It’s no secret that pumping slurry and sludge in coal-fired power plants is a dirty process. Although the substances are grimy and abrasive, well-controlled slurry ash and coal transport is critical to a plant’s operational efficiency as well as environmental compliance. Gate valves used in slurry and sludge transport are built to take a beating in punishing conditions, but even the most durable valves need a means of preventing sticky materials from building up and hindering performance.

When abrasive ash — teeming with sediment — sticks to gate valve blades, it typically prevents them from opening and closing fully. Unwanted material flow can occur, leading to clogs farther down the pipeline. Additionally, valve parts could get damaged. These consequences make system downtime necessary to both remove the materials as well as to replace damaged parts.

At Magnaplate, we often coat gate valves with Nedox® to prevent sticking and reduce buildup on gate valve blades, ensuring valves open and close with precision. Nedox is a Magnaplate-applied process that eliminates sticking and product hang-up due to its low coefficient of friction (COF). Slurries, rubber and plastics and many other substances typically release easily with Nedox. It also performs exceptionally well in chemically corrosive environments — an important characteristic for cast iron or steel surfaces. In fact, Nedox gives most metals and metal alloys a harder-than-steel, self-lubricating protective layer that also defends against abrasive wear, friction and galling. Additional features and characteristics include:

• Surface hardnesses up to Rc 68
• Superior mold release
• Chemical, acid and alkaline resistance
• Operating temperature range of -250 to 1,000°F (537°C).

With Nedox, valves open and close smoothly without damage to their packing materials. This in turn minimizes buildup in the pipeline and makes cleanup easier and faster. The result: optimal slurry and sludge flow with greater equipment reliability.

Here are some further examples of how Nedox successfully solves longstanding problems for the energy industry:

• Protecting impellers against corrosion caused by salt and humidity in oil and gas installations along the Gulf Coast.
• Downhole tool protection, such as a pressure sensor with self-contained downhole computer. Nedox allowed an engineering firm to substitute 4140 steel instead of stainless, saving costs and machining work.
• Protecting failsafe safety valves hundreds of feet below the ocean floor against corrosion, galling and seizing.

Break Free From Stuck-On Slurry Materials

Don’t let abrasive slurry and sludge materials clog vital gate valves and pipeline equipment or compromise flow control. Our experts stand ready to help you determine the right Nedox surface treatment to keep energy systems running at their best.

For more information, please visit our product page.