Corrosion Monitoring on Alumina Refining Digesters

The digester is vital in the Bayer process for alumina refining, where alumina is dissolved from bauxite using a combination caustic soda and high temperatures. These conditions are ideal for corrosion to occur. If left unmonitored, this can lead to loss of containment, posing significant safety and operational risks. Non-intrusive corrosion monitoring enables real-time tracking of the digester’s health by measuring direct wall thickness at its thinnest points of the digester. This ensures plant safety and reliability by empowering operators to make data-driven decisions. Additionally, continuous monitoring it supports improved maintenance planning, maximizing operations and enabling the processing of lower-quality bauxite efficiently due to the higher concentrations of caustic soda and higher temperatures which are required.