Document mmo4JXbm8QpYjzjYrK3qg2VNd

jfe'S? sc; Ky:~ . Ir.v^jh* ^ ;. 'I M>*v.#.vi 0 o sr.jxIA^^ rV$t\<o^/ZC\j ^ e,<j\'r i fV\T b11 .In l l>1 Jt-P/ 0" t ^/ l___ <> \0 Makers of gaskets, packing, try asbestos replacements U.S. and foreign manufacturers are using such materials as flexible graphite for packing; chlorite/graphife sheet for spiral-wound gaskets; and mica, glass fibers and others. PLAINTIFFS I EXHIBIT f BASF-42 - VQfi/'/i/ L iC>.c' Sntererorc. ' i.High ` j mpsrature i Jreepard.flupture- ^ i J ffective Jan. 1,1987. asbestos will application for sealing material in Ebe banned from gaskets and pack chemical process plants, the others be ing in Sweden. And Norway. Den ing valves, pumps, compressors and mark and Finland are expected to foprlessure vessels). Users are reluctant low suit. The switch to more-expensive to change to costlier materials they substitutes will cost the petrochemical don't have experience with, say industry alone up to S2 million, accord manufacturers. ing to the Swedish Assn, of Chemical "Many valve manufacturers Industries. throughout the world still use asbestos U.S. industry faces no such immed;- as the standard material for gaskets 'ate threat, but gasket anc packing and packing.'' observes Donald Glover, manufacturers are busily touting a va head of the piping arid technical section riety of asbestos substitutes, prodded with Santa Ft Braur, Inc. (Alhambra. by increasingly strict regulations, iegal Calif.i. Industn- spokesmen report that actions, an inability to get liability in vaivemakers stocked up or. asbestos surance. and the L'.S. Environmental braided packing before Crane and oth Protection Agency's proposed total ban er companies stopped making it. but on asbestos (see story on p. IS). those supplies are starting to run low. The smorgasbord of replacements in one contender -- At the Houston semi- cludes flexible 'graphite, carbon and nar. the virtues ol one particular mate graphite yarn, giass fibers, aramid. po naT-- flexible or expanded graphite -- lybenzimidazole <PBIi. poiytetrafiuor- were extolled by several speakers. oethyiene (PTFE). ceramics, mica and Flexible graphite cam withstand tem various metals. peratures of more than 5.000'F (com No single materia! matches asbestos' pared with about 1.200T for asbestos;, strength, chemical resistance and flexi say suppliers, whiie cautioning that it is bility over a wide temperature range, limited to about 750-850T in the pres says Richard White, director of re ence of oxygen, and to around 1.200T search and development with Gariock in steam. Inc. iPaimyra. N.Y.l. But equal or supe "Graphite packing is proring to meet rior properties are obtainable by com or surpass all the positive characteris bining two or three, materials, he toic a tics of asbestos." the Houston meeting seminar on asbestos-substitute gasket was told by Rudy MacDonald, a piping and packing materials, held in Houston component specialist with Exxon Co. in eariy August. (The meeting featured UiLA. (Baton Rouge, La.k To date, it is speakers, representing producers and the only non-asbestos material that Ex users of gaskets and packing.) xon has found to be fire-safe, he says, stiu the choice -- In the push to en `and a refinery cannot have leaking courage substitutes. John Crane Hou- flanges in a fire." Most data on asbes daille Inc. (Morton Grove. 111.) last year tos substitutes focus on process com stopped making its 187-1 braided asbes patibility. he adds, and fire-resistant tos packing, long considered an indus data are virtually nonexistent. try standard. And several other manu Flexible graphite, developed by facturers have ceased production of Union Carbide Corn, about 20 years similar products. ago. was littie used until recently be Despite this. U.S. industry spokes cause it costs UK- much. Now it has men calculate tnat asbestos still has around c-10'7 of the packing market, up weli over 50" of the packing and gas from l-2r) a year or two ago. says Peter ket market, compared to the traditional Petrunich. manager of customer tech (pipe flanges are the biggest nical service with Union Carbide Elec- let the ' cat out ofthe baa Millions of children might never have met Dr. Seuss and"his famous Cat had it not been for The New York Public Libran-. Thar's because our renowned children's librarian, Anne Carroll Moore, gave his first book an outstanding review. He became famous overnight, and Dr. Seuss himself credits her with his success. Others too. credit our librarians. "The people who work here." savs author David McCullough, "provide a sendee to the whole of society thafs never sung enough." Indeed, me librarians are the very heart of the Library. They are the ten librarians who answer five million tele phone inquiries a vear. They are the librarians who introduce children to the magic of liter ature and help adults find employment through our Job Information Center. They are also the librarians who select and preserve books for users of Tomorrow. The Library can help just about anyone with anything. Even a Doctor with his Cat. H i'.'i.'ifcj"id -^i The New York Public Library WHERE THE FUTURE IS AN OTEN BOOK CHEMICAL ENGJ.VEEPJ.se OCTOEEJ'. T. 19* i \* r $ 5 iX1\1 ft ?=,' ironies Div.'s Specialty Products Group graphite the standard packing for (Cleveland). small, forged steel valves (up to 4 in.). Petrunich explains that the material The company plans to use the material is made from natural flake graphite, in all valves. rather than from textile threads. The Rockwell has partially offset the graphite is expanded several hundred j higher cost by redesigning its valves to times into a light, fluffy materia) by j use fewer and smaller packing rings mixing it with sulfuric or nitric acid, j than with asbestos. Braided carbon then calendered into a sheet (without ! rings are placed or. either enc of the How asbestos oackino car. oe reoiaceo Dv otner materials 37901 !) ,,,C' ^_niiny Circle 20 on Reaoer Service Card binders or additives). Although price j ring assembly to prevent extrusion of has been dropping, the product still i the flexible-graphite sealing rings. costs 30-50^ more than asbestos pack : While the material attracted much ing. says Petrunich. But he claims that : attention at the Houston meeting, sev- it seals better and iasts 5-10 times long i erai others are also favored by packing er than asbestos. ; and gasket makers. One drawback is that graphite, an I "Only the top of the line is made from electrical conductor, can enhance gal j flexible graphite.'- says Garlock"? vanic corrosion in stainless steel. Zinc, a j 'White, adding that his firm hasn't mad? common sacrificial inhibitor, has the I asbestos packing for five years. A typi- limitation of melting at 7B7F. So. Car | cal Garlock design is to put glass fibers bide now offers a phosphorus-based in ' ir. the core for strength, carbon around hibitor that Petrunich says is more ef j that (for beat transfer and thermal sta- fective. He also points out that i biiity). and FBI on the outside. Tne impurities in asbestos car. cause corro j latter material, though it costs 40 times sion problems. 1 as much as asbestos, he notes, car. One valve manufacturer that has . stand more than 1.200'F without bum- done extensive testing of flexible j ing or melting, and resists most cbemi- graphite is Rockwell International s ; cal products. Measurement <k Flow Control Div. "We use glass a lot." says Geurge (Pittsburgh. Pa.l. Rockwell reports bet McKillop. product manager for John ter performance than asbestos in seals Crane Houaaille's Packing Div. "The at higher temperatures, and has made cost is slightly higher than asbestos. 24 CHEMICAL ENGiXEERING'OCTOBEl: Z IHSf. packing rir (up u> ). the materia] offset the its valves to icking rings ided carbon - er,c of the ! pacKingr riesian widih 5.7 mm) volume = :S9.6 ct5 j jme non = l Extrusion of ? rings. acted much leering, sevby packing .* j ; made from Garlock's hasr/t made jars. A typiglass fibers bon around thermal sta- utside. The sis 40 times notes, can thou: burnnost chemi- 1 ; j j ; j j ' j : ays Ge r for Div. "The n asbestos. but it has good strength and chemical resistance. We recommend it up to 1.20CTF. for gaskets -- In the gasket area, chlorite/graphite sheet, on the market since 39S3, is the most popular nonasbestos filler for spiral-wound gas kets. according to Samuel Thomas, vice-president of Flexitallic Gasket Co.. (Eellmawr. NJ.i. This mixture matches asbestos' performance at a comparable J cost, he says. Spiral-wound gaskets that have a flexible-graphite filler offer superior sealing and cyclic thermal- or pressure-loading properties, he adds, but cost oO-lOOT more. Flexitallic Ltd. (Heckmondwike. En gland' markets a company-developed mica 'chlorite-based spiral-wound gas ket that it claim? matches asbestos products for a similar price. (This com pany and Flexitallic Inc. are owned by | Turner and Nev.-all PLC. Manchester. ; England.) Colin Gee. general manager , of the firm's Fiexiearfc Div.. estimates that asbestos still has more than 50" of '. the British gasket market, but feels . that a new asbestos-labeling regulation will accelerate substitution. In compressed gaskets -- conven- j tiona! asbestos 'encapsulated ir, a rub- ' ber binder -- aramid. glass fibers and ] mica are being used as reinforcement, j while such materials as talc, barium ; sulfate, clay and mica are fillers. Jack > Harris, rice-president of Durabla Man- i ufacruring Co. (Lionvil)e. Pa.), says the performance of non-asbestos materials equals asbestos for moderate condi tions. but the gaskets cost 50-100^ more and cannot handle temperatures ; above 600'F or certain chemica' enri- 1 ronments. For this application, flexible graphite is several times more costiy than asbestos, he says, partly because the gaskets are cut from sheets and much material is wasted. "In sheet material for gaskets, we are haring a difficult rime finding a substitute- that has anywhere near the temperature qualities of asbestos," adds a spokesman for another leading gasket maker. ``We would like an SOOT materia] and we are looking at a couple of fibers now." he says, "but most higntemperature fibers are inorganic and don't have crush resistance." The Swedish forest-industry stan dardization group is recommending .that aramid-reinforcec mineral gaskets 3 Jt un mi FROM KOMTRO. NOBODY ELSE. The only leak-proof centrifugal pumps that meet API 610 6th Edition specs. Kontrc SEAL/LESS pumps offer imoortant advantages over all otner API pumps. No seals to leak, be cooied or to be maintained. Eliminates hazards of fire, toxicity and environmen tal contamination Capacities to 5000 GPM. Temperatures to 750F without cooling. Ask for Bulletin API/849. _w. ,ws. KOHTRO* Tne Kontro Company, Inc., Orange, MA 01364, Telephone: 617-544-2536 Circle 21 on Reader Service Card CHEMICAL ENGINEERING OCTOBER 27. KW 25 not be used above 150C. Jan Dahlgren, can be reduced, he says, by using fill crude-oil and petrol-tun .-roduet technical specialist with the group, ers, such as glass or carbon fibers, ports will rise from. of ,'.S. dcr.,: says that although manufacturers bronze, ceramics or barium sulfate. in 1985 to 4151 by 1990. and 5o~ by claim that their products will withstand However, expanded PTFE has only turn of the century. Thai nie:.r:= t much higher temperatures, tests have 17-6CT creep relaxation, compared to as nearly 11 million hbl will be ; rou shown they don't always meet require much as 400/"' for full-density PTFE into the I'.S. daily ir. the year 2090. c ments, especially with sudden steam- gaskets, claims P-oger Dams, of W. L. pared with just over 4 million ir. 1: pressure surges up to 15 bar. Gore &. Associates (Elkton, Md.). OPEC's share of world oil supplie, Hans Wemborg, technical specialist | Gerald Parkinson. Contributor: Rob- expected to reach 60^ by 2000. up fr with the Swedish Assn, of Chemical t erf Skole, McGraw-Hill World News 38^ in 19S5. the study predicts. Industries, adds that expanded graph J (Stockholm) Noting that the world's oil rc.-.r ite gaskets are brittle and hard to han I dle, especially for large f.anges. He are concentrated in regions having nificant potential for supply die r notes that fianges used for batch cook ers in pulpmilis car. be as big as 3.5 m j Study tracks energy tions. Conoco's outlook warn? that ` ing import dependence means: (1 dia. PTFE has "unequaled" chemical re ! to the year 2D00 higher risk of economically Camay shortfalls. (2i reduced flexibility ir. sistance as a gasket material, a tem j mt'laring and implementing fore perature range front -460'F to SOOT, 3n a new study. "'World Energy Out- j policy, and (3! greater rr.ilite.rc ob; and good dielectric strength and impact | look Through 2000,'' Conoco (Wilming- tions to safeguard vital supply link resistance, according to David Lingard. j ton. Del.), the Du Pont subsidiary, ar- j At the same time, the aliiity to re?p manager of applications engineering ; rives at conclusions that have wide | with ar. increase in domestic sup! with Garlock. However, it has poor J implications for the energy industries I. w, ill become cgroatlv -'iminished ? wear resistance and a tendency to j ir. the I'.S. and worldwide. i tne report. creep relaxation or cold flow. Trie latter For example, the firm predicts that : TAKING THi MIDDLE POO -- II. it? f -oh: Expert Answers to Tough Separation Problems MIST-MASTER Tne ACS Mis:-Master allow* higher gas caoacitv than conventional mis', pads oue to ns improved liouio oramage. Ga* caoacm increasec -jp tc TOCh are provioed liquid loading capacity inr reases up to TO times Reduces pressure drop down bv 50% Extends Service trie Hipne- Efficiencies VANE MIST ELIMINATOR ACS Plate Pal minimizes oiuggage in gas streams containing suspended soiios ot viscous, sticky particles. 99% efficiency on particles down to 10 micron Available in several styles, metal or .^^plastics LIQUID-LIQUID COALESCERS ACS Coalescer designs come ir. oot'n mesr and plate type configurations. Mechanica. separation of two immicibi- iiauids Flow raies uo to 1000 CPM Equally efficient witr. an* hvorocamon water combination TRAYS AND TOWER INTERNALS AC? Industries supplies a wide rangr cr ir. anc rower imemats. Valve - Buobie Cap - Sieve T ra* * Compiere ime o' supports anc distributors Hign efficient structure packing OVER THIRTY YEARS EXPERIENC HOUHHIQUlC' COAlfcSCIR> 9W <dk VAMi Mif' tiiMINATOfc 1kA\? AND lOVNTk INTIkNAV |CJ INPUSTRES, "nc ) = B 14206 industry Ro Houston. Texas 77053 f713i 434-0934 1-800-231-0077 . Telex 76-2587 Telelax: (713- 433-620'. Circle 22 on Reader Service Card 26 CHEMICAL. EKG'NEEKI.VGiOCTOBEI: 27. !