Ceramic Packing and Internals

for AcidicApplications

Saint-Gobain NorPro is a globalleader in the production ofceramic products for masstransfer and heat transferapplications. Our technicalaccomplishments in developingmaterials and products forimproved performance havemirrored the industry’s mostimportant advances for morethan 40 years. Saint-GobainNorPro continues to lead theindustry in delivering standardand custom materials andshapes for acidic applications.

WavePak™ ceramic packing is an example of Saint-Gobain NorPro’s abilityto engineer new products for specific acidic processing applications.WavePak® packing was developed and patented by Saint-Gobain NorProand is marketed exclusively by Monsanto Enviro-Chem Systems.

Saint-Gobain NorPro’s advanced ceramic technology is the result ofdecades of experience developing products and materials, combined withour access to the vast resources of our parent company, Compagnie deSaint-Gobain. This level of expertise makes us uniquely qualified to pro-vide quality standard products as well as custom products for particularlydifficult or unusual applications. Ask us about product development part-nerships and custom-engineered solutions. No matter what your applica-tion or where you are located, you will find us an exceptional resource.

Advanced Ceramic Technology

Proware Chemical CeramicSaint-Gobain NorPro’s Proware™chemical ceramic material ismechanically stronger, less porousand considerably more chemicalresistant than the typical chemicalstoneware on the market. A silica-alumina body derived from refinedclays and other minerals, this tight-ly controlled material is muchsmoother, more finely-grained and vitreous than typicalstoneware and is virtually iron-free.Proware chemical ceramic resistsall alkalis, solvents and acids, withthe exception of hydrofluoric acid.It maintains its integrity in solu-tions of 10% sodium hydroxide upto (50°c) and 1% sodium hydroxideup to (93°c). Proware chemicalceramic is the standard materialfor all of NorPro™ packing productsfor acidic applications.

Aludur® 11 Ceramic Saint-Gobain NorPro developed itsAludur® 11 ceramic material to pro-vide the added strength necessaryfor large shapes, such as grid barsand support plates. This material isapproximately three timesstronger than Proware chemicalceramic, and it provides equal orbetter corrosion resistance. Like ourProware material, Aludur® 11ceramic resists all alkalis, solventsand acids, except hydrofluoric acid.It maintains its integrity in solu-tions of 10% sodium hydroxide upto (50°c) and 1% sodium hydroxideup to (93°c). Aludur® 11 ceramic ishighly resistant to thermal shock,which is an important characteris-tic of large, monouthic ceramicparts, such as support plates.

Other Available MaterialsCarbonFor processes where ceramic pack-ing is not viable, Saint-GobainNorPro offers carbon Raschig rings.

Chemical Resistance (%

weight loss)

NorPro 43 – 73 ASTM C-279 (mod.)

PHYSICAL DATATypical Materials Comparison

Material

Water Absorption (weight % open porosity

)

NorPro 17 – 72 ASTM 373

Leachable Iron (weight %

iron)

NorPro 87 – 83

Proware™ChemicalCeramic

<4.0%

<0.4%

<0.01%

Aludur® 11Ceramic

<3.0%

<0.4%

<0.005%

Two Basic FormulationsIn addition to custom-formulatingmaterial compositions to meetspecific process requirements,Saint-Gobain NorPro offers twostandard materials for optimumdurability and chemical resistancein most corrosive applications.

The beam construction of theModel 4808 and Model 4908gas-injection support platesdelivers the ultimate ceramicplate performance. The continu-ous beam-type risers increasegas and liquid handling capaci-ty while providing more thanfour times greater load-bearingcapacity than ceramic plateswith cylindrical gas risers. Inaddition, the uniform wall thick-ness and sectional design pro-vide exceptional thermal shockresistance. Standard supportplates can be used with liquidrates up to 50 gpm/ft2.

Saint-Gobain NorPro suppliesthe Model 4808 support platefor towers up to 48 inches(1219mm) in diameter. Forgreater tower diameters, Saint-Gobain NorPro offers the Model4908 support plate with beamsup to 72 inches (1829mm). Themodular design of the Model4908 is ideal for towers withcross sections greater than 72 in. (1829 mm), which requirethe use of mid-span supports.

Model 4808 Aludur® 11 Multi-beam Support PlateFor towers 6 in. – 48 in. ID (152mm - 1219mm)

Model 4908 Aludur® 11 Multi-beam Support PlateFor towers 48 in. ID and greater (1219mm and greater)

Support Plates

NorPro Aludur® 11 grid bars areideal for use as primary supports in sulfuric acid absorbers, driers,coolers and other highly corrosiveapplications in large-diameter towers. The Aludur® 11 ceramicoffers excellent chemical resistanceat temperatures well beyond thelimits of high-quality Prowarechemical ceramic. However, Aludur11 grid bars should not be used in systems where they will beexposed to superheated steam for an extended period of time.

Saint-Gobain NorPro generallydesigns its grid bar supports forinstallation on 6 in. (150mm) centers for use with 6 in. rings oron 8 in. (200mm) centers for usewith 8 in. grid block. Saint-GobainNorPro also custom-designs systems to meet specific center-to-center spacing requirements.Individual grid bars are provided upto 84 in. (2134mm) in length.Towers with diameters greaterthan 84 in. (2134mm) are accom-modated through the use ofmidspan supports.

Grid bars work equally well withstacked or dumped packing. Whenused with dumped packing, Saint-Gobain NorPro recommends a secondary layer of grid blocks orcross partition rings on top of the primary grid bar supports.

NorPro™ Aludur 11 grid bar supports have three to four times greatermechanical strength than the best chemical porcelain, stoneware, orrefractory material. The exceptional strength of Aludur 11 ceramicmakes possible designs with greater center-to-center spacing.

Open Area Comparison

Higher open area means lower pressure drop or greater hydraulic capacity.

The square stacking pattern provides 62% open area. Secondary support ele-ments that are not stacked in a square pattern have less than 62% open area.

Model 4817 Grid Bar Supportsfor Stacked and DumpedPackings

Model 4817 grid bars Model 4817 grid barson 8-in.(200mm) on 6-in.(150mm) Competitor Dome

spacing spacing % open area of support 83% 77% 58-62%Type of stacked 8 in. Saint-Gobain 6 in. cross partition rings 6 in. cross partition ringselements on support NorPro grid block% open at support/stack

59% 48% <37%(1)element interface% open area at elementthat supports random 72% 62% <62%(1)

packingMinimum size packing

2 in.(50mm) saddles 3 in.(75mm) saddles 3 in.(75mm) saddlesretainedPotential capacity

60% 30% –increase vs. dome

8 in. high bars at 6 in. centers 26.6 lbs/ft2 130 kg/m2

8 in. high bars at 8 in. centers 20.0 lbs/ft2 98 kg/m2

10 in. high bars at 6 in. centers 33.2 lbs/ft2 162 kg/m2

10 in. high bars at 8 in. centers 25.0 lbs/ft2 122 kg/m2

Grid BlocksA secondary support system usingNorPro grid blocks provides greaterfree space than a system usingcross partition rings: Grid barsplaced on 8 in. (200 mm) centerswith NorPro grid blocks on tophave 15 percent more free spacethan the conventional system ofbars on 6 in. (150 mm) centers withcross partition rings. Such a systemalso requires 33 percent fewer gridbars and 25 percent less secondarysupport media. Thus, grid blockssave material and shipping costs aswell as installation time.

Saint-Gobain NorPro manufacturesits grid blocks in high-gradeProware chemical ceramic materi-al. Each block weighs 6.1 pounds(2.77kg) and is 3-1/2 in.(89mm)high. When installed atop a gridbar support system with 8 in. cen-ters, the blocks occupy an area ofapproximately 8 in. by 5-3/4in.(203mm by 146mm). To deter-mine the quantity of grid blocksrequired, multiply the tower cross-sectional area by 3.13. Generally,Saint-Gobain NorPro specifies a 5 – 8% overage for cutting at thetower wall.

Cross Partition RingsSaint-Gobain NorPro cross parti-tion rings are available in Prowarematerial. When using 6 in.(150mm)rings as a secondary support, a sec-ond layer of 4-in.(100mm) rings isnecessary to retain 2-in.(50mm)saddles.

Secondary Supports Systems

Brick Lining Steel Shell

8 in. (200 mm) Grid Block

Bar Length V in. TYP

Grid BarSupport Plate

MidspanSupport

If Required

BrickSupport

Ledge

Installation and DesignInformationDuring installation, blocks shouldbe placed between adjacent gridbars where they rest on the sup-port ledge and midspan supports.The blocks provide stability for thebars and will prevent the bars fromtipping over when installing secondary support systems.A minimum 1/2 in. (13mm) clear-ance between abutting bars andbetween the bars and tower wall isimperative to allow for unrestrictedthermal expansion. The tables(right) list the load limits for gridbars on 8-in. (200mm) centers.

Model 4817 Grid Bar SupportsAllowable Load with 8 in. Centers

Model 4817 Grid Bar SupportsAllowable Load with 200mm Centers

lb/ft2 at < 300˚ F lb/ft2 at > 300˚ FBar Height Bar Height Bar Height Bar Height

Bar Length (in.) 8 in. 10 in. 8 in. 10 in.30 1500 1500 1000 100036 1500 1500 1000 100042 1500 1500 1000 100048 1310 1500 875 100054 1035 1500 690 100060 838 1297 560 86566 693 1072 460 71572 582 900 390 60078 496 767 330 51084 428 662 285 440

Kg/m2 at < 150˚ C Kg/m2 at > 150˚ CBar Height Bar Height Bar Height Bar Height

Bar Length (mm) 200mm 254mm 200mm 254mm762 7324 7324 4882 4882914 7324 7324 4882 48821067 7324 7324 4882 48821219 6396 7324 4272 48821372 5053 7324 3369 48821524 4091 6338 2734 42231676 3384 5234 2246 34911829 2842 43940 1904 29291981 2422 3745 1611 24902134 2090 3232 1391 2148

Saint-Gobain NorPro provides a complete range of random packings, available in highly acid-resistant Proware chemicalceramic.

Norton SaddlesNorton saddles are the mass trans-fer industry’s packing of choice forreliable, corrosion-resistant per-formance. Available in sizes from Win. (6mm) to 3 in. (75mm), NorPro’sNorton saddles provide approxi-mately 56% greater capacity thanRaschig rings.

Norton Super SaddlesFor optimal performance, theNorton Super saddle provides better liquid/gas contact and lowerpressure drop than comparablysized standard saddle. The product features a unique scal-loped edge that permits maximumusable area for liquid/gas contactand minimal resistance to flowthrough the column. The NorProNo. 2 Super saddle provides from5% to 30% greater mass transferefficiency than the correspondingsize of standard saddles, alongwith approximately 25% lowerpressure drop.

Carbon Raschig RingsSaint-Gobain NorPro offers carbonRaschig rings for processes whereceramic packing is not viable.

Packings for Acidic Applications

Snowflake® heat transfer media For reliable low pressure drop performance, Snowflake media are available in a range of sizes and materials for use in RTOs andother high-temperature heat trans-fer applications.

Denstone® catalystbed support mediaThe NorPro Denstone line offersthe industry’s broadest selection ofstandard and specially-formulatedcatalyst bed support media forrefining and petrochemical appli-cations. Request brochure DEN-3.

MacroTrap® guard bed mediaThis innovative product effectivelyfilters particulates from refineryfeed stock, protecting the catalystbed from fouling and subsequentpressure drop build-up. Requestbrochure GB-1.

Catalyst carriersSaint-Gobain NorPro custom-tailors the size, shape, porosity andsurface area of catalyst carriers tomeet your specific process require-ments. Request brochure CAT-3.

Installation ServicesSaint-Gobain NorPro has partneredwith VIP International, a leadingNorth American company in theremoval and installation of ceramicmedia in regenerative thermal oxi-dizers. With knowledge, expertiseand equipment second to none inthe industry, VIP International’shighly-specialized crews executerepairs in a fraction of the time ofgeneral maintenance groups,resulting in reduced downtime,faster return to production, andthus improved profitability.

Additional Ceramic Products

Pre-QualificationSaint-Gobain NorPro qualifies rawmaterials well in advance of manu-facturing. Extensive testing of coresamples from the mine site identi-fies specific areas of prime reservesto ensure a consistent supply farinto the future. Standard rawmaterial tests are conducted by thesupplier and in our laboratories aswell to confirm data accuracy.

Lot QualificationOur pre-qualification proceduresensure that only prime miningsites are tapped; but we don’tstop there. Each shipment of rawmaterial must pass additional testsprior to acceptance at our manu-facturing facilities.

Blend QualificationSaint-Gobain NorPro assures a con-sistently high-quality product, evenwhen our testing reveals subtlechanges in raw material composi-tion. Saint-Gobain NorPro’s experi-ence in linking material character-istics to the final product enablesus to fine-tune the blend at thefront end to ensure a consistentlyhigh-quality ceramic product.

Size and material uniformity characterize the NorPro saddles (left),which are compared to competitors’ product.

Process Control: Saint-Gobain NorPro’s Assurance of Quality

Saint-Gobain NorPro’s adherence to strict process and material control is evident in the uniform size and shape of NorPro saddlesand NorPro Super saddles. Our product consistency ensures thatNorPro packings maintain the free space necessary for reliable,low-pressure drop performance and strength for long service life.

Process ChecksSaint-Gobain NorPro’s ISO certifica-tion assures that documented pro-cedures are followed at every stageof the manufacturing cycle toguarantee consistent quality.

• Mixing

• Forming

•Drying

• Firing

• Screening

• Packaging

• Shipping

Finished Product TestsSaint-Gobain NorPro inspects the following characteristics of all finished products to furtherguarantee optimal quality:

• Strength

• Size

• Shape

• Chemical composition

• Porosity

• Chemical resistance

A copy of Saint-Gobain NorPro’sdocumented test methods can beprovided upon request.

Saint-Gobain NorPro worldwideheadquarters, sales offices andmanufacturing facilities are certified for ISO 9001:1994 and DIN EN ISO 9002,8.94.Certifications are available uponrequest with any shipment.

Saint-Gobain NorPro CorporationP. O. Box 350Akron, OH 44309-0350Tel: (330) 673-5860Fax: (330) 677-7245www.norpro.saint-gobain.com

The information herein does not constitute a guarantee or warranty.The Saint-Gobain NorPro Corporation warranty is set forth in its stan-dard terms and conditions, which govern sales of Saint-Gobain NorProproducts. The standard terms are set forth on Saint-Gobain NorPro quo-tations and acknowledgements and are also available on request.

© 2002 Saint-Gobain NorPro Corporation 01/02 CPIAA-1

Saint-Gobain NorPro GmbHAm BahnhofD-56414 SteinefrenzGermanyTel: +49 6435 9657 0Fax: +49 6435 9657 19