Vesconite Hilube Bearings Resilient in Hypochlorite Environment
At a Gulf Coast seawater cooling pump station, the resilience of Vesconite Hilube bearings in hypochlorite came to the forefront, showcasing their superiority in challenging environments.
Sodium hypochlorite, commonly known as bleach, is a staple in water treatment and cooling systems and is hailed for its potent disinfectant, anti-microbial and marine-growth-inhibiting properties. These properties led to hypochlorite being adopted at the Gulf Coast deepwater cooling application where seawater must be disinfected before use.
However, when its concentration was inadequately monitored at the pump station, the consequences were severe.
Pumps fitted with conventional A106 seamless carbon steel and bronze wear components suffered considerable damage due to exposure to concentrations of hypochlorite exceeding the typical 2-3 ppm concentrations.
In contrast, pumps fitted with Vesconite Hilube parts emerged unscathed, demonstrating remarkable resilience to the corrosive effects of hypochlorite. Even after eight years of operation in these conditions, Vesconite Hilube bearings show no deterioration.
