Sandvik capabilities in the

petrochemical industry
Sandvik steel belts around the world

Sandvik steel belt technology forms the

basis for all of our processing systems
and delivers a range of proven benefits.

• Hard and smooth surface

• Temperature resistant
• Corrosion resistant
• Easy to clean
• Endless weldable
• Wear resistant
• High thermal conductivity
• High tensile stress resistance
• Easy to repair

A number of Sandvik standard steel belts

are available for chemical processing
applications, and we can incorporate a
full range of special designs to satisfy
particular requirements.

• Various grades of stainless or

carbon steel.
• Various thicknesses and widths.
• Side retainer and retaining strips.
• Various surface finishes from cold
rolled to mirror polished.
• Steel belt technology has proved a
highly efficient and economical solution
for the petrochemical and fertilizer
industries.

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Economical processes for the
petrochemical and fertilizer industries
We offer a choice of solidification systems based on the proven performance
of steel belt technology
Granulation process (flaking and pastillation) Our solidification
• Sandvik Rotoform® process – for high • Sandvik flaking process – ideal and
quality free flowing pastilles. economical solution for high capacity
processes are developed
requirement of bulk products. for products like:

• Sulphur / sulphur bentonite

• Paraffin wax
• Pitch
• Asphaltene
• Bitumen

The advantages at a glance:

• Efficient cooling through good contact
with the steel belt.
• Very wide product viscosity range.
• Very wide temperature range (feeding
temperature up to 320°C).
• Easy processing of corrosive, abrasive
and sedimenting melts.
• Environmentally friendly production –
virtually no exhaust air pollution;
Sulphur Pitch Wax Pitch Sulphur Pitch cooling water is recirculated.
• Smooth surface of the steel belt means
Sheet casting process easy maintenance and cleaning.
• for the production of oxidized • System versatility – easy changeover to
bitumen in sheets/blocks different products within minutes.

Oxidized bitumen: from liquid to solid – on ready-to-load pallets – in less than 15 minutes

3
 Sandvik Rotoform® process

The characteristics of the Rotoform process

• Pastilles are solidified directly from the We have developed an entire family
melt, eliminating the energy and of Rotoform systems, each designed for
equipment costs associated with specific applications or process
The Rotoform unit forms the subsequent grinding, crushing or requirements:
heart of our pastillation process other breaking processes. • High capacity production
• Pastilles are of a highly uniform shape • Corrosive products
and stability, with practically no dust • Melts which feed in at high
produced. temperature
The Sandvik Rotoform process • Pastilles are free flowing and ideal for • Abrasive and sedimenting melts
combines the Rotoformer drop handling, blending, storage and further • Subcooling melts
depositor with a steel belt cooler processing. • Production of micropastilles
to create a pastillation system • Higher bulk density and better packing (down to 1 mm dia.)
capable of delivering pastilles of properties than bulky flakes.
highly uniform shape, stability and • Environmentally friendly production as
quality.The process itself is cooling media (water) and product are
environmentally friendly and can kept apart, ensuring no possibility of
be adapted to meet low or high contamination either way.
capacity requirements. • The excellent thermal conductivity of
the steel belt means cooling time is
short, so very little vapor or gas can
get into the atmosphere and little
oxygen can penetrate the product.

Typical Rotoform plant

Product pump Fine filter Rotoformer Steel belt cooler

Exhaust air

Raw material II Prefilter

Raw material I
M

Granules silo

Reactor
or mixer Bagging
Weighing

Storage

M
Release agent

Cooling water

Cooling water
return

Release agent Tensioning drum Water collecting tank

applicator (heating optional)

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Sandvik flaking process

The flaking process is specially developed

for high capacity production of bulk
material.

This proven solidification system consists

of an overflow weir feeder and a steel
belt cooler. The heated weir distributes
the product over the steel belt and forms
a film that is taken up by the running steel Sulphur Pitch
belt.

The liquid product solidifies to an even

layer on the steel belt, which is cooled by
spraying water from the underside.
Retaining strips of Neoprene or rubber
prevent the product from spilling over
the edges of the steel belt.

At the cooler end, a crusher breaks the

solid product layer into small irregular
flakes. After leaving the crusher, the flakes
are fed into a chute for further
processing. Overflow weir for
flaking system

Sandvik flaking system

Steel belt cooler
Air exhaust

Filter Crusher

Liquid sulphur M M

Flakes
Product pump

Surge tank

Cooling water
Cooling water
return

Cooling water tank or pit

5
 The Rotoform process for

Typical data for the Rotoform process

Product
Pastille shape hemispherical, uniform
Pastille size 2-4 mm
Bulk density >1,150 kg/m3 loose
>1,320 kg/m3 packed
Dust (<0.3 mm) as produced < 0.2%
Friability stress level II (acc. to SUDIC) < 2%
Unit
Capacity max 6 t/h
Capacity range 70-100%
Belt area 7.5 m x 1.5 m
Floorspace requirement approx. 11.0 m x 2.0 m

Free flowing dust-free sulphur pastilles Rotoform principle

Formed sulphur Equipment

• Free flowing pastilles of uniform size • Ability to increase capacity by grouping
and quality. Ideal for subsequent several identical units.
handling, storage and transport. • Suitable for remote areas and harsh
• Premium spec. quality according to weather conditions (hot or cold).
SUDIC (Sulphur Development • Continual process development and
Institute of Canada) test. improvement.
• Customer support and back-up
Process through test and pilot plants.
• Indirect heat transfer – no contact • Worldwide service network available
between product and cooling medium. at short notice.
• Controlled crystallisation – well
defined cooling time. This unique combination of benefits has
• Environmentally friendly – emissions resulted in more than 250Rotoform
within the limits of international laws; units being built for the pastillation of
recycling of cooling water. sulphur.
• Flexibility – rapid changeover to partial
operation without affecting quality.
• Quick start-up and shut-down of plant. Free flowing pastilles of a uniform size and shape

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sulphur pastillation

Recent years have seen us establish

ourselves as a reliable partner to a
growing number of internationally-
renowned engineering companies that
serve the petrochemical industry, and
Sandvik sulphur pastillation units are now
operational on all five continents.

Our activities range from cooperation

during FEED (front-end engineering
design) to EPC (engineering
Sulphur transport and storage procurement construction) contracts,
and turnkey solutions include liquid
sulphur supply, solidification and
downstream handling of solid sulphur as
well as utility equipment and control
systems.

Feed end of Sandvik

Rotoform units

Sandvik Rotoform system for sulphur pastillation

PC
M

Bucket elevator
RF-Unit 1

Conveyor

Filter RF-Unit 2

Liquid sulphur
M

RF-Unit 3

Storage silo

Sulphur pump

Sulphur surge tank RF-Unit 4

M
Cooling water

Cooling water
return

Truck
loading

Cooling water tank or pit

7
Sulphur bentonite

The mixture of sulphur and bentonite

(a special form of clay) makes sulphur
suitable for use as a low cost and efficient
fertilizer. We have developed a process
for mixing these two products and
forming the resulting sulphur bentonite
into free flowing pastilles.

The heart of this system is the Rotoform

AS, specifically developed to enable the
pastillation of mixtures of melts and
abrasive materials.

The end product has a very low dust

content and this, together with other key
properties, ensures that Rotoform-
produced sulphur bentonite complies Rotoform – unit for sulphur bentonite
with the highest environmental
standards.

Our expertise in this process enables us

to provide complete installations,
covering everything from the receipt of
base materials right through to weighing
and bagging of the final product. Dust free and free flowing pastilles
of sulphur bentonite

Rotoform plant for sulphur bentonite

Filter Surge vessel Product pump Filter Rotoformer Steel belt cooler
Exhaust air

Granules silo

Bagging
weighing

Bentonite Storage

Liquid sulphur
M M

Cooling water

Cooling water
return

Sulphur bentonite Product pump Release agent Release agent Water collecting tank
preparation pit applicator

8
Wax pastillation process

Paraffin wax is a common by-product

when oil is refined into lubrication oil
and, like other refinery by-products, is
usually converted into a solid form for
easier handling, transport and storage.

In the past, the traditional method of

solidification was to form this wax into
2.5 or 5 kg slabs. However, the
development of an efficient pastillation
process delivered such a range of
benefits that many slab production
plants have now been replaced by
Rotoform pastillation systems.

The advantages provided by the

Rotoform pastillation process include:

• Free flowing pastilles for better

Rotoform – feeding side handling, storage and metering when
blended with other products.
• Low energy costs due to the large
heat exchange surface of the steel belt
(liquid to solid in less than a minute).
• Rapid rate of cooling enables ‘modified’
waxes (i.e. suspensions or mixtures of
waxes of different gravities or
viscosities) to be solidified without first
needing to be separated.
• High degree of automation means that
a plant of five Rotoform units
producing 10 t/h, complete with
downstream bagging equipment, can
be managed by a single operator.

Rotoform discharge

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Pastillation of pitch and hard bitumen

Rotoform system for production of pitch pastilles Uniform, hemispherical, dust-free pastilles of pitch

The high feeding temperatures of pitch

and hard bitumen – as high as 320ºC –
has until recently prevented the
economically viable pastillation of these
products.

However, with the development of a

purpose-designed system, the Rotoform
HT (High Temperature), both pitch and
hard bitumen can now be solidified in an
efficient and cost effective manner.
Pastillation is performed on a
continuously running steel belt and
delivers consistently sized, hemispherical
pastilles without any deformations, fails
or strings.

Our expertise goes far beyond the

Rotoform pastillator and steel belt cooler Discharge of pitch pastilles
that are at the heart of this process; we
can engineer, supply, erect and
commission the entire system, starting
from receipt of the liquid material
through to weighing and loading – onto
truck, rail or ship – of the bagged or bulk
product.

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 Different products from A-Z
Products most commonly handled using our process
systems

Additives - Soup concentrates - Hydrocarbon

Alkane sulphonate Fungicides - Phenolic
Aluminium sulphate - Polyamide
Ammonium nitrate Herbicides - Polyester
Antioxidants Hot melt adhesives - Silicon
Antiozonants - Based on ethylene - Tall oil
Anthracene vinylacetate, Rubber chemicals
Asphalt polyurethane, polyamide,
polyester Sodium acetate
Benzoic acid - Reactive hot melt Sodium hydroxide
Bisphenol A Sodium nitrate
Bis-hydroxyethyl- Insecticides Sodium sulphide
terephthalate (BHET) Sorbitol
Bitumen Lactam 12 Stabilizers
Stearic acid
Calcium chloride Magnesium chloride Subcooling melts
Calcium nitrate Magnesium nitrate Sulphur
Calcium stearate Maleic anhydride Sulphur + Bentonite
Caprolactam Master batch Surfactants
Carbazol Monochloracetic acid Synthetic soap
Catalysts
Cleaning agent Naphthalene Tar pitch
Cobalt naphtenate Neopentylglycol (NPG) Tensides
Cobalt stearate Nickel catalyst Toluene-diisocyanate (TDI)
Crotonic acid Triazole (BTA,TTA)
Paradichlorbenzol Trimellitic anhydride (TMA)
Our extensive experience in the design Detergents Pesticides Triphenyl phosphate (TPP)
of melt granulation systems – from Diaminodiphenylmethane Photo gelatine
(DMA) Phthalic acid Urea
flaking, stripforming and cutting to
Pitch UV-stabilizers
advanced pastillation lines – means we Emulsifier Polyethylene glycol
are able to offer proven solutions for a Polyethyleneterephthalate Waxes
wide range of chemicals, plastics and Fat chemicals (PET) - Paraffin
intermediates. - Fatty acid Polystyrene - AKD
- Fatty alcohol Polyvinylacetate - Microcrystalline
- Fatty amide Potassium hydroxide - PE-wax
- Fatty ester Potassium nitrate - PP-wax
- Fatty stearate Potassium polyphosphate - Bee-wax
Food products Powder paints - Filled wax
- Cacao mass PVC additive - Flavoured wax
- Cheese PVC stabilizers - Wax colours
- Chocolate - Montan wax
- Edible fats Resins - Coating wax
- Gelatine - Acrylic
- Gum base - Colophonium Zinc nitrate
- Sauces - Epoxy Zinc stearate

11
 The Sandvik packaging system
From liquid to ready-to-load in a little over fifteen minutes

The Sandvik bitumen asphalt packaging

system is a self-contained system that
automatically produces regularly sized
packs with little operator attention.

Hot fluid asphalt is fed onto the Sandvik

steel belt cooler. Chilled water is
sprayed on the underside of the belt,
and air is blown from above. The
smooth, durable surface of the Sandvik
steel belt provides an ideal surface for
the temperatures and loadings involved.
At the end of the belt the solidified Sandvik bitumen asphalt processing: high speed production of easy-to-handle Two steel belt coolers for rapid
asphalt bands are cut into consistently packs cooling of the bitumen
sized slabs which are stacked to form
blocks.These in turn are automatically
shrink-wrapped in polyethylene foil, and
transferred to pallets. The whole process
takes just over 15 minutes, and the
packed end product is easily handled, and
can be thrown straight into melting 2
vessels on site. Standard pack sizes are
710 x 345 x 100 mm, weighing 25 kg, but
this can be adapted to individual needs.

3
Cutting and stacking of slabs
4

6
5

Conveying of bitumen stacks

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for bitumen

The Sandvik bitumen-asphalt packaging

line provides rapid, environmentally
friendly production, plus a number of
other important user benefits.

• Continuous automatic operation

means low labour costs. A plant
producing 10,000 tonnes per year can
be operated by 2 workers.
• High output of the system, thanks to
total time from liquid asphalt to
palletized packages of little over
Liquid bitumen is fed on to the Sandvik steel belt cooler 15 minutes.
• Low costs also result from the
1 polyethylene packaging – far cheaper
than alternative materials.
• Easy handling is assured by the
1 Feeding flexibility to produce packs to specific,
2 Cooling consistent sizes. Complete packs can
3 Cutting be thrown into melting vessels, without
the need to remove the packaging
4 Stacking
material.
5 Transfer • Regular pack configuration means easy
6 Wrapping loading and unloading, with packs
and shrinking designed to match standard pallet
7 Palletizing sizes, and optimum use of storage
space.

Wrapping and shrinking A wrapped pallet with blocks ready for shipping

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 The Sandvik package of supply and services

Based on our experience and

steady development we can offer
you the latest technology and
service for your investment,
starting from feasibility studies,
test- and pilot production,
engineering, manufacturing and
supply, erection, commissioning
and start-up until handover of a
complete plant ready for full
production.

Feasibility studies

Engineering and project management Manufacturing and supply

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for the oil and gas industry

Research and development Test and pilot production

Erection, commissioning and

start-up After sales service

15
 Sandvik – your partner for the
petrochemical industry

Sandvik Process Systems is

© Sandvik Process Systems, Div. of Sandvik GmbH

approved to DIN EN ISO 9001: 2000

– the international recognition of
highest quality standards and
practices.
PS-418 ENG 08.2007 – Printed in Germany

www.smt.sandvik.com/sps