TPT May 2016

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56 May 2016
T E CHNOLOG Y
Removing hydrofluoric acid
from the pickling process
staRtED in 2014 and part-funded by
the EU, through the LIFE programme,
the three-year project HFreelifepickling
aims to eliminate the use of hydrofluoric
acid in the pickling process used to
make corrosion-resistant large tubes
for building pipes for the oil and gas
sector.
The companies that have promoted
and developed the project are Rivit,
an Italian manufacturer of pipes and
fittings in stainless steel and special
alloys, and Henkel, a German chemical
multinational, together with a public
body – the Province of Vicenza – whose
main task is verifying performance with
respect to environmental impact and
health of workers.
thefirstphasehasparticularlyinvolved
the Italian laboratories of Henkel in the
province of Milan. For around a year,
the chemical company has researched
a new electrolytic solution that would
allow effective pickling without the use of
hydrofluoric acid – a component almost
always present in the treatment system
of this class of materials. A problem
that presented itself initially was linked
to an early ageing of the solution, with
the consequent increase of waste
for the replacement of the tank and
the production of sludge for disposal.
The quantity of sludge, following the
improvement of the procedure, became
comparable to that obtained using the
traditional process. Thanks to these
initial studies, the use of hydrofluoric
acid in the pickling process has been
eliminated, and on a laboratory scale,
the process also recorded a decrease in
working time of 70 per cent.
Following a successful test phase,
the project continued with the pilot
phase. In October 2015 Rivit proceeded
with the construction of a mini-plant
for testing, in order to verify the new
process and the electrolytic solution on
non-flat samples, taking into account
the geometric factor, which could cause
problems of electrical fields tangential
to the surface, and their response on
different families of alloys.
The small plant has allowed a more
accurate estimate of the effectiveness
of the treatment on the tubular geometry
and the powers in play.
As a result of these tests, the
partners obtained the fundamental
measurements in order to minimise
the energy consumption and to study
the best design for maximising the
production capacity of the pilot plant that
will be built by the end of 2016.
HFreelifepickling will end in mid-2017.
The main innovation of the project will
favour a lower environmental impact
on a large scale. It will ensure greater
safety for operators employed in pickling
departments, and a reduction in working
time of 70 per cent.
HFreelifepickling – Italy
Website:
Rivit SpA – Italy
Email:
Website:
Henkel AG & Co KGaA – Germany
Website:
Henkel, Rivit, Province of Vicenza and European Union representatives at the
Henkel headquarters in Milan, in October 2015
The mini-plant for testing the new pickling
process without the use of hydrofluoric acid
New friction saw blade
SW Wil, Switzerland, which specialises
in sawing and cutting techniques, has
introduced a new worldwide standard by
developing a friction saw blade called
SwissCut HR®.
Based on a CrV tool steel and using
a special thermo-chemical treatment,
SW Wil engineers succeeded in
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comparison to standard friction saw
blades, exhibits a number of substantial
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These include up to 300 per cent higher
cutting tool life compared to standard
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resulting in a remarkable reduction of
crack formation in the blades depending
on the ductile material structure caused
by residual stresses, increased cutting
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welding lines owing to higher cutting
performance.
SwissCut HR® friction saw blades are
offered in dimensions from Ø350mm to
Ø1,800mm.
SW Wil Werkzeug- und
Maschinenhandel AG – Switzerland
Email:
Website: