The company has been engaged in the chemical and plastics equipment industry for many years. It boasts 8 to 15 engineering and technical personnel and more than 50 production technicians, specializing in the fabrication and processing of plastic components. Annual output of fabricated plastic sheets reaches 800 to 1,000 tons, earning the company a solid reputation within China’s environmental protection and chemical-plastics manufacturing and processing sectors. The company has established long-term, friendly cooperative relationships with numerous large-scale chemical and metallurgical enterprises. Cooperation models include contract processing with supplied materials, turnkey contracts covering both labor and materials, and on-site fabrication and processing services.
The newly designed P507 plastic extraction equipment, developed and manufactured by our company, is a key extraction device suitable for the rare earth industry as well as the cobalt-nickel industry, used for the extraction of rare earth elements and elements such as cobalt and nickel. These new extraction devices are the result of years of research and continuous improvement based on older domestic models, and they outperform any currently available extraction equipment in China. They are applicable to a wide range of extraction processes for various rare earth elements.
1. Characteristics of the New Extraction Tank
1) The design is reasonable, aesthetically pleasing and elegant, yet sturdy and robust. Its unique external reinforcement method ensures durability and longevity.
2) In principle, this has broken the historical barrier that large-scale extraction tanks could not be made using plastic-welded tanks. Previously, tanks with capacities exceeding 200 liters were constructed from fiberglass-reinforced plastic; now, we have successfully developed a plastic extraction tank with a mixing chamber volume of 2,400 liters, and its strength meets the design requirements.
3) It has addressed the issue of large fiberglass tanks leaking shortly after installation. Moreover, the performance of fiberglass as a medium is unstable and easily corroded by extractants such as organic phase P507, P204, acidic solutions, and alkaline solutions, thereby contaminating rare earth elements and compromising product purity.
4) After internal structural improvements, this product is highly suitable for a variety of extraction processes and boasts extremely high efficiency, excellent clarification performance, and relatively low consumption of organic-phase extractants, thereby significantly enhancing both production efficiency and product quality.
5) The tank material of the PP/PVC extraction equipment is high-quality PP/PVC plastic. This high-quality PP/PVC plastic boasts stable physical properties, excellent acid and alkali resistance, and can readily adapt to modifications in the production process. Its structure can be adjusted at any time, and the inlet and outlet ports can be reconfigured as needed. Moreover, the plastic is easy to modify through welding, offering great flexibility.
6) High-quality PP/PVC troughs have a long resistance to aging, typically lasting 15 to 20 years. Moreover, after they are scrapped, they can be recycled and reused without causing any environmental pollution, making them the best extraction equipment of the new generation.
2. Manufacturing Process
1) Welding methods: bonding, hot-melt bonding, and high-temperature gas welding.
2) When joining horizontal panels, use double-sided chamfering as shown in the figure: A-A′ = B-B′.
3) When vertically butt-welding plates, no beveling is required; however, the weld length must be at least equal to the plate thickness, as shown in the figure: A-B / A’-C = A-A’ / B-B’ / C-C’.
4) For plate thickness and strength, refer to the parameters specified in the equipment model specifications listed in item 6.
5) The edges of the exterior panels shall be planed smooth and chamfered slightly by 1–2 mm to ensure safety and aesthetics.
6) The outer corner edges with a 90° angle shall have 90° chamfers on both external sides, with the chamfer depth being no less than the thickness of the sheet material.
7) Plastic welding temperature, refer to the “Practical Handbook of Engineering Materials Welding,” ISBN 7-111-14411-2, Appendix:
| Material |
Temperature |
Material |
Temperature |
Material |
Temperature |
Material |
Temperature |
| ABS |
232 |
Polyoxymethylene (POM) |
260 |
Polyethylene (low density) |
171 |
Polyethylene (high-density) |
199 |
| Polycarbonate |
343 |
Polystyrene |
212 |
Polybenzimidazole |
343 |
Nylon 66 |
246 |
| Polyvinyl chloride |
212 |
Polypropylene |
204 |
|
|
|
|
3. Maintenance and Servicing
PP/PVC extraction tanks are generally used indoors, with a constant temperature maintained between 20°C and 50°C. These tanks have a large coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction, so they must be used continuously. Avoid frequent on-off cycles, as this can easily lead to cracking. During regular use, keep the tank clean and aesthetically pleasing. If modifications are necessary, first drain the local liquid contents, thoroughly clean and dry the area, and then perform localized welding repairs. If you detect cascading leakage requiring repair, stop the operation, drain the liquid, clean the area thoroughly, and then weld to seal the leak. Only after passing the water-tightness test should the tank be put back into service.
