Black Liquor Tank Lining

The challenge

A black liquor tank holds hot, aggressive process fluid that attacks the steel from two directions at once. Chemical corrosion thins the wall and floor while suspended solids and moving liquor erode the surface, and the two work together to accelerate metal loss. Pitting opens up across the plates and the weld seams, and as the wall thins the tank loses the integrity it needs to contain the liquor safely. Left untreated, the steel keeps wasting until the owner faces a release and an unplanned outage that pulls the tank out of the process.

The Belzona approach

Grit-blasting takes the tank interior back to clean, profiled steel so the rebuild and the lining bond to bare metal. The pitted areas, the thinned plate, and the weld seams are rebuilt with a cold-applied 1000 Series composite, restoring the original profile with no hot work. A 5000 Series immersion-grade lining keyed to the hot, aggressive liquor goes on next, so the steel and the rebuilt areas sit under one continuous chemical- and erosion-resistant barrier. The work is staged across the floor and walls, keeping the application moving, and the tank goes back into service ready for the process.

1. Assess and mapThe floor, walls, and weld seams are inspected to map the pitting and metal loss and confirm the liquor conditions so the lining is keyed correctly.
2. Grit-blast prepThe interior is grit-blasted to a clean, profiled surface so both the composite and the immersion lining bond to bare steel.
3. Rebuild pitting and seamsA cold-applied 1000 Series composite rebuilds pitted areas, thinned plate, and weld seams, with no hot work and no plate replacement.
4. Apply immersion liningA 5000 Series immersion-grade lining goes over the steel and rebuilt areas as one continuous chemical- and erosion-resistant barrier.
5. Inspect and return to serviceThe lining is checked for continuity and the tank is turned back over to the owner ready for the hot, aggressive process fluid.