Chemical Scrubber Piping Replacement

Expert technical assessment, material selection, and supply of PP-RCT at a quartz processing facility in North Carolina

CUSTOMER

Quartz processing plant

LOCATION

Mid-Atlantic (NC)

PRODUCTS USED

PP-RCT

CHALLENGE

The aging PVC piping in the plant’s chemical scrubber system needed to be replaced with an easily installed alternative that could withstand internal/external environments and corrosive media.

SOLUTION

Expert technical assessment, material selection, and supply of PP-RCT.

PRODUCT ADVANTAGES

• Rapid technical and commercial response
• Extensive inventory of corrosion- and weather-resistant pipe and fittings
• Butt fusion joining expertise and equipment
• Equipment training services

PROJECT SUMMARY

At a quartz processing facility in North Carolina, the fume exhaust and scrubber system supporting an acidic process had begun to fail. The pipe—thin-wall PVC ducting, up to 12″ in diameter—had developed leaking joints and material embrittlement, posing hazards to those working inside the plant and the environment immediately outside. The system consisted of hundreds of feet of pipe, both inside and outside the facility.

The plant team contacted Ferguson Industrial for a solution, which our team provided within days of the initial ask. Our product specialist determined that PP-RCT would meet the project’s specifications and contribute additional long-term benefits to the system.

We chose an advanced, thin-wall PP-RCT because of its chemical compatibility to handle the conditions of service, its lightweight for ease of installation and compatibility with existing support infrastructure, and butt fusion joining for maximum joint integrity to limit expansion and contraction.

Because the piping system exists both inside and outside the plant, our product specialist selected a product with a UV inhibitor to reduce the effects of sun and weather on the external portions of the system.

Our team provided samples and demonstrated the joining procedure for the customer to grant them peace of mind regarding its efficacy before they committed to the product.

This solution helped the customer save on material costs for the replacement and will help reduce labor and maintenance for the lifetime of the system.