UFOs and Lining Phenomena: Unlimited Feedstock Opportunities in Biofuel Production

Abstract With ever more countries focussed on achieving net-zero-emissions by the year 2050, the contribution and importance of bio-based feedstocks for biofuel production will continue to grow apace. For facility owners, the inexorable energy transition away from fossil fuel reliance has introduced new challenges for asset and corrosion protection. These challenges arise primarily from a requirement for enhanced and long-life lining performance in aggressive and acidic feedstocks used in the manufacturing processes. This paper investigates the degradative effects and mechanisms on linings immersed for up to 12-months in a range of bio-based feedstocks. The impact of several parameters on chemical resistance was evaluated when testing some single coat or two coat linings of epoxy novolacs, epoxy phenolics, vinyl esters and novolac vinyl esters. These included fatty acid type, fatty acid content, water content, exposure temperature (which varies according to loading, storage and offloading of various feedstocks), and the altogether thorny issue of inter-relationships in different exposure conditions. A suite of accelerated laboratory test methods was used to test the lining performance in parallel with post inspection checks to evaluate and benchmark lining performance. Visual inspection, adhesion, barrier properties from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the linings are discussed. The primary aim of this paper was to enhance the Cargo Resistance Guide (CRG) for linings in an unlimited array of bio-based feedstocks that can be expanded upon over time for both current and future service conditions in the biofuel production industry.