Protec User Manual Pressure vessels

Summary

Product Identification

• PROTEC™ Pressure Vessels from Bekaert Progressive Composites are designed for continuous use as a housing for membrane elements.
• They feature a filament-wound reinforced plastic shell.
• The vessels are designed to meet the standards of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section X. ASME Code stamping is available at additional cost.

Operating Limits

• Permeate Pressure: Do not operate the vessel permeate port over 125 psi (8.6 bar) without prior factory approval.
• Pressure Applications: The vessel is designed for positive pressure applications only and is not suitable for vacuum conditions.
• pH Range:
  • Continuous use: pH 3-11.
  • Intermittent cleaning (less than 30 min.): pH 2-12.
• Temperature: If the continuous operating temperature is less than 45°F (7°C), the factory must be informed.
• Environmental: Do not install the vessel in direct sunlight.
• Overpressure Protection: Set safety devices at not more than 105% design pressure.

Mechanical / Hydraulic

• Vessel Mounting:
  • Mount the shell using furnished hardware and provided saddles.
  • Tighten mounting straps to a maximum of 1 ft-lb (1.4 N-m).
  • For long vessels, use 3 saddles and only 2 straps to minimize shell stress.
  • Strap assemblies are designed for horizontal positioning only and are not designed to handle the weight of the vessel.
• Vessel Expansion: The vessel is designed to expand under pressure. Allow for:
  • Diameter expansion (ΔDIA): 0.014” (0.4 mm)
  • Length expansion (ΔL): 0.25” (6.4 mm) for a length code –7 vessel.
• Piping Connections:
  • Use flexible groove-end pipe couplings (e.g., Victaulic™ or similar).
  • Maximize connection flexibility to accommodate vessel expansion.
  • The clearance between ports and manifolds or between ports should be set at the flexible connectors’ maximum recommendations, typically 0.125 inches (3.175 mm).
  • Manifold-to-vessel misalignment should be held to within 0.030” (0.76 mm) when using a single flexible connection.
  • Do not over-tighten the Permeate Port connection (no more than one turn past hand tight).
  • Avoid movement on the permeate piping to prevent stress on the permeate port.
• Internal Components:
  • Ensure the Thrust Ring is installed downstream.
  • Shim membranes carefully to minimize element movement.
• Port Water Velocity: Optimize water velocity through the ports, typically 5-15 ft/sec (1.5-4.5 m/sec).
• Head Removal: To move the head inboard, tap approximately 1/8” (3 mm). The bearing plate includes tapped 5/16-18 or 8 mm holes for removal tools.
• Head Loading: When installing, tap the head into the vessel using a 2-3 lb (1-1.5 kg) dead blow hammer. After shimming, the head should clear the retaining ring groove by about 1/8” (3 mm).
• Shimming Spacers: Plastic spacers used for shimming are .20 inches thick or 3 mm / 10 mm thick (refer to order details).
• Head Assembly: Head locking segment screws should be initially tightened no more than 1/4 turn past finger tight before final tightening.

Feed water

• Flush the vessel with non-corrosive permeate before system shut down if feed waters may cause corrosion under static conditions.
• Chemical additives, such as sodium bisulphate, must be continuously monitored and controlled to prevent adverse pH impacts.
• When using preservation chemicals: strictly monitor application, check all process variants, ensure complete vessel filling with turbulent flow, avoid air bubbles, follow chemical-specific instructions, and strictly control the solution pH. If the pH drops below 3, change the solution immediately. Special precautions are necessary for high temperatures.

Product water

• A sudden drop in permeate quality often indicates a seal problem resulting from membrane column movement under pressure.

Spare Parts

Recommended spare parts are available, categorized by the number of vessels (1-50, 51-100, 101-250, 251-500, and 500 & up). These include the Entire vessel head, Head Locking Ring (PRO), Head Locking Segment sets (BPV), Permeate Port, Adapter, Thrust Cone, Side port seal, Head Seal, Permeate Port Seal, Adapter Seal, and PWT Seal.

See the official PDF for exact tabulated values.

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Disclaimer: This summary is based on extracted text and may not include all figures, footnotes, or the latest revisions. For contractual data, always refer to the specific OEM PDF revision used on your project.

Official datasheet (PDF)

PDF datasheet