MFG Chemical Completes Pilot Plant Upgrade ProjectMFG Chemical Completes Pilot Plant Upgrade Project
December 10, 2019
Chemical manufacturing firm MFG Chemical recently finished an upgrade project at its Dalton, GA pilot plant, the company announced in a December 4 press release.
Improvements were made to a 100-gal stainless steel reactor. The equipment can heat oil and steam reactions up to 550°F. The reactor features internal cooling coils, two top feed ports, a bottom (dip tube) feed port, a pack column condenser, a reflux column, standard tube condenser, a small distribution column, and a vacuum capability at 8 Torr.
“This 100-gal pilot plant reactor is worth its weight in gold. It is popular with customers because it produces one and two drum sized quantities of the needed specialty chemicals for evaluation and use prior to total scale up,” said MFG Chief Science and Technology Officer Guido DeStefano in a statement. “It is also used for internal studies to optimize process and improve safety.”
During the project, the 100-gal reactor was moved to a mezzanine that is 1 ft above the floor and new insulation as installed. MFG also made upgrades throughout the pilot plant and pressure cleaned the facility.
“This is a very useful pilot plant because it meets our customers’ small quantity needs, without tying up an entire manufacturing plant,” MFG CEO Keith Arnold said in the release. “We will plan to add a second 100-gal pilot reactor as customer needs continue to grow.”
MFG revealed plans this July to make improvements in safety and efficiency at its three production facilities in Dalton, GA. Dubbed “Project Oddessy,” the company’s project will involve upgrades of management systems for process safety and compliance workflows. The company also intends to boost the capacity and efficiency of the plants in response to an uptick in demand from a range of industries, including agriculture, asphalt, soap and detergents, mining, and personal care.
In March, the company appointed Melanie West to the newly created position of Director, Supply Chain to support its growing domestic and international business.
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