Next-generation rinse aids for pickling lines
Kimya Antioxidants (Rinse Aids) for the pickling line rinse section combine corrosion inhibitors and additives formulated to counter the main surface degradation phenomena, such as flash rust, stop marks and discoloration. These defects, especially common during line stoppages or slowdowns, can compromise strip quality and reduce the efficiency of downstream processes.
Compared to conventional products, Kimya antioxidants deliver high effectiveness at significantly lower concentrations, resulting in a substantial reduction in operating costs. The formulations also provide short-term protection against corrosion phenomena during storage prior to downstream processing.
Field data demonstrates up to a 50% reduction in reverse osmosis (RO) water consumption, yielding measurable environmental and economic benefits by lowering water usage and the energy required for water heating. Combining a favorable toxicological profile with seamless compatibility with downstream operations, such as cold rolling and galvanizing, this technology ensures absolute reliability at every stage of the process.
Key Benefits
Case Study
Rinse Aids in a
cold rolling complex
South Africa
In pickling lines, stoppages and slowdowns can lead to surface defects and additional cost burden. At the same time, demineralized water is a strategic resource: reducing its consumption means lowering costs while addressing a critical environmental challenge. Kimya antioxidants are designed to turn this issue into an opportunity for efficiency and sustainability
Field results1
At a major steel plant in South Africa, located in an area affected by severe drought, the need to drastically reduce water consumption was combined with the pursuit of improved product quality. Line stoppages and slowdowns were in fact causing surface darkening and stop marks, leading to thickness reading issues that required speed reductions in cold rolling mill.
Kimya developed a customized formulation2 of Rinse Aids, proven capable of addressing both challenges: on one hand eliminating surface defects and on the other reducing water consumption in the rinse section from 7 to 3.5 m³/h (equivalent to a 50% saving, approximately 21,000 m³/year).
This also resulted in tangible economic benefits, with cost savings exceeding €78,000/year, driven by:
- Supply and production of demineralized (RO) water.
- Heating of water up to 80°C using a coal-fired boiler.
Results3 confirmed that the use of Kimya Rinse Aids not only ensures superior surface quality even under critical conditions, but also makes a significant contribution to reducing operating costs and improving the plant’s environmental sustainability.
Notes:
1. Results achieved over a 6-month period.
2. Trial conducted using Kimya Rinse Aids at 500 ppm.
3. Additional technical details and operating conditions of the trial are available upon request.
