Alkali treatment in waste tanks?
Thread Content
Our factory has a tank with a volume of 60 cubic meters; its height is 5 meters, and it contains 2.5 meters of caustic soda. There is a leak at the bottom of the tank, and it is necessary to pump out the concentrated caustic soda from it. The pump connected to this tank hasn’t been used for two years, and there is no steam available. The valves connected to the tank have also not been used for two years, and they are covered in rust on the outside. There are alkali crystallizations on the outside of some pipes. So: I proposed two options. I. Try to clear the pipes connected to the tank (including the outlet pipes), repair the pump, and open the valves ； Use the repaired pump to pump away the alkaline solution ； II. Using external pipes connected to the top of the tank, a gear pump is used to pump the concentrated alkali out of the tank. Among the two options: the first one requires more work. Secondly, it’s not clear whether the pump has enough suction power to draw the material in the tank out and into the pump. What pump is needed for the second method? Will a regular rubber hose work as a temporary solution? Thank you
Pumps with a capacity of 60 cubic meters are definitely feasible to produce; nowadays, there are many pumps with a capacity of around 200 cubic meters, and even large pumps with a capacity of 600 cubic meters are manufactured in China. As for which pump to use, it will have to be determined by the technician based on your conditions.
Up there, take a good look at what I’m emphasizing
It’s difficult to extract it using a pump due to the clogging. You can post the specific properties of the material, mainly viscosity and temperature, to determine whether it can be extracted.
We are now preparing to use the first option. The inlet and outlet are connected by hoses, with several fittings required; in addition, the pump needs to be inspected, which will be carried out tomorrow.
Please use a pneumatic diaphragm pump (if an air source is available, or by using a long air hose if one isn’t nearby) to draw the liquid directly from inside the jar through the inlet. Diaphragm pumps are very convenient, safe, easy to use, and reliable; the stainless steel ones I make myself aren’t expensive either.