MAX HT

Eliminates Sodalite
Scale Accumulation in
Alumina Refineries

Think of the
possibilities...

Reversible

r*

Irreversible

Background
The problem of sodalite scale in Bayer Process
alumina production is well recognized and
documented. When caustic liquor is heated in digester
heaters, dissolved silica reacts with the caustic and
alumina to form sodalite, which precipitates as scale
on the hot surfaces of the heater. As scale develops in
processing equipment, the heating surfaces become
less thermally conductive, resulting in lower heating
efficiency, or Heat Transfer Coefficient. Heat
Transfer Coefficient decays continuously over time
with the accumulation of sodalite scale. This, in
turn, reduces evaporation and flow. The end result
for refineries is loss of caustic and alumina, increased
energy consumption and higher maintenance costs, all
of which leads to lower production rates and higher
production costs.
Up until now, the alumina industry has been forced
to deal with this ever-present problem by removing
scale after it has accumulated, which is a costly and
time-consuming proposition.
Heat Transfer Coefficient

Heat Transfer
Coefficient
decay curve of
a normal heat
exchanger,
without use
of MAX HT
sodalite scale
inhibitor.

MAX HT Sodalite
Soluble Ions

Embryos or
Micronuclei

r < r*

Simply put, MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor

helps alumina refineries realize increased operating
efficiencies and significant cost savings by rendering
the once ubiquitous problem of sodalite scale into a
distant memory. Consider the additional benefits:
- reduce energy consumption
- lower costs for sulfuric acid to clean
equipment
- eliminate the danger associated with having
plant personnel manually clean equipment
- eliminate downtime required for cleaning
MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor is designed to
help free refineries from operational constraints, and
solve a problem which the industry currently spends
significant time, manpower and expenses correcting.

How Does It Work?

Cytecs Answer Emphasizes
Prevention over Correction
Cytecs revolutionary new solution MAX HT
sodalite scale inhibitor tackles scale through an
entirely different approach: by preventing it from
forming. MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor completely
eliminates sodalite scale accumulation in liquor heat
exchangers and inter-stage piping. In so doing, it
achieves the following:
- enables plants to maintain Heat Transfer
Coefficient and, thus, efficiency in heat exchangers
- precludes the need to inject steam directly
into liquor heaters or digesters
- makes acid cleaning of heat exchangers
unnecessary

Very simply, if solid sodalite is not present in the

liquor, then scale cannot form. Our challenge was
to find a product that would prevent solid sodalite
from forming. The hypothesis that precipitation is
reversible if the nuclei do not grow to a critical size
became the foundation of our efforts. MAX HT
sodalite scale inhibitor works by having inhibitors
attach to embryos, or micronuclei, to stop them
from growing into nuclei, thereby reversing the
precipitation process. This prevents solid particles
from ever forming.

to low digest temperatures. Higher average liquor

flows will therefore be maintained, which results
in increased production.
Higher liquor-to-digester temperatures reduces
the need to inject steam directly into the
digesters. This results in:

Scale Inhibitor
Nuclei

r = r*

Scale Particles

r > r*

Benefits to the Customer

MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor brings a host of
far-reaching benefits to alumina refineries.
In the Evaporators:
Higher Heat Transfer Coefficient promotes
higher levels of evaporation. Depending on the
economic balance between caustic and energy
costs, plants may choose to either:
- run higher mud wash flows, thereby
reducing soda loss (caustic savings) or
- reduce the number of evaporators in service,
thus reducing energy consumption
Improved flashing results in lower live steam
demand for the same evaporation rate, thereby
improving evaporator economy.
Eliminates acid cleaning/maintenance of sodalite
scale accumulation. As a result, there is no
need to change tubes that would otherwise be
subjected to acid corrosion.
In the Digesters:
Increased flashing and evaporation results in
the ability to run higher mud wash water flows,
which reduces soda losses.
Higher liquor temperature in vapor heaters
reduces live steam demand in live steam heaters.
With cleaner live steam heaters, it is possible to
achieve higher liquor-to-digester temperatures.
Plants no longer need to reduce liquor flows due

- Reduction in extraneous dilution

hence, higher mud wash and improved
soda recovery.
- Reduction in energy consumption
condensate associated with steam
injected into the live steam heater can be
recovered and returned to the power
house as boiler feed make-up water
(instead of being fed into the digester).
The temperature of the make-up water
will now be at ~90C, versus ambient
~20-30C.
The chemical treatment required for this
quantity of fresh make-up water is also
reduced.
In many plants, as scale accumulates in the live
steam heaters, the steam valves to these heaters
open wider. This results in higher shell side
pressures and, ultimately, higher condensate
temperatures. As the condensate temperatures
increase, more flashing occurs and significant
energy is lost. MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor
eliminates this.

When applied to the

evaporator feed, MAX
HT sodalite scale
inhibitor has been
proven effective
in the evaporators
and is still beneficial
in the digester
liquor heaters.

High temperature plants that operate a direct

injection live steam heater can convert this to an
indirect heater, thereby saving energy (condensate
returned to power house) and soda (elimination
of extraneous dilution).
Heat Transfer Coefficient

Heat Transfer
Coefficient decay
curve of a heater
run with MAX
HT sodalite scale
inhibitor.

Bauxite Quality/Mining:

Injection
Point

Dosing pump
to booster pump
suctions

Extensive field and

laboratory testing
has revealed no
negative effects on:
predesilication,
digestion, extraction
efficiency, desilication,
mud settling,
hydrate precipitation,
yield, PSD, product
quality, oxalate
precipitation, and
head gases from high
temperature plants.
In addition, the product
causes no interference
with other process
chemicals such as
crystal growth
modifiers and defoamers.

Evaporation rates
Liquor-to-digester flows

In certain cases, the silica content of bauxite

is critical for the protection of heaters and
inter-stage piping. However, with the use
of MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor, this
becomes less of a concern (assuming product
silica specification is not jeopardized). As a
result, refineries may relax bauxite blending
and mining programs to achieve acceptable
silica levels for proper desilication.

Digest temperatures
Digester blow-off temperatures
(impact on thickener operations)

Extensive Testing Bears

out Product Efficacy
MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor has undergone
exhaustive pilot and plant testing, which has
demonstrated the value of the product under
actual production conditions. Dosages as low
as 20 ppm have proven effective, though actual
dosages depend upon equipment configuration
and composition of bauxite.

Pre-desilication:
Pre-desilication to control silica in liquor
for the protection of heaters and pipes
from scaling may also be severely relaxed
(as product quality allows). This could
have tremendous financial implications for
Brownfield and Greenfield expansions.

Product Is Benign to the

Overall System

- The number of tanks required for

pre-desilication would be reduced.

MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor has been

shown to cause no impact whatsoever on silica
concentration in digester blow-off. In the presence
of solids, the product will adsorb onto the solids,
thereby rendering them innocuous. As MAX HT
enters the digesters with the mud solids, it ceases
to be effective. Thus, desilication occurs as per
normal. MAX HT leaves the circuit with the mud
and does not build up in the circuit.

- The pumping requirements would be

significantly reduced.
For existing plants eliminates dilution from
direct steam injection, allowing for higher
mud wash and improved soda recovery.
Reduces energy for pumping across the
pre-desilication circuit.

In short, MAX HT sodalite scale inhibitor does

only what it is intended to do namely, eliminate
sodalite scale and nothing more.

Plant Stability:
A stable alumina plant is highly desirable. The
more stable the operation of the plant, the
higher the rate of production and the greater
the capacity to optimize processes. Clean heaters
and inter-stage piping in both evaporators
and digesters enhances plant stability through
maintenance of constant:
Steam flows (positive impact on the
power co-generating plant)

www.cytec.com
Email: custinfo@cytec.com

Worldwide Contact Info: www.cytec.com

US Toll Free: 800-652-6013

Although the information and recommendations set forth herein (hereinafter Information) are presented in good faith and believed to be correct as of the date hereof, no
representation as to the completeness or accuracy thereof is made. Information is supplied upon the condition that the persons receiving same will make their own determination
as to its suitability for their purposes prior to use. NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE OR OF ANY OTHER NATURE ARE MADE HEREUNDER WITH RESPECT TO INFORMATION OR THE PRODUCT TO WHICH INFORMATION REFERS.

2008 Cytec Industries Inc. All Rights Reserved

Tel: 973-357-3193

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MCT-1096-A