What Should You Consider When Choosing Fasteners For A Water Treatment Plant?

During the process of water treatment plant construction, the choice of what fasteners to use is often a critical one. Most individuals and companies prefer using titanium eye bolts and other similar products for this. Of course, one could use other types of fasteners, but this usually results in poor results. In order to understand […]

During the process of water treatment plant construction, the choice of what fasteners to use is often a critical one. Most individuals and companies prefer using titanium eye bolts and other similar products for this. Of course, one could use other types of fasteners, but this usually results in poor results. In order to understand why specific fasteners need to be used in such a setting, one needs to understand the conditions under which the fasteners are required to work. This guides the selection of fasteners based on their ability to withstand these conditions including:

High temperatures

Depending on the nature of the water treatment plant, some sections of it might be exposed to high temperatures as part of the purification process. Inconel U Bolts and other fasteners made out of thermal-resistant materials are most ideal for use in such environments. Fasteners that tend to soften when exposed to high temperatures are likely to give in when used instead. Other materials tend to have an increased rate of chemical reactions when under high temperature, which could lead to failure of the fasteners. All these factors could lead to recurrent damage to the treatment plant.

Exposure to a variety of chemical environments

Water that comes into the plant for treatment is usually derived from a variety of sources. It could therefore have any conceivable chemical composition. The fasteners that come into contact with the water need to be made out of materials that are inert to most chemicals and acid levels. This has a direct influence on the cost of running the facility.

Pressure considerations

In sections of the purification such as tanks, the fasteners used are usually exposed to very high pressures. If they happen to have low tensile and compressive thresholds, they are likely to give in and this could spell disaster for the whole plant. This is why all fasteners used in these sections need to be assessed to find out if they are capable of withstanding this much pressure.

Health profiles

Is the water going to be used for consumption? If so, it is important to make sure that the fasteners used have qualities that will not negatively influence the safety of the water. For instance, if fasteners made out of corrosive materials are used, the ions that they release could contaminate the water and poison any downstream users. As you can imagine, this could result in a massive public health problem especially if the water is meant to be used by a large number of people.

Access

Is there a part of the water treatment facility that will need regular maintenance or which has to be dismantled frequently? Such components need to be fastened using fasteners that can withstand this sort of treatment. Regular fastening and undoing tends to put a lot of strain on the fasteners. If they are not made out of a material that can withstand this, they are likely to fail prematurely.

Understanding the nature of a treatment plant is essential when choosing fasteners for it. Getting this right can help prevent high maintenance costs and other catastrophes.