Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM) is one of the leading companies worldwide in the production of lithium carbonate from its operation Salar del Carmen, where highly concentrated brines are taken from Salrar de Atamaca, near Antofagasta, Chile.
In March 2018, Tenova Advanced Technologies on behalf of SQM, awarded Lepsa with the fabrication of 04 settlers and 03 storage tanks for the Boron SX Plant, as part of the project.
Settlers are 36.9 ft long x 13.1 ft wide x 3.3 ft high and were manufactured in a single piece from a streel-structured mold that provided the required level of dimensionally accuracy. All internals were produced under strict production and quality control. All components were manufactured by hand lay up from ECR glass and vinyl ester resin.
The boron tanks were manufactured at 8.2 ft diameter x 39.4 ft long, providing a total of 90 m3 storage capacity. Due to the harsh operating conditions on these and the complexity of the design, the tanks were fabricated with steel supports laminated to the tank, making it a single integral piece. These tanks were manufactured by filament winding for the cylinder, and by hand lay up for the fittings, end caps, and other internals.
All equipment was leak tested in the factory without finding any issues. Conductivity test was performed satisfactory as well.
Finally, all equipment was carefully packed for sea freight, from Lima to Antofagasta.
Once again, our experience, capacities, and commitment to safety and quality in LEPSA, as well as our disposition to provide the service, were key in the success of the project.
