Commercial Alkali-Metal Experience
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CEI has completed a significant amount of work with alkali metals for non-nuclear applications. Listed below is a brief description of other projects that CEI has led or participated in:
- Australia Magnesium Corporation
Drained a large sodium heat transfer system and reacted residual quantities of sodium from a complex network of sodium contaminated piping, tanks, and heat exchangers using superheated steam processing. - ASARCO
CEI cleaned (reacted to sodium hydroxide) the contents of a large storage tank bearing approximately 6,000 pounds of sodium metal using the superheated steam process - SARA, Inc. (Scientific Applications and Research Associates Inc.)
Worked with SARA, Inc. to test a system to convert ocean wave energy to electricity, using magneto hydrodynamics (MHD) generators that use NaK as the working fluid. - Dow Chemical Company
NaK was used as a catalyst to produce specialty rubbers. When the system was shut down, CEI reacted the remaining NaK and NaK residues to form hydroxides to clean out the system of tanks and pipe lines. - ExxonMobil Company
CEI completed the final deactivation of suspected accumulation of sodium catalyst in a very large chemical storage tank. - Using Sodium Metal as a Raw Material
CEI has designed built and started-up systems for feeding sodium as a raw material for production of other metals. Because of customer concerns for confidentiality, these products and customer identities are not listed here.
o Sodium Methylate - CEI has designed complete systems for making sodium methylate. Designs have included sodium handling, raw material storage, reaction system and product handling. Worldwide sodium methylate production has increased recently because of its pre-eminent use as the catalyst to make biodiesel. CEI has designed both batch and continuous processing techniques. Because of customer concerns for confidentiality, customer identities are not listed here. - KMR Industries
- Installation and operation of a unit for manufacturing sodium dispersion on CEI’s plant site in York, Pa. Creative Engineers, Inc., as part owner of KMR Industries, has operated the production facility for manufacturing sodium dispersion for over ten years. Sodium dispersion is used in the treatment and remediation of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).
- Design and manufacturing of specialty electromagnetic pumps and flow meters
- Design and fabrication of a mobile, skid-mounted alkali metal destruction system which CEI takes to customer sites for on-site sodium and NaK treatment with superheated steam.
- Installation and operation of a unit for manufacturing sodium dispersion on CEI’s plant site in York, Pa. Creative Engineers, Inc., as part owner of KMR Industries, has operated the production facility for manufacturing sodium dispersion for over ten years. Sodium dispersion is used in the treatment and remediation of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).
- Callery Chemical Company (now a division of BASF) – Some of the alkali metal projects completed while at Callery Chemical Company were:
- Designed, installed and implemented a bulk NaK production facility which allowed Callery to increase the commercial supply for NaK, and improved the quality such that all NaK met high purity standards.
- Designed, installed and implemented a system for safe deactivation of alkali metals (potassium, sodium and NaK) by reaction with steam to produce potassium and sodium hydroxides and hydrogen. The system was used to react alkali metals in vessels, drums and shipping cylinders to effect a thorough reaction of the alkali metal. This system has been safely used for 20+ years for cleanout of alkali metals with excellent reliability.
- Upgraded an existing facility for production of potassium metal from 2,000 pounds per day to in- excess-of 10,000 pounds per day.
- Designed installed and implemented an upgraded system to manufacture potassium superoxide using potassium as the primary raw material. The system has been used for over 20 years to produce up to 600 tons per year of potassium superoxide.
- Redesigned the commercial potassium and NaK production facilities to eliminate > 99% of the impurities. This resulted in commercial grade potassium and NaK that met high purity standards.
- Redesigned the NaK and potassium shipping container to make it safer, more rugged, and simpler to use. Secured a DOT exemption for use of the containers.
- Designed, installed and implemented a large automated system for reaction of alkali metals such as potassium, sodium and NaK with alcohols for the production of alkali metal alcoholates.