PENETRON Rejuvenates Volgograd Aluminum Plant

(PRWEB) - The March 30th inauguration of the UC RUSAL aluminum plant in Volgograd, Russia, completes a comprehensive renovation and expansion of the facility. PENETRON technology was used throughout the new and repaired infrastructure to optimize concrete durability and protect against chemical attack.

The world's sixth largest aluminum company, United Company RUSAL (UC RUSAL), produces almost 9% of the world's aluminum and generates 9% of the world's alumina. With over 72,000 employees, UC RUSAL operates in 19 countries over five continents. The company is headquartered in Moscow, Russia.

Minimizing Costs And Construction Time
“The aluminum industry is extremely competitive; six of the largest producers account for over 40% of global output,” explains Igor Chernogolov, President of Penetron Russia. “The cost of building a production facility is enormous, which means it’s extremely important to maintain such a facility for optimal productivity.”

Cost pressures on production efficiency add to the sizeable investments needed to build and maintain production facilities. When it came time to upgrade and expand the company’s Volgograd (Central Russia) plant, UC RUSAL carefully specified how the work needed to be carried out to best minimize capital costs and reduce construction time.

Reliably Increasing Concrete Impermeability
The aging Volgograd plant had been in service for many decades; many of the concrete structures that were damaged by the aggressive chemical environment found in aluminum plants needed urgent repairs. Also, an upgrade to enable production of baked anodes, in addition to the normal smelting processes, was planned. Concrete structures exposed to the chemical attacks in this environment often suffer dissolution of the matrix and subsequent loss of structural integrity. Finding a solution to reliably increase impermeability of the concrete, which reduces the ingress of harmful substances into the matrix, was paramount.

The crystalline technology from PENETRON offers protection against acid attacks (pH 3-11) and has been widely used in aggressive environments, such as aluminum plants, wastewater treatment plants and a range of hydrostatic conditions. In fact, PENETRON technology was applied at other UC RUSAL production facilities in Siberia with great success:

• Boguchany aluminum smelter – in Tayozhny, it produces almost 600,000 tons of aluminum annually. PENETRON crystalline topical material and PENECRETE MORTAR were used on all foundation and below-ground concrete structures of the main production hall.
• Irkutsk aluminum plant – in Irkutsk, it has an annual output of over 420,000 tons; the US$ 600 million modernization project saw over 3,000 m3 of concrete treated with PENETRON ADMIX to help ensure impermeability of the structure to avoid use of additional waterproofing materials. The facility also produces silicon.

Repairing Damaged Concrete
The PENETRON System – a combination of PENETRON surface-applied, integral crystalline waterproofing material and PENECRETE MORTAR for cracks and construction joints, form-tie holes, honey-combed areas and structurally damaged concrete – was used for the repair and rehabilitation of the damaged concrete structures throughout the Volgograd plant. PENETRON ADMIX was added to the concrete mix used for all new structures.

“Once again, our local Penetron team was able to provide technical support to UC RUSAL for the Volgograd plant with an effective design mix and choice of topical applications,” adds Igor Chernogolov. “As it turns out, PENETRON crystalline technology was the most effective solution for Volgograd.”

The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels.

For more information on PENETRON waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com, or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.