Soda ash, a fundamental chemical raw material, is vital to national economic development. In soda ash production, equipment is exposed to corrosive gas media (e.g., NH₃, CO₂) and liquid media (e.g., NaCl, NH₄Cl, NH₄HCO₃, high Cl⁻ solutions). Traditional carbon steel and cast iron components—such as carbonation tower cooling tubes, hot mother liquor coolers, and crystallization external coolers—suffer severe corrosion and leakage, with a service life of less than three years.

From 1975 to 1977, pioneering titanium applications at the Tianjin Soda Plant and Dalian Chemical Industry Company demonstrated remarkable success. Key implementations included:

Φ63×2 mm titanium cooling tubes for carbonation towers.

Titanium plate heat exchangers and external coolers.

Titanium pumps and CO₂ turbine compressor rotors with Ti-6Al-4V alloy impellers.
These innovations set a benchmark for industry-wide titanium adoption and guided the construction of three new 600,000-ton-per-year soda ash plants.

Case Study: Titanium Tube Replacement in Ammonia Condensers

A soda ash plant replaced cast iron tubes in distillation tower ammonia condensers with TA2 titanium tubes (Φ60×2×3010 mm).

1.Original Setup:

Two cast iron cooling chambers (2.5m diameter × 1.2m height).

Each chamber contained 214 cast iron tubes (Φ63×6×2986 mm), coated with thermosetting phenolic varnish.

Operating conditions: 95°C NH₃/CO₂/H₂O vapor outside tubes, NH₄Cl mother liquor inside.

2.Issues:

Severe corrosion caused tube perforation within 1 year; complete failure within 2 years.

3.Titanium Solution:

Replaced all cast iron tubes with titanium tubes sealed via O-ring rubber seals.

Post-installation inspection after 2 years showed no corrosion, with an expected lifespan exceeding 20 years (10x longer than cast iron).

Benefits of Titanium Equipment

1.Corrosion Resistance: Eliminates leakage and extends service life.

2.Consistent Heat Transfer Efficiency: Unlike cast iron (declining efficiency over time), titanium maintains performance.

3.Energy Savings: Preheating NH₄Cl mother liquor reduces steam consumption, enhancing economic efficiency.