Techne IFB-201 Operator's Manual page 28

hydrated or slaked lime, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, magnesia. The
addition of corrosive alkalis such as caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and quick
lime (calcium oxide) should be avoided.
C. MONTHLY INTERVALS
a. Empty the bath and inspect it for signs of corrosion, especially pitted surfaces
and flaking scale. The inside should be wiped out with a rag wetted with 5%
washing soda (sodium carbonate) solution.
b. Screen the medium through a 50 to 70 mesh sieve before returning it to the
cleaned bath.This removes scale, agglomerated medium, char, undegraded
polymer and lost parts and helps maintain a good quality of fluidisation.
D. HALF-YEARLY INTERVALS
a. The bath should be emptied, cleaned, inspected and the medium replaced by a
fresh charge.
b. Alternatively, if the facilities are available, the medium may be thoroughly washed
in several changes of clean water, washed through a 70 mesh sieve, drained,
dried and returned to the bath where drying is completed by fluidisation and
heating at 150°C, until the medium fluidises in the normal manner. The washing
procedure removes acidic residues and accumulated soluble salts and residues.
Symptoms of neglect should be dealt with immediately. These include: pitting of metallic surfaces,
formation of lumps of agglomerated medium, accumulation of polymer or polymer filler material,
indications of bad or uneven fluidisation, blockage of the fluidising plate and wetness or stickiness
of the medium.
NOTE: A non-standard version of this industrial fluidised bath is available which is manufactured
from materials that resist the effects of corrosion experienced when processing items
contaminated with PVC and other halogenated polymers. We recommend that this version is
utilised in applications where continued use of PVC is envisaged.
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