gypsum process? I didn’t know. No actual performance in this area has ever been found.

The key aspect regarding glass flakes lies in quality control during the construction process, and Jiangnan Environmental Protection primarily uses glass flakes.