One of the greatest advantages of FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) composites is versatility. Not only for design – it is one of the designers’ favorite materials – but also for allowing the combination of different types and quantities of raw materials. Brazilian Leader in tanks and special FRP equipment, Tecniplas took advantage of this characteristic and developed equipment for a paper mill whose useful life was extended by 50%.
It is an up flow tower used in the process of bleaching the pulp mass, explains Luís Gustavo Rossi, director of Tecniplas. “The customer operated this type of equipment for a decade. However, in the last five years of use, some structural reforms were necessary, due to the high aggressiveness of the environment”. In addition to working with highly corrosive fluids, the tower operates at 70°C.
With the support of resin manufacturer INEOS Composites, Tecniplas engineering department redid the structural calculations based on the ASME-RTP1 standard and taking into account a wind load of 144 km/h – with a diameter of 2,220 mm, the tower is 42 m in height, with two sections of 21 m each assembled in the field.
