Checklist before starting the plant. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. All parts of the plant must be absolutely tight.

Check for cooling water circulation in each pump sealing. Check availability of water to the vacuum pump. Check whether air pressure 2-4 Nm2/hr for solenoid valve is available. Display on the panel should show all the indications.

Leak proof test Vacuum test: 1. Make sure that all the lids of calendria are tight. 2. Close concentrate pump discharge line valve and condensate pump discharge line valve. 3. Open vacuum pump water valve, switch on the vacuum pump. 4. When vacuum is attained i.e. 670 mm of Hg. Hold the vacuum for one hour and check the drop in vacuum. 5. It should not be more than 60 mm Hg per hour. 6. If vacuum drop is more, tight nut bolts of calendria and preheaters. 7. Operation of the plant: 8. Attain maximum vacuum and check the drop again.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Water test: Check whether MEE feed tank (0.5 kl) and MEE feed pump suction filters are cleaned. Take MIDC water in feed tank and start feed pump. After pumping approximately 1.5 kl water, start recirculation pump 1. Switch off the pump, if abnormal sound in the pump. Transfer more water and then start the pump again. If 50-60% level (up to first view glass) is attained in the view glass of calendria 1 vapour separator open solenoid valve 1 and transfer the water from calendria 1 to calendria 2. When sufficient water is transferred from calendria 1 to calendria 2, start recirculation pump 2 (wait for some time, if abnormal sound in the pump). When 50-60% level is attained in calendria 2, open solenoid valve 2 and transfer water to calendria 3. Start recirculation pump 3. Start concentrate pump and check for water discharge. Recirculate the water from feed tank. Check for leakages near flange joints, welding joints. Tight the nut bolts, recirculate the water again and ensure no leakage.

Changing over to Feed 1. Stop taking water in the feed tank. 2. Take MEE feed in the feed tank. Ensure that bottom valve of R- 709 is closed, if the neutralization is going on in the reactor. 3. pH of feed must be 6-8. 4. Fill the log sheet per hour. 5. Open steam valve. Increase steam pressure gradually upto 7 kg/ cm2. 6. If delta T is more than 6-8 or when condensate appears in the condenser view glass. Start condensate pump and transfer condensate to condensate tank. 7. Check Baume of concentrate pump discharge. 8. If the Baume value reached to 30 % transfer the concentrate to the hydro cyclone. 9. Recirculate the overflow of the hydrocyclone from mother liquor tank to calendria. 10. Check solid content at hydrocyclone to Centrifuge line. 11. Feed the concentrate to centrifuge.

Centrifugation of Concentrate from hydrocyclone: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Charge around 250 L concentrate in centrifuge through hydrocyclone bottom line hose. Spread it uniform while charging. Operate the centrifuge. Transfer mother liquor to mother liquor tank for recirculation. Collect the salt in HDPE bags for disposal to HWML authority.

Shut down procedure. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Switch off the steam valve gradually. Stop taking fresh feed in the feed tank. Open the solenoid valves and transfer concentrate to hydrocyclone. If vapour separators are empty, open the bottom valves of calendria 1,2 and 3. Switch off the recirculation pump when calendria gets empty. Switch off the vacuum pump and stop pumps seal cooling water supply.

Cleaning with hot water: 1. When calendria gets empty, release vacuum of the system from valve on the vacuum pump line. 2. When vacuum is released and system gets to normal temperature open the top lid of calendria and check for salt deposition. 3. Take out the deposited salt. 4. Open bottom lid and remove the deposited salt. 5. If tubes are found chocked after visual observation apply hot water. 6. Close the lids after cleaning with water. 7. Take leak proof test and then operate the plant.

CIP (Cleaning In Process) system: 1. When feed from the plant is drained and calendrias gets empty circulate warm water. 2. Take MIDC water in feed tank, keep steam pressure around 2 kg/cm2. 3. When temperature of jacket goes upto 60 deg. C. stop steam supply and circulate water for 30 minutes. 4. Run 2-3% caustic solution and circulate for 45-60 minutes. Maintain temperature around 60 deg C. by adjusting the steam. 5. Discharge the caustic solution and flush the system with water till the pH of the flushing water come down to 7-8. 6. Circulate 0.3-0.5% of nitric acid solution at 80 deg for 30-40 minutes. 7. Discharge the acid solution and flush the system with warm water till pH of the flushing water come down to 7-8. 8. Open top cover of calendria and clean the distribution plate manually. 9. Check the tubes from inside, if scaling or deposition of solids then clean the tubes. 10. Repeat step 4-9 till tubes get completely cleaned.