Makeshift steel lining for aluminum ducting?

[YungPlantEng]

We have a soda ash pan that presents aluminum contamination due to metal erosion in the throat. I’ve looked at replacing the entire piece with stainless steel but that would weigh far too much for them to pick up. I also don’t believe I can just easily weld in stainless steel onto aluminum for obvious reasons.

I had thought of coatings but I believe we’d just come up with a similar issue of the coating eroding away. Only real remediation right now would be to rivet in an internal stainless liner to the throat, but I’d be just as concerned about the rivets collecting product and whether that would cause quality issues.

Attached is a picture of the ugly beast. If there’s a way to just replace that entire nozzle section with something less able to erode or if anyone has other ideas id greatly appreciate it. And yes, that section is flattened because operators just drop it to the ground when they’re done. Not sure how that impacts things…

 

[TugboatEng]

There are rubber coatings that are highly erosion resistant. Belzons 2141 is an example. It will also tolerate the abuse that causes dents and such. It's quite expensive. Belzons 2142 I'd ab example.

 

[LittleInch]

Have you got a drawing or a sketch or photo of how that piece fits into the whole thing?

Temperature of the ash?

Flow velocity?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[FacEngrPE]

In highly abrasive service (shot blast machines backstops) rubber sheet holds up as well as manganese steel ware plates.

 

[EdStainless]

I also would first try a coating.
Rubber, urethane, epoxy, there are lots of options.
Depending on where you are located talk to someone that does erosion/corrosion resistant coating in your area.
They might use Belzona, or 3M, or any one of a dozen other suppliers.
The most critical issue is going to be surface preparation.
If that doesn't work in the long run, you should look into very light gage SS for this.
You could use lightweight flanges at top and bottom and make the duct out of some 0.035" or 0.049" walled SS tube.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[bimr]

Many user incorporate rigidized stainless sheets in chutes as the material flows better down a pattern sheet instead of a flat sheet. It will depend on the characteristics of the material that you are conveying. These are thin metal sheets that can be riveted.

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