A Long-Term Piping Solution for Calcination Cold Mother Liquor, Brine Sludge, and Industrial Wastewater in Soda Ash Production

Shandong Haihua Co., Ltd. Soda Ash Plant began using reinforced MC nylon pipes and reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipes manufactured by Guangdong Kejin New Materials Co., Ltd. in 2002.

The pipes were gradually introduced into several critical process systems, including calcination cold mother liquor pipelines, brine sludge pipelines, and heavy-soda environmental wastewater pipelines.

Following successful performance in the initial application, the solution was further expanded into the plant's 600,000-ton technical renovation project in 2008, covering more demanding slurry and wastewater transportation systems.

On July 15, 2010, Shandong Haihua Co., Ltd. Soda Ash Plant issued an official application statement confirming the satisfactory performance of the products in terms of quality, corrosion resistance, erosion resistance, installation convenience, aging resistance, and supplier service.

The project provides a valuable field reference for selecting industrial piping systems used in highly corrosive, solids-containing, erosion-intensive, and scaling-prone soda ash production environments.

Project Overview

Client: Shandong Haihua Co., Ltd. Soda Ash Plant
Industry: Soda Ash / Salt Chemical Industry
Initial Application: 2002
Expanded Application: 2008
Customer Application Statement: July 15, 2010

Pipeline Applications

• Calcination cold mother liquor pipelines

• Brine sludge pipelines

• Heavy-soda environmental wastewater pipelines

Products Used

• Reinforced MC Nylon Pipe

• Reinforced MC Nylon Steel Composite Pipe

Key Operating Requirements

• Corrosion resistance

• Erosion and abrasion resistance

• Scale resistance

• Long-term operational reliability

• Reduced leakage risk

• Outdoor environmental resistance

• Lower installation and maintenance requirements

1. Project Background: Why Is Piping Material Selection So Critical in Soda Ash Production?

Soda ash production involves considerably more demanding conditions than ordinary liquid transportation.

Process media such as calcination cold mother liquor, brine sludge, and industrial wastewater may simultaneously involve:

• Corrosive chemical components

• High concentrations of dissolved salts

• Suspended solids

• Abrasive particles

• Continuous erosion

• Scaling and deposition

As a result, piping systems are not required to solve only a single corrosion problem.

They must withstand several potential failure mechanisms at the same time.

Corrosion

Salts and chemical components in process fluids can continuously attack metallic pipe surfaces.

During long-term operation, conventional metal pipelines may experience internal corrosion, wall thinning, localized damage, and eventually perforation.

Particle Erosion and Abrasion

Brine sludge and similar media contain suspended solids that continuously impact the internal surface of the pipeline.

Wear can become particularly severe at elbows, reducers, changes in flow direction, and areas with high local velocity.

Scaling

When a pipe surface is rough or corrosion products accumulate internally, solids can progressively deposit on the pipe wall.

This may reduce the effective internal diameter, increase hydraulic resistance, and increase the frequency of cleaning and maintenance.

Leakage Risk

When corrosion and erosion occur simultaneously, the probability of pipeline leakage increases significantly.

For a continuously operating soda ash production facility, pipeline leakage can result in more than repair costs. It may also cause:

• Unplanned shutdowns

• Production interruptions

• Environmental contamination

• Additional maintenance workload

• Safety and environmental risks

Shandong Haihua therefore required a piping solution capable of addressing corrosion, abrasion, scaling, and long-term operational reliability simultaneously.

2. Challenges with Conventional Pipeline Materials

In soda ash production systems, conventional metallic piping can face significant challenges when exposed to complex process media over extended operating periods.

Typical problems include:

• Internal corrosion

• Abrasion caused by suspended solids

• Scaling and internal deposits

• Localized wall thinning

• Pipeline perforation

• Leakage

• Frequent inspection and maintenance

• Repeated pipeline replacement

• Production interruptions during repairs

• Environmental aging of outdoor pipelines

For a large continuous-process plant, the value of a piping material should therefore not be evaluated solely on its initial purchase price.

A more important question is:

Can the pipeline reduce leakage, maintenance, replacement frequency, and unplanned shutdowns throughout its service life?

This was one of the key reasons Shandong Haihua gradually adopted reinforced MC nylon piping solutions.

3. The Solution: Matching Pipe Construction to Different Operating Conditions

Based on differences in medium composition, solids content, erosion intensity, corrosion exposure, and structural requirements, Guangdong Kejin supplied different piping solutions for specific applications within the soda ash plant.

Calcination Cold Mother Liquor Pipeline — Reinforced MC Nylon Pipe

In 2002, Shandong Haihua Soda Ash Plant first installed reinforced MC nylon pipe in its calcination cold mother liquor pipeline.

Key performance requirements for this application included:

• Chemical corrosion resistance

• Erosion resistance

• Scale resistance

• Stable long-term operation

Reinforced MC nylon provides strong resistance to many corrosive industrial environments while offering good abrasion resistance.

Its smooth internal surface also helps reduce the tendency of deposits to adhere to the pipe wall.

Successful field performance in this initial application provided the basis for expanding the technology into other process systems.

4. Brine Sludge Pipeline — Reinforced MC Nylon Steel Composite Pipe

In 2008, reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe was introduced into the brine sludge piping system as part of Shandong Haihua's new 600,000-ton technical renovation project.

Brine sludge contains a significant amount of suspended solids.

During continuous transportation, these particles can cause severe erosion and abrasion of conventional pipe walls.

This application therefore required more than corrosion resistance.

The pipeline also needed:

• High mechanical strength

• Abrasion resistance

• Erosion resistance

• Structural reliability

The reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe combines:

the mechanical strength of steel

with

the corrosion- and abrasion-resistant properties of reinforced MC nylon.

This composite structure is particularly suited to industrial applications where corrosion and mechanical wear occur simultaneously.

5. Heavy-Soda Environmental Wastewater Pipeline — Steel–Nylon Composite Pipe

Following successful performance in previous applications, reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe was also installed in the plant's heavy-soda environmental wastewater system.

Wastewater transportation places additional requirements on the piping system, including:

• Corrosion resistance

• Reliable sealing

• Structural stability

• Outdoor durability

• Continuous-operation reliability

• Reduced environmental leakage risk

By combining steel structural support with a corrosion-resistant nylon working layer, the composite pipe helps reduce the risk of internal corrosion commonly associated with conventional metallic pipelines.

6. Project Implementation Timeline

2002 — Initial Installation

Shandong Haihua Soda Ash Plant first installed reinforced MC nylon pipe in its calcination cold mother liquor pipeline.

The application provided a real operating environment for evaluating:

• Corrosion resistance

• Erosion resistance

• Scale resistance

• Long-term reliability

2008 — Expanded Application

As part of the plant's new 600,000-ton technical renovation project, reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe was further introduced into:

• Brine sludge pipelines

• Heavy-soda environmental wastewater pipelines

The solution therefore expanded from a single process application into more demanding soda ash production systems.

July 15, 2010 — Official Customer Application Statement

Shandong Haihua Co., Ltd. Soda Ash Plant issued an official application statement confirming satisfactory field performance.

By that date, the earliest reinforced MC nylon pipeline had accumulated approximately eight years of field operating experience.

The customer provided positive feedback regarding product performance, installation convenience, aging resistance, product quality, and supplier service.

7. Five Core Advantages Verified in Field Operation

According to the application statement issued by Shandong Haihua Soda Ash Plant, five major advantages were observed during actual operation.

1. Strong Corrosion Resistance

The reinforced MC nylon pipe and steel–nylon composite pipe demonstrated stable performance when transporting corrosive process media associated with soda ash production.

For applications where conventional metallic pipelines are vulnerable to internal corrosion, reinforced MC nylon provides an alternative corrosion-resistant working surface.

2. Excellent Erosion and Abrasion Resistance

Brine sludge and other solids-containing process streams continuously expose pipe walls to particle impact.

According to customer feedback, the installed pipelines showed no leakage caused by erosion during the verified operating period.

The customer also reported significantly better wear resistance compared with previously used cast-iron piping.

This property is particularly important for transporting:

• Brine sludge

• Industrial slurry

• Solids-containing liquids

• Abrasive process media

3. Low Scaling Tendency

Scaling is a common challenge in soda ash production pipelines.

During field inspection, the internal surfaces of the reinforced MC nylon pipes were reported to remain largely free from significant scale buildup and retained a smooth condition.

A smooth internal surface can help:

• Reduce material deposition

• Maintain effective flow area

• Reduce cleaning frequency

• Minimize increasing hydraulic resistance

• Support stable long-term transportation efficiency

For process fluids containing salts and suspended solids, this can provide an important operational advantage.

4. Lightweight and Easy to Install

Compared with many conventional heavy metallic pipelines, reinforced MC nylon pipe offers lower weight.

According to field experience, most installation work did not require specialized heavy lifting equipment.

This can help:

• Reduce lifting requirements

• Lower installation labor intensity

• Improve installation efficiency

• Simplify maintenance and replacement

• Reduce overall construction costs

These advantages are especially valuable in existing plant modifications and installation areas with limited access.

5. Good Outdoor Aging Resistance

Some of the pipelines were installed in outdoor or semi-outdoor environments.

According to customer feedback available as of 2010, the exposed pipelines had not shown serious aging after years of service.

This demonstrated good environmental adaptability for applications beyond indoor process piping.

8. Application Results

Calcination Cold Mother Liquor System

Product: Reinforced MC Nylon Pipe
Commissioned: 2002

According to the customer's 2010 application statement, the pipeline demonstrated satisfactory performance in corrosion resistance, erosion resistance, and scale resistance after several years of actual operation.

By the date of the customer statement, the earliest installed sections had accumulated approximately eight years of field service.

Brine Sludge System

Product: Reinforced MC Nylon Steel Composite Pipe
Commissioned: 2008

The composite pipe was selected to address erosion and abrasion caused by solids contained in brine sludge.

The combination of structural steel and a reinforced nylon working layer provided both mechanical support and resistance to corrosion and wear.

Field operation demonstrated its suitability for solids-containing industrial media.

Heavy-Soda Environmental Wastewater System

Product: Reinforced MC Nylon Steel Composite Pipe
Commissioned: 2008

The pipeline was installed in an environmental wastewater system requiring corrosion resistance, sealing reliability, and stable operation.

As of the customer's July 2010 application statement, overall operating performance was satisfactory.

9. Why Is This Project Significant?

The Shandong Haihua Soda Ash Plant project was not simply a short-term test involving a single pipeline or medium.

The application followed a clear progression:

Initial installation → Long-term field verification → Expansion into a major plant renovation → Application across multiple process media

This is important because the piping solution was evaluated not only through laboratory material properties but also through actual operation in a large soda ash production facility.

From the first reinforced MC nylon pipe installation in 2002, to the expanded application of steel–nylon composite pipe in 2008, and finally to the official customer application statement in 2010, the project established a clear field-validation history.

For soda ash manufacturers, salt chemical plants, and other process industries evaluating alternative corrosion-resistant piping materials, this project provides a practical engineering reference.

10. Engineering Value Delivered to the Customer

Reduced Corrosion and Leakage Risk

The corrosion-resistant nylon working surface reduces direct exposure of metallic components to aggressive process media and therefore helps reduce corrosion-related pipeline failure.

Longer Maintenance Intervals

Good abrasion resistance and low scaling tendency can help reduce maintenance requirements related to wear, deposits, and internal blockage.

Improved Production Continuity

Reducing pipeline failures and frequent replacement helps minimize interruptions to continuous-process production.

Lower Life-Cycle Cost Potential

The real cost of an industrial piping system includes much more than the initial purchase price.

It may include:

Purchase + Installation + Inspection + Cleaning + Repair + Replacement + Production Downtime

For long-term industrial projects, reducing maintenance and replacement requirements can deliver greater value than simply minimizing initial procurement cost.

Supporting Stable Environmental Operations

For industrial wastewater pipelines, reducing corrosion and leakage risks can contribute to safer and more stable environmental management.

11. Why Steel–Nylon Composite Pipe Is Suitable for Complex Chemical Services

Industrial piping material selection often involves a fundamental trade-off:

Materials with high structural strength do not always provide the best corrosion resistance, while highly corrosion-resistant materials may not always provide the structural performance required in demanding industrial installations.

The design principle of reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe is to combine the advantages of both material systems.

Steel Structural Layer

Provides the mechanical strength and structural stability required for industrial piping systems.

Reinforced MC Nylon Working Layer

Provides the primary surface in contact with the transported medium, offering corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance, and low scaling characteristics.

For this reason, steel–nylon composite pipe is not simply intended to replace one specific conventional material.

Instead, it provides an integrated solution for applications where corrosion, abrasion, and structural requirements occur simultaneously.

12. Typical Applications

Based on the operating conditions demonstrated in the Shandong Haihua project, reinforced MC nylon pipe and reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe may be considered for similar industrial applications, subject to detailed engineering evaluation.

Soda Ash and Salt Chemical Industry

• Cold mother liquor transportation

• Brine pipelines

• Brine sludge pipelines

• Process wastewater

• High-salinity wastewater

• Solids-containing process fluids

Chlor-Alkali and Chemical Processing

• Strong alkaline media

• Brine systems

• Corrosive process liquids

• Chemical wastewater

• High-solids slurry

Other Demanding Industrial Services

• High-salinity produced water

• Industrial slurry

• Corrosive wastewater

• Abrasive liquid-solid two-phase media

Final material selection should always consider the specific:

• Chemical composition

• Concentration

• Operating temperature

• Design pressure

• Solids concentration

• Flow velocity

• Pipe diameter

• Installation environment

13. Project Conclusion

The Shandong Haihua Soda Ash Plant application demonstrates that pipeline material selection in soda ash production should not be based solely on initial procurement cost.

Corrosion, erosion, scaling, installation requirements, maintenance frequency, leakage risk, and long-term operating costs should all be evaluated together.

Guangdong Kejin's reinforced MC nylon pipe was first installed at the plant in 2002.

Following successful field operation, reinforced MC nylon steel composite pipe was further introduced into the 600,000-ton technical renovation project in 2008, including brine sludge and heavy-soda environmental wastewater systems.

As of the official customer application statement dated July 15, 2010, the products had demonstrated five key advantages in actual plant operation:

Corrosion resistance, erosion resistance, low scaling tendency, convenient installation, and good aging resistance.

The progression from an initial pipeline application to expanded use across several critical production systems demonstrates the practical engineering value of steel–nylon composite piping for corrosive, abrasive, and solids-containing industrial services.

Appendix  

1.On-site photo

2.User Feedback