Issues to note regarding major maintenance of electrolysis equipment throughout the year.

Protect the ion membrane, check for leaks in it; replace it if the damage is severe, and retighten the hose nuts

During parking, pay attention to keeping the ion membrane insulated (in winter); if parked for an extended period, the tank needs to be cleaned at regular intervals. When inspecting the cell slots, pay attention to whether the anode and cathode grids are damaged and whether their potentials are equal.

Maintenance primarily involves addressing issues that affect the entire system, those that cannot be repaired on a routine basis. For electrolyzers, the main tasks are replacing the membranes, checking the anode sacrificial electrodes, as well as replacing the valves and pipes connected to the system. The main operation related to electrolyzers is the replacement of their membranes as a whole. It is also not necessary to clean the circulation tank once a year.

Inspect the gaskets of the inlet and outlet hoses; replace those that are aged.

This post was last edited by huawei on 2010-8-22 09:14: It is necessary to check the oil pressure of the locking nut, as well as the valves and the negative pressure related to waste chlorine, before operating the electrolyzer. 2. Clean the sampling valves on both the anode and cathode sides of the electrolyzer, as well as the filters at the inlets of the anode and cathode. If it is detected during membrane leak testing that the gasket at the anode outlet is damaged, replace it promptly; it is also advisable to check the hoses where crystallization occurs at the cathode. Other valves with internal or external leaks should be inspected and replaced promptly. 3. Valves (internal leakage, external leakage, valve body cracks, sand holes, etc.), pipes (cracks, sand holes), pumps (mainly issues with the seal, problems with the motor, as well as the pump casing). In terms of mechanical seals, wear on the sealing surfaces and defects in the O-rings are common issues. There are sand holes on the pump casing; welding is required. Severe cases require the replacement of the pump casing. There are fluctuations in the instruments (mostly flow meters); those that need to be replaced should be replaced, and in cases where the reason for the issue is unclear, it’s necessary to replace them as well and then observe whether the flow rate returns to normal. Additionally, the automatic control valves may get stuck. 4. The anode and cathode areas need to be cleaned, washed, and purged with nitrogen. (When performing anode evacuation, start with one evacuation at 150, and pay close attention to the pump pressure display.) The cathode is discharged from 273 to 270 in steps of 88. ) (For washing, it is best to use pure water after washing; this water is then discharged through channels 4#5#6# to points 260.270., to be used as water for cleaning the tanks. For our chlor-alkali industry, it is entirely possible to meet zero-emission standards. Therefore, it is best to recycle the tank cleaning water at 260.270, as this not only enables its reuse but also helps to save costs. 5. Others: When washing or charging the electrolyte while the device is in operation, be sure to check the valve switches carefully. Do not rush; the zero-type level gauge should allow for more fluid to be discharged, as differences in density can lead to false readings that may mislead you during operation. 【When there is overflow from the anode outlet hose, the trick is to monitor the pressure difference gauge; once you notice that the pressure difference is shifting in the positive direction, immediately turn off 32# (for water washing) and 2# (for charging with electrolyte).】 【For the cathode, if the pressure difference shifts in the negative direction, immediately turn off 31# (for water washing) and 3# (for charging with electrolyte).】 During operation, pay close attention to whether there are any leaks of electrolyte in the electrolyzer (mainly at the hoses), and make sure that the valves are closed correctly – it’s best to have an experienced employee carry out this verification. 6. Tasks must be assigned to specific individuals; only in this way can everyone’s commitment to their work be improved. Complete the maintenance work safely. Avoid being overly eager for quick results; be extremely cautious, as there is no room for carelessness. If there are any mistakes due to my limited experience, please leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

To say something superficial: 1: When formulating a major repair plan, it must be comprehensive, with a meeting involving the workers on site, the construction contractors, and the persons in charge of each aspect of the repair work. First, have the front-line staff identify the areas that require major repairs, as well as the materials and tools needed for each repair (which should then be ordered through procurement). The opinions of the workers from the construction teams are quite important, as they possess extensive experience in carrying out repairs (front-line workers cannot compete with them in this regard, as they specialize in this type of work). ) Within the allotted time, have them check whether they can complete the repairs and arrange their time accordingly. During construction, one should not impose one’s own ideas about when things must be completed, as this puts others in a difficult position; after all, they are also people, and they are all Chinese (this is especially true in so-called foreign companies, and I’ve experienced this firsthand). Good coordination is very important; during construction, the workers from external contractors handle the physical labor, as they are motivated by money. Being flexible means making things easier for others – by preparing materials and bringing tools – and by doing that, one is also making things easier for themselves. That being said, the quality of maintenance work still needs to be carefully monitored; one should do their job properly. 2. Safety aspects: Personal protective equipment must be worn in accordance with regulations. There are many tasks involving electrolytic acids and bases, as well as special operations such as working with fire or entering tanks; for these tasks, work permits and satisfactory test results are required. Dedicated supervisors must be present and carry out their duties properly. For electric welding, an oxygen flashback arrester is essential; there must be a safe distance between the two cylinders as well as from the area where welding is being carried out. You must take responsibility for the safety of your workers; once they violate regulations, you must stop their work and have them make corrections, and if they refuse to comply, you should involve management to handle the situation. You can’t just take the workers’ word for it that it’s fine – I’ve been in this field for over a decade, and I’m always cautious; it’s better to be prepared for the worst. If nothing happens, that’s good, but if something does occur, it can be serious. I suggest everyone take a look at DuPont’s safety philosophy. Although it might seem a bit perverse, I think we should consider things from the perspective of human safety first; equipment is secondary. Personally, I tend to agree with the 3: on-site operation at the workplace. Simply put, it involves parking, washing, and replacement – and each company has its own methods for carrying out these steps. What’s important here is to remind the maintenance workers, when they disassemble the pipelines, of what substances are contained within those pipelines and what precautions should be taken during maintenance. It’s necessary to confirm the quality of the materials used, ensure that all accessories are compatible, check whether everything matches what’s specified in the purchase order, and identify any missing or overlooked items; any issues found should be addressed promptly.

A proper maintenance plan should be established along with a set timeline; the tasks that need to be carried out first should be completed on schedule, so as not to affect the completion of the overall system. Maintenance focuses on addressing issues that affect the entire system, as well as those that cannot be repaired on a regular basis. For electrolyzers, this involves checking the anode sacrificial electrodes, replacing valves and pipes connected to the system, and conducting tests to ensure the electrolyzer’s airtightness.

This post was last edited and replied to by huawei on 2010-8-24 at 10:55. Reply 7# Zhong Hengming: He is clearly a leader with great martial arts skills; he thinks in terms of the bigger picture, and once something important is decided, he gets to work right away. 1. Employees point out the defects discovered during regular inspections as well as areas that need improvement, discuss them, and finally decide on the maintenance tasks to be carried out. 2. The supervisor verifies the materials required for maintenance and submits a request for procurement. 3. Task allocation is very important; some tasks require specialized personnel to carry out the maintenance, while others are done by us. (This work allocation must be practical, and those carrying out the work should remember not to seek quick success. I believe that seniors also started from the lower-level positions. Have you ever noticed such things – some incidents or accidents that shouldn’t have occurred, but still happen during maintenance work? For example: if the supervisor is on site, employees might start working without wearing proper protective equipment in an attempt to show off their skills; this can very likely lead to an accident. Whose responsibility is it then? I believe that the leaders should be held accountable first, but that’s not the case here; this is China, where employees often work hard without receiving recognition, and it’s also because they are too eager for quick results. People are always driven by advantages and disadvantages. It might be considered complaining, but it’s a very practical issue; I hope that senior colleagues or managers will do what needs to be done during working hours. 4. Finally, managers should trust their employees – if they assign a task, they should believe that the employee will complete it. There’s no need to do everything yourself, as that will also lead to exhaustion. As long as it’s agreed that the work will be completed within a certain time frame, isn’t it fine to just do a final check and acceptance? A good leader knows the value of flexibility in management.

This post was last edited by huawei on 2010-8-24 at 12:30. While plans, timelines, budgets, human resources, and machinery are certainly important, it is the details of maintenance that we should pay even more attention to. Parking for maintenance is a very dangerous task that requires unified command, detailed plans, adequate technical measures, and qualified personnel to carry out successfully. Many cases where vehicles cannot be started after maintenance, or even accidents occur, are due to poor organization of the maintenance work. Let’s give some negative examples. 1. After the maintenance was completed, the blind plate was not removed, resulting in a chlorine leak accident. After maintenance was completed one year later, the blind plate (asbestos plate) installed on the main chlorine electrolysis pipeline was forgotten to be removed. When power was supplied to the electrolysis system, positive pressure developed inside the electrolysis chamber (diaphragm electrolysis), causing chlorine to leak out; meanwhile, no chlorine reached the drying section, and adjusting the chlorine pressure compressor did not help. The cause could not be identified for some time, and since operations were carried out at night, it was impossible to see the situation on site clearly. In the end, the operation had to be stopped. The reason was analyzed as the blind plate not having been removed, and upon checking the site, it turned out to be true. The experience with this is: the person who installs the blind flange should be the one to remove it, and one should not drive at night. 2. Failure to supply water to the chlorine gas water seal led to startup failure. One year, after maintenance and restart of the plant, once power was supplied, the pressure of chlorine delivery rose rapidly while the electrolysis current remained very low. Chlorine leaked into the interior of the facility, and the purity of the chlorine delivered to the hydrochloric acid production process was so low that ignition was not possible; therefore, it was necessary to use caustic solution to deal with the chlorine issue. This situation did not improve over time, forcing the plant to stop operating. The reason was simple: there was no water left in the chlorine water seal, allowing air to enter the system. Experience with this matter: inspection and acceptance after maintenance are very important. 3. Chlorine leakage accidents caused by improper scheduling and command. During a shutdown for maintenance one year, due to the limited time available during the shutdown to replace the chlorine branch pipe in the diaphragm electrolyzer, there was a strong chlorine smell inside the facility; as a result, the supervisor immediately ordered the chlorine pump to be started in order to evacuate the area. However, at that time, the hydrochloric acid processing unit was disassembling the chlorine pipeline to replace the chlorine valve; as a result, a large amount of chlorine caused two operators to collapse immediately, and they were only saved after intensive efforts were made. Experience with this issue: during maintenance work, if the supervisor does not have sufficient competence, they should not give arbitrary instructions and must not disrupt the established maintenance plan. 4. The cup-shaped component of the locking nut for the ion membrane cell: During a shutdown for maintenance, the personnel responsible for operating the cell noticed that it could not be opened; they were unsure of what was causing the issue and sought advice from their supervisors. Many supervisors arrived at the scene, but the problem was not resolved. Eventually, it was decided to have a maintenance worker check whether there was a problem with the hydraulic press. A maintenance worker took a look and said, \"How can you pull the plate if you haven’t even loosened the locking nuts in your chain?\\" The lesson from this: there are disadvantages to not having a professional groove cutter.