Flue Gas Desulphurization

KEMA inspects and advices in the design, application, failure analysis and repair of Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) of rubber coatings and linings

Coatings & linings
In the flue gas desulphurization (FGD) unit of coal-fired power stations rubber coatings, flake coatings and glass blocks are applied for protection against erosive and corrosive attack. Strict requirements are set to these coatings and linings to be able to guarantee plant life under severe chemical conditions. Failure of a coating has serious financial consequences. To be able to manage these problems, KEMA has founded the Knowledge Center of Coatings & Linings. The extensive experience we have gained with the application of these coatings and linings is currently being used successfully for a wide range of applications.

Rubber linings
The success of the rubber linings is enhanced by mutual cooperation between designer, construction engineer, manufacturer, supplier and plant owner. In practice, the service life of rubber linings is limited by a combination of increased temperature, mechanical wear, wrong selection of materials, construction and design, improper application and incorrect repairs. By attacking the rubber linings, the medium can penetrate deeper into the rubber. In the long run, medium-filled blisters will form, burst open, enabling the medium to reach the steel. This may cause considerable corrosion damage, leading to a shutdown of the entire power station. KEMA performs regular tests and inspections to determine how far the medium has penetrated into the rubber lining; based on these tests, KEMA advices you on the residual life of these linings. Tests on rubber linings can be performed either destructively, removing samples for testing in a laboratory, or by means of non-destructive techniques, which means that the original lining is examined in situ. These procedures are also documented in the "Coatings and Linings Manual" authored by KEMA.

Self-healing materials
Self Healing Materials are a recently identified expansion of already existing structural materials. These materials possess the ability to detect and repair defects. The ability of self healing is not yet present in existing man-made materials, as the knowledge of the basic mechanisms is not yet available. It is believed that self healing behavior can be realized in all principal material classes: polymers, metals, concrete and civil engineering materials and composites and laminates. At this moment KEMA is involved in the development of self healing materials for the application in FGD installations.