ALLOY ACID TOWERS
Galiakotwala Engineering has successfully supplied more than 25+ Sulphuric Acid towers worldwide, including 12 with a diameter greater than 7000mm. Our alloy acid towers built onsite have been installed and started up in less than 7 days.
Acid towers in Sulphuric Acid Plants have historically been MS brick-lined. The acid-proof brick-lining protects the MS shell from corrosion caused by Sulphuric Acid. The advent of corrosion-resistant alloy steels over the last few decades has introduced a new and advanced solution for Acid Towers and their internals, namely complete Acid Towers in Alloy.
Alloy Towers do not require brick-lining, as the base alloy itself exhibits very low corrosion in Sulphuric Acid. These towers are lighter, fully weldable, and can be partially or fully fabricated in a workshop before being brought to the site, significantly reducing installation time. Tower internals such as Packing Support, Distributors, and other equipment can also be fabricated from corrosion-resistant alloy steel.
Many new modern Sulphuric Acid Plants across the world now successfully use Alloy Acid Towers.
Comparison of Brick-Lined Acid Towers vs. Alloy Acid Towers
Conventional MS Brick-lined Acid Towers
- MS requires chemical brick-lining, significantly increasing complexity and installation time.
- Towers require heavy structural support and a strong foundation.
- Brick joints are susceptible to leaks, which are extremely difficult to locate and repair.
- Brick arches are needed for tower packing support, reducing the available area for gas flow to ~30% and causing non-uniform gas distribution.
- Conventional internals used in Brick-lined Towers, such as Acid Distributors, generate acid sludge, increasing maintenance and reducing performance over time.
Typical Operation of a Mesh Pad*
Alloy Acid Towers
- Can be pre-fabricated, requires no brick-lining, reducing complexity and installation time. Factory built Acid Towers have been installed and started up in less than 7 days.
- Low weight, easy to install, and requires lighter structural support and foundation.
- Long service life, typically 20+ years with minimal maintenance and downtime.
- No brick or mortar debris enters the system, preventing damage to the acid pump.
- Fully weldable design allows leaks to be quickly located and repaired, ensuring reliable operation.
- Improved gas flow by 80% pattern with Alloy Grid Support and Alloy Distributors.
- Alloy internals gives a clean and improved performance with low corrosion and low iron content.
Typical Operation of a Mesh Pad*
*Illustrations are for representation purposes only.
Hybrid Acid Towers
- Alloy and Brick-lined Tower features can be integrated to create a durable, high-performance hybrid solution.
Features of Alloy Acid Towers & Alloy Internals
Alloy Packing Support
- Provides over 80% open area, ensuring optimal gas flow distribution through the packing.
- Complete pre-fabrication in workshop, which reduces installation time compared to brick arches, which must be constructed inside the Acid Tower.
- Suitable for installation in both Alloy and Brick-Lined Towers.
- Made from corrosion-resistant alloy, it offers a long service life and is easy to weld and repair.
Alloy Grid Support*
Alloy Distributors
- 2–4 times more orifice points increase irrigation per unit area.
- Evenly spaced distribution points ensure uniform acid flow.
- Low corrosion in sulphuric acid maintains orifice diameter and performance.
- Prevents sludge buildup, improving tower cleanliness.
- Easy installation and maintenance.
- Low maintenance minimizes downtime.
Trough Type Distributor*
Alloy Inlet Gas Nozzle
- A specialized gas nozzle can be supplied with a protection system to prevent damage to the original gas inlet. This ensures uninterrupted service from the Acid Tower.
Pipe Type Distributor*
Advanced Design
- Advanced analysis was conducted for the tower and piping, as required.
Deformation Analysis*
Stress Analysis*
Stress Analysis*
*Illustrations are for representation purposes only.
What Our Customers Say
“We wanted to replace our old Brick-Lined Acid Towers with a newer technology due to difficulty in location and repair of leaks in these Acid Towers. GEC gave a solution of a complete Alloy Tower 7500mm in diameter including all internals such as Distributor, Mist Eliminators, Packing and Support, etc. We are happy to note we have observed no corrosion in last 7 years and achieved 99.99% absorption efficiency.”
JSC Apatit,
Russia
