Product Design:

Kemflo offers complete design and engineering services. Our engineering staff will work closely with you to ensure that your plastic random packing is designed in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. KemFlo works with the latest in computer aided design software. KemFlo’s engineering department utilizes both 2D platform as well as the most advanced 3D software such as SolidWorks, Siemens PLD and Pro Engineer. KemFlo’s 31 years of experience in engineering combined with the latest software technology allows us to provide our customers with the best in engineering solutions.

Prototyping:

Kemflo’s 3D printer allows us to build models of your plastic random packing using Soluble Supported Technology. Our engineers can use this tool to evaluate design concepts and test model for from, fit and functionality. Kemflo has the ability to produce quick models which can be used to change, adjust and improve the product. We also offer SLA and SLS prototyping as an alterative to 3D printing. KemFlo offers cost effective machined prototypes as well as low volume production parts for testing before making an investment in tooling.

Mold Design and Mold making:

KemFlo has extensive mold design and mold making experience. This allow us to provide our customers with quality cost effective tooling solutions. Our experience ranges from single cavity low volume production molds to high efficiency multicavity hot runner molds. The knowledge of mold design, resin selection and the experience in product engineering is key to the success of a project. Our tool department can repair, refurbish and modify molds in-house to reduce production down time to a minimum. Adhering to production schedules is an essential part of our customer satisfaction policy.

Production:

Our process knowledge covers a wide range of thermoplastics which is essential in the production of plastic tower packing. We specialize in producing rigid and flexible parts in variety of resins including but not limited to Polypropylene, Polyethylene, CPVC, PVDF (Kynar), Teflon, Tefzel and more. Our production facility features over 20 injection molding machines ranging from 90 to 850 tons.

Quality Assurance:

Kemflo’s quality assurance process starts when a product is first introduced. A review process is conducted whereby the plastic random packing is evaluated for fit, form and function. We have complete testing facilities for product validation and will meet any requirements necessary to meet our customer’s expectations.

KemFlo has been manufacturing injection molded products since 1988 and has developed a reputation for producing some of the highest quality parts in the industry. KemFlo manufactures everything from the simplest plastic injected molded part to some of the most complex plastic products in a wide range of thermoplastic resins in both commodity and specialty resins. KemFlo provides products and services into many different markets and has
accumulated a wealth of experience in materials, design and processes. Some of the markets that kemFlo manufactures products and parts for include industrial, chemical, energy, agricultural, medical, environmental and more.

The key to KemFlo’s success is our focus on seven key functions including product design, prototyping, mold making, production, post molding capabilities assembly capabilities and quality assurance. All functions are important in manufacturing quality products such as KemFlo’s Kempac plastic random packing product line which includes three different styles including the Tri-Pack, Pall Ring and Saddle style packing. Each style of plastic random packing is manufactured in three different sizes.

The overall injection molding process involves three phases product design, mold design and manufacturing. Product design is a very important part of the production process. This is the stage in which costly mistakes are avoided and smart design can produce efficient and cost effective parts. During this stage our engineering staff works with the latest in computer aided design software as well as the most advanced 3D software. This allows KemFlo to provide customers with the bast engineering solution for their requirement. Mold design is extremely
critical to the overall process. The mold or die must be designed specifically for injection mold manufacturing. Molds are commonly made from hardened steel, Aluminum, Copper alloy or other high-end metals. The number of parts required per cycle and the material the part will be made from will determine the mold’s material of construction. After a product or part has been properly designed and the mold is completed, production can begin. Thermoplastic resin in pellet from is fed through a hopper into a heating barrel. The resin is heated to the proper melting temperature and then pressure us used to force the melted resin into the mold. Once the mold is filled it is then cooled before being ejected from the mold resulting is a finished part or product.

An excellent example of this process is KemFlo’s Kempac plastic random packing product line which involves multiple product configurations, sizes and resins. KemFlo manufactures the spherical style or Tri-Pack in three different sizes including 1”, 2” and 3.5”. KemFlo also offers the Tri-Pack in a variety of resins including Polypropylene, Polypropylene with glass, PVC, CPVC, Kynar, Tefzel and many more. The Tri-Pack is constructed of a complex network of ribs, structs and drip rods. It is very important that the Tripack be free from flashing to ensure proper functioning in very critical applications. To ensure there is no flashing the mold must be properly designed and maintained. The same goes for the Pall Ring style tower packing and the Saddle style tower packing which are both manufactured various sizes and resins.

For more information regarding KemFlo products please visit www.kemflocanada.com or visit
www.kempac-packing.com for specific information on plastic random packing products.

Packed-bed scrubbers consist of a chamber containing plastic random packing material, such as KemFlo’s Kempac plastic tower packing (Tripack, Pall Ring or Plastic Saddle), that provide a large surface area for liquid-particle contact. The packing is held in place by a bed limiter and supported by a packing support. Scrubbing liquid is evenly introduced through a liquid distributor located above the packing and flows down through the plastic scrubber packing. The liquid coats the plastic tower packing and establishes a thin film. The pollutant to be absorbed must be soluble in the fluid.

In packed-bed scrubbers, the gas stream flows up the chamber (countercurrent to the liquid). Some packed beds are designed horizontally for gas flow across the packing (crosscurrent). Physical absorption depends on properties of the gas stream and liquid solvent, such as density and viscosity, as well as specific characteristics of the pollutant(s) in the gas and the liquid stream. These properties are temperature dependent, and lower temperatures generally favor absorption of gases by the solvent. Chemical absorption may be limited by the rate of reaction. Water is the most common solvent used to remove inorganic contaminants. Pollutant removal may be enhanced by manipulating the chemistry of the absorbing solution so that it reacts with the pollutant. Caustic solution (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) is the most common scrubbing liquid used for acid-gas control (e.g., HCl, SO2, or both), though sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and calcium hydroxide (slaked lime, Ca[OH]2) are also used.

VOC Control:

Absorption is a commonly applied operation in chemical processing. It is used as a raw material and/or a product recovery technique in separation and purification of gaseous streams containing high concentrations of organics (e.g., in natural gas purification and coke by-product recovery operations). In absorption, the organics in the gas stream are dissolved in a liquid solvent. The contact between the absorbing liquid and the vent gas is accomplished in counter current spray towers, scrubbers, or packed columns. The use of absorption as the primary control technique for organic vapors is subject to several limiting factors. One factor is the availability of a suitable solvent. The VOC must be soluble in the absorbing liquid and even then, for any given absorbent liquid, only VOC that are soluble can be removed. Some common solvents that may be useful for volatile organics include water, mineral oils, or other nonvolatile petroleum oils. Water is used to absorb VOC having relatively high water solubilities. Amphiphilic block copolymers added to water can make hydrophobic VOC dissolve in water. Other solvents such as hydrocarbon oils are used for VOC that have low water solubilities, though only in industries where large volumes of these oils are available (e.g., petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants). Another consideration in the application of absorption as a control technique is the treatment or disposal of the material removed from the absorber. In most cases, the scrubbing liquid containing the VOC is regenerated in an operation known as stripping, in which the VOC is desorbed from the absorbent liquid, typically at elevated temperatures and/or under vacuum. The VOC is then recovered as a liquid by a condenser.

PM Control:

In packed-bed scrubbers, the gas stream is forced to follow a circuitous path through the plastic tower packing material, on which much of the PM impacts. The liquid on the plastic tower packing collects the PM and flows down the chamber towards the drain at the bottom of the tower. A mist eliminator is typically positioned above the packing and scrubbing liquid supply. Any scrubbing liquid and wetted PM entrained in the exiting gas stream will be removed by the mist eliminator and returned to drain through the plastic random packing.

Advantages:

Advantages of packed-bed towers include:

1. Relatively low pressure drop;
2. Capable of achieving relatively high mass-transfer efficiencies;
3. The height and/or type of packing can be changed to improve mass transfer without purchasing new equipment;
4. Relatively low capital cost;
5. Relatively small space requirements; and
6. Ability to collect PM as well as gases.

Wet scrubbers generate waste in the form of a slurry. This creates the need for both wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal. Initially, the slurry is treated to separate the solid waste from the water. The treated water can then be reused or discharged. Once the water is removed, the remaining waste will be in the form of a solid or sludge. If the solid waste is nontoxic, it can generally be landfilled. Hazardous wastes will have more stringent procedures for disposal. In some cases, the solid waste may have value and can be sold or recycled. For more information on Kempac plastic random packing please visit our website at www.kempac-packing.com.

Kempac’s Pall Ring tower packing is a very versatile plastic random packing that had proven to be an excellent option for many applications.  While Pall Ring tower packing has been in use for many years, Kemflo has made adjustments to their version of the Pall Ring over the years, making it more efficient and more durable.  KemFlo achieved this by improving its surface area to void space ratio and by increasing the wall thickness. KemFlo’s Pall Ring is designed specifically to maintain even liquid water distribution.  The interior struts provide significant surface area for gas and liquid contact which is essential for mass transfer.  The robust struts also provide strong support for the outer ring.  

One of the more common applications where Pall Ring tower packing is commonly used is in air scrubbers.  An air scrubber is basically a filtration system which removes particles, gases and chemicals from the air within the system or unit. These systems draw air in and pass it through a series of stages within the unit. The unit may be a vertical or horizontal column and include various stages in addition to the plastic random packing such as liquid distributors, random packing support grids, random packing hold down grids, gas feed pipes and mist eliminators. The Pall Ring helps to maximize vapor and liquid contact in an air scrubber, maximizing the system’s overall efficiency. The pall ring helps to spread the surface area uniformly which helps to improve gas liquid contact.  The Pall Ring has superior spread of surface area compared to many other types and styles of plastic random packing. 

Pall Ring tower packing is also commonly utilized in biological applications such as trickling filters.  Trickling filters are basically a water treatment system that utilizes microorganisms attached to plastic random packing or some other media to remove organic matter from wastewater that passes through it. The Pall Ring style packing provides an excellent combination of surface area for the microorganisms to attach to and open area which allows the flow of oxygen and liquid required to keep the microorganisms alive and healthy.  

Air Stripping is another application where Pall Ring tower packing is often used due to its design and durability.  In air stripping is the process of using air to remove contaminates from groundwater.  Contaminated water is pumped through the top of a column and sprayed over plastic random packing such as the pall ring.  The water trickles down through the open are of the packing while are is blown into the bottom of the column. The plastic tower packing provides an area for the air and wastewater to mix thus facilitating the rate of evaporation.  Air is collected at the top of the column where it can be tested and treated. Other common application for the Pall Ring may include absorption, distillation, extraction, humidification, dehumidification and de-aerating.    

KemFlo manufactured the Pall Ring in 1”, 2” and 3.5” sizes and is available in a variety of resins including polypropylene, polyethylene, PVC, CPVC, PVDF and more.  In addition to Pall Ring tower packing Kemflo also manufactures a Plastic Ring random packing and a Tri-Pack plastic random plastic packing.  For more information on Kempac’s plastic random packing products please visit our website at www.kempac-packing.com.

Corrosion is one of the most challenging and costly issues seen across all markets worldwide. Billions of dollars are spent dealing with the effects and in the prevention of corrosion. Engineers are tasked with the job of designing in such a way that minimizes the effects of corrosion. Luckily there are many high performance materials and systems for engineers to utilize in their efforts to combat the effects of corrosion. Cost and material availability must be weighed against long term performance of a system. Air pollution control engineers must consider the following design criteria when designing wet scrubbing equipment:king.com.

1. Technical performance: Does the unit consistently meet the specified air cleaning efficiency?
2. Reliability: What are its weaknesses and how can we protect against damage or failure?
3. Outage: How much of an outage can be tolerated without loss and how quickly can the unit be repaired or replaced?
4. Cost: What is the most cost effective system? Every air scrubber application must be analyzed carefully and technical performance standards must be met.

In many cases today, a whole plant may be forced to shut down if an air pollution control device fails. The engineer selecting an air control device has to make a judgement on how much corrosion can be tolerated and how much of a problem the operator will have in restoring normal operations when corrosion becomes intolerable. Corrosion in a wet scrubber can cause the plastic random packing to become brittle, weaken internals, erode the column shell and damage monitoring equipment. Since we are usually collecting potentially corrosive substances with a wet scrubber, we must be especially careful about the application and selection of materials.

There are many different highly corrosion resistant metals and plastics to consider when selecting materials of construction for a system. These higher performing materials can extend the life of a system but also be very expensive. This trade-off between cost and reliability may cause problems and may lead to a full scale economic analysis to show exactly what is gained from the extra investment in corrosion resistance materials.

Engineers must address several essential questions regarding wet scrubbers and corrosion. First, What affect will corrosive compounds in the scrubbing liquid have on the system and what must be done to assure reliability of service? Secondly, Will the pH of the liquid stabilize at an acceptable point or will it continually drop if nothing is don to correct it? And lastly, Can the liquid be treated with chemicals for removal of devolved gases or can the particulate mater be filtered out? The answers to these questions will have to be found for each scrubber and be incorporated in the design. In effect, all of the components of the system including the piping, pumps, tanks, instrumentation, plastic random packing and internals must be designed for the intended service.

In order to address their customer’s concerns regarding their wet scrubbers and corrosion, KemFlo offers their plastic random packing in a variety of high performance resins. Kemflo’s Tripacks, Pall Rings and Plastic Saddles are offered in Polypropylene, Polypropylene NSF, Polypropylene Glass Filled, Polyvinylchloride PVC, CPVC, Kynar PVDF, Tefzel ETFE, Teflon PFA, and Halar resins. For more information please visit www.kempac-packing.com.

Some of the most critical maintenance issues regarding air scrubbers and air strippers are scaling, fouling and disinfection. Scaling is the precipitation and deposition of water-insoluble salts on to column internals and plastic tower packing. Fouling is the formation of deposits other than salts and which may be due to corrosion or biological growth. Disinfection is required if the water is required to be potable or safe for human consumption. It is important that these potential issues are addressed an any maintenance program to help ensure optimal performance from your system.

Scaling can be one of the more complicated maintenance issues to deal with and requires constant attention. In order to prevent scaling the water pH must be adjusted by adding strong acids and bases to prevent salts from building up. It should be noted that the geometry or configuration of plastic random packing has little or no affect in regards to scaling. The rate of scale build-up on column internals is directly related to the water quality. Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulfide are two of the most common water contaminates which require that the water pH be adjusted so that effective air stripping and scrubbing can occur. Ammonia is a weak base while Hydrogen is a weak acid. The hardness and pH of the water must be maintained to prevent scaling problems due to water contaminates such as Ammonia and Hydrogen sulfide.

A maintenance program which includes regular evaluation of the water quality in an air stripping or scrubbing column is the best way to avoid costly shutdowns, repairs or replacements. A proper maintenance and cleaning program should be implemented, which may include acid or caustic washing of the plastic tower packing and internals. Scaling in a column can develop on plastic random packing and other internals like liquid distributors, redistributors, bed limiters or packing supports, requiring these products to be changed out for new ones. Scaling also affects the overall efficiency of a system by restricting flow and reducing liquid gas contact.

Disinfection refers to the elimination of microorganisms typically found in drinking water sources. Some of the more common microorganisms found in drinking water sources include Cryptosporidium, Giardia Lamblia and Legionella. The most common forms of disinfection include chlorination and ozonation which kill organisms by oxidation. UV or Ultraviolet disinfection, which kills organisms with ultraviolet radiation is also fairly common. Chlorination is by far the most common disinfectant in the United States of America. Ozonation is more commonly utilized in Europe.

The importance of developing a proper maintenance plan before an air stripper or scrubber goes into service can not be overstated. Protect the investment you made in your column by reducing or eliminating the affects that scaling and fouling has on plastic tower packing and internals.