Acidity Optimization to Increase Manufacturing Capacity

 

Production capacity is increased by optimizaiton of alkali addition to production process and assure the effectiveness of the process is maintained. 

 

Objective 

In factories, in the course of plenty of months it had not been surprising to encounter different binder resins, due to product variation at the same production line.As some of process experts and quality responsible in factories, which mixes different types of resins process waters without consultancy, and some precipitation might occur which might grow and create serious problems. Some of the sites has already hold on production facilities due to blockages of precipitate and waiting for solution to be created.

This binder has an impact on pH of process. Although, it is possible to produce end product with different binder separately, it is difficult to avoid mixing of Process water due to process designs and due to the removal cost of process water out of plant which leads recycling. In compatibility project, the chemical and physical compatibility of acidic binder with alkali binder have already been captured and reported in detail. It is concluded that to avoid working in acid pH and precipitation; X.X% of process water can be re-circulated into alkali binder. We already understood the chemical and physical phenomena and compatibility of three types of resins. That moment was the time to utilize this knowledge.

As I heard the concerns regarding resins, I was offered this exciting and big project. The amount of mixing ratios was clear from previous compatibility project. And the healthy Ph range was neutral range, whereas current market demand was far above the production capacity due to acidic domination in the process of B product. However, increasing production of B is possible only by increasing the production time. Increasing production time means increasing process water generation, which leads pH to drop below pH 7 in PW flow. (This characteristic of acidic PW stems from acidic pH of B resin). That can be done by an alkaline solution. To realize that influence to process like corrosion and Ph change must be analyzed. 

 

 

Work Done

Titration experiment performed in R&D lab.Tests have been performed along time to check evolution. Effects of alkali addition to end product specifications were investigated by measuring essential characteristics of both products. Production trials were made in accordance with EN 823 and EN 12939 CE standards. 

 

In the project, titration experiments have been done to understand compatibility of alternative resins, current resin and alkali additives. All the experiment is created using design of experiment (DOE) tool of lean six sigma. The root cause was found after the experiment. The mixture plot were drawn and visually explained. In data management, the given data like pH, conductivity, viscosity and other specs of the mixed elements were written in columns, and the outcome observation such as split phase, compatibility, color change and time of observation were recorded for each mixture.

 

 

Conclusion

Alkali can be used as neutralizing agent for process water and all types of resins unless reaching to high alkali region.

Alkali added PW mixture could be used in both types of production, as end product quality is not influenced. (Hypothesis testing, 2-t test)

It is recommended that; Alkali xx% concentration, consumption rate should be between X-Y liter/hour to keep pH at neutral range. 

Shock alkali addition should be avoided due to risk of boosting up temperature. 

 

Thanks to this project, the factories that have limited capacity to produce product B would enlarge its capacity. When it was considered that product B pricing is much higher than product A, it is value-creating project. The value addition prediction of this project is around 2 million Euros by creating capacity for exclusive non-FA product.

The project report is delivered in category of sustainable projects and distributed to all sites and production planning responsible and process engineers trained for chemical natural limitations of planning. Thanks to the project, marketing department had got ability to reach sufficient product supply fulfilling demand from customers.