Challenging Working Condition Breakthrough Case — Fine Phosphorus Chemical Industry

Fine phosphorus chemicals represent a critical sector driving the value upgrade of phosphorus resources and supporting national strategic emerging industries. Through advanced technologies, bulk phosphorus raw materials once sold by the ton are transformed into high–value-added products sold by the gram—significantly enhancing industrial efficiency and competitiveness.

Core products such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP), electronic-grade Phosphoric Acid, halogen-free flame retardants, high-efficiency water treatment agents, and agrochemical and pharmaceutical intermediateshave become indispensable materials for new energy, semiconductors, modern agriculture, Environmental Protection, and life sciences. These materials are closely linked to food security, technological self-reliance, green sustainability, and supply chain stability—making fine phosphorus chemicals a cornerstone of traditional industry upgrading and national economic security.

Process Overview of Fine Phosphorus Chemicals

Fine phosphorus chemical production starts with phosphate rock, which is converted into basic products such as yellow phosphorus and wet-process Phosphoric Acid via two fundamental routes: thermal processing and wet processing.

These primary products are then refined through purification processes (e.g., solvent extraction) and complex chemical reactions such as neutralization, esterification, and polymerization. The process branches into two main directions:

• Inorganic phosphorus chemistry: producing battery material precursors, high-performance flame retardants, food-grade and electronic-grade specialty phosphates
• Organic phosphorus chemistry: using key intermediates such as yellow phosphorus and phosphorus trichloride to synthesize flame retardants, water treatment chemicals, and agrochemical/pharmaceutical intermediates

Through these pathways, basic phosphorus resources are ultimately transformed into high-value fine chemicals serving a wide range of advanced applications.

Valve Failure Challenges in Harsh Operating Conditions

A major phosphorus chemical subsidiary of a large chemical group in Sichuan Province—supplying products globally and cooperating with many international feed, food, and chemical companies—once faced persistent valve reliability issues in critical process units.

Valve failures were primarily caused by erosion, electrochemical corrosion, and their combined synergistic effect:

• In slurry services such as phosphate ore pulp and Phosphoric Acid Slurry, high-velocity fluids containing solid particles caused severe erosion of valve seats and balls, leading to leakage and even structural perforation.
• Highly corrosive media such as wet-process Phosphoric Acid and fluosilicic acid induced uniform corrosion and pitting on metal valves.
• Most critically, corrosion softened metal surfaces, making them more susceptible to erosion, while erosion continuously removed protective oxide layers—accelerating corrosion in a vicious cycle.

As a result, valve service life was reduced from months to just weeks under extreme conditions, severely affecting operational continuity and driving up maintenance costs.

Breakthrough with KOWOV Ceramic Valves

During a neutralization capacity expansion project in 2020, the company first introduced KOWOV Ceramic Valves, achieving outstanding results.

Although the initial purchase cost of Ceramic Valves was2–5 times higher than metal valves, their service life extended from weeks or months to over 2 years, delivering:

• Over 70% reduction in spare parts procurement costs (lifecycle basis)
• More than 50% reduction in maintenance labor and material costs
• Over 80% reduction in unplanned shutdowns caused by valve failures
• Near elimination of material losses and excess energy consumption caused by internal valve leakage

These improvements significantly enhanced production continuity and operational stability.

Conclusion

In fine phosphorus chemical production, ceramic valves—thanks to their exceptional resistance to erosion and outstanding chemical stability—have fundamentally solved long-standing valve failure problems.

By adopting ceramic valves, phosphorus chemical producers have achieved long-cycle stable operation, reduced unplanned downtime by over 80%, and cut maintenance costs by more than 50%. Beyond direct economic benefits, ceramic valves also ensure process media purity, providing reliable support for the production of high-value products such as electronic-grade phosphoric acid and battery materials.

Today, ceramic valves have become a key enabling technology for the high-end, refined development of the phosphorus chemical industry—driving the sector toward safer, greener, and more efficient operations.