Salt storage

The Maine Department of Transportation is funding research at Maine University, Orono, Maine, to monitor the levels of simple cyanide and complex cyanides, pH, Na, and Cl in surface waters which are in the proximity of four Maine Department of Transportation salt storage facilities. 

A blanket of steam in the salt-storage tanks excludes air and thus prevents oxidation. No treatment of the salt is required so long as leakage of oil and air is avoided. However, because leaks do occur occasionally, some Houdry plants have equipment for removal of carbonates and reduction of nitrate to nitrite (2). 

Storability is another important attribute of the chemical fuel hydrogen. Hydrogen makes it possible to economically store over time—for the winter season, for example—energy derived from intermittent sources such as solar power. Hydrocarbons (natural gas, petroleum, coal) obviously are easy to store. But how do you store sunlight or the heat from a nuclear reactor Storage works very well in solar power tower plants, where heat is stored very efficiently in 24-hour, day-and-night cycles in molten salt storage tanks.2... 

Any loss of salt from a pile must be regarded as a form of pollution. Salt, however, is quite benign and is not deemed a serious pollutant. Handling of solid salt, especially in windy conditions, produces a fine dust. This drift is one consideration in siting a salt storage pile. The wind-blown salt can be a nuisance in process areas and usually ends up in the plant s effluent water system. Salt dissolved from the pile (e.g., by rainfall) can be recovered by collection in a sump and returned to the process. 

A variation on the above is a below-grade pit. This approach is sometimes used on smaller scale, and it is somewhat superior to salt-pile dissolving. The dissolving fluid can be introduced through spargers beneath the surface of the salt. A pit is also adaptable to wet-salt storage and then is less subject to some of the operating problems listed above. 

Salt Storage Handbook, Salt Institute, Alexandria, VA (1997). 

Not covered in this document Aggressive industrial environments such as steelwork adjacent to acid plants, salt storage depots, electroplating shops, chemical works etc. Buried or immersed steelwork Sea water spla zones. Variable... 

Hazardous decomp, prods. Combustion produces silica, carbon dioxide, and traces of incompletely burnt carbon prods, and amine salts Storage 6 mos. shelf life in orig. container 25 C protect from frost Silcorel AF110 [Reliance Silicones ]... 

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