On August 29, Siemens Industry Inc. said that it has installed Japan's first polypropylene process tanks at Japanese Nippon Steel & Sumikin Stainless Steel Corporation (NSSC), the largest stainless steel provider in Japan.
Accordingly, Siemens designed and installed polypropylene pickling tanks for the No. 1 annealing and pickling line (APL) at NSSC's Hikari Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The order includes two polypropylene pickling tanks with covers, a grinding brush scrubber chamber and spares. A second polypropylene pickling tank for the No. 2 APL will be added at the same location in December 2011.
"By providing equipment made from plastics, like polypropylene, Siemens is able to offer designs that are not easily accomplished with traditional materials," said Tom Fitzpatrick, product manager for Metals Technologies, Siemens Industry, Inc. "The customer sees benefits in the form of lower initial cost, much lower maintenance costs, and reduced labor costs. The total cost of ownership is significantly less with polypropylene tanks than with traditional brick and rubber lined steel tanks."
According to Siemens statement, there are additional environmental advantages to choosing polypropylene tanks over steel tanks. By removing the rubber lining found in steel tanks, the corrosion-resistant polypropylene tanks reduce the risk for acid leakage and fumes, allowing for better control over the acid environment and extended lifecycles.