Case Studies & Application Stories

Chemical ProcessingTank MixingNew Jersey

Eliminating Stratification in a 20,000-Gallon Acid Storage Tank

The Challenge

A specialty chemical manufacturer was storing dilute sulfuric acid in a 20,000-gallon fiberglass tank. Concentration stratification was causing inconsistent product quality and triggering out-of-spec batches. A mechanical agitator had corroded and failed within 18 months due to the acid environment.

The Solution

Northeast Controls recommended four PVDF (KYNAR®) Tank Mixing Eductors — Model TLM2MP — installed at the bottom of the tank on a recirculating manifold fed by an existing 40 PSI pump. The PVDF construction provided complete resistance to the sulfuric acid. No electrical components enter the tank.

The Result

Stratification was eliminated within the first week of operation. Product quality became consistent across all batches. Three years later, the eductors remain in service with zero maintenance required — compared to the 18-month failure cycle of the mechanical agitator.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Before	After
Maintenance events	Every 18 months	Zero in 3 years
Out-of-spec batches	~8% of production	<0.5%
Downtime for agitator repair	2–3 days/year	None

Products Used:Plastic Tank Eductors (PVDF)

Food & BeverageTank HeatingPennsylvania

Steam Heating a 5,000-Gallon Grain Mash Tank Without a Heat Exchanger

The Challenge

A craft distillery needed to heat 5,000 gallons of grain mash from 65°F to 155°F within 45 minutes for each batch. Their existing steam coil heat exchanger was fouling with grain solids every 2–3 batches, requiring a full CIP cycle and adding 3+ hours of downtime per production day.

The Solution

A 1½″ Carbon Steel Tank Heating Eductor was installed at the bottom of the mash tun, connected to the existing 40 PSIG steam supply. The direct-contact steam injection heats the mash while simultaneously agitating it — eliminating the need for a separate agitator and heat exchanger entirely.

The Result

Target temperature is reached in 38 minutes — within spec. Fouling is eliminated because there is no heat transfer surface for solids to accumulate on. The distillery eliminated 3+ hours of daily CIP downtime and reduced steam consumption by approximately 12% due to the near-100% condensation efficiency of direct injection.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Before	After
Heat-up time	52 min (with fouling)	38 min
Daily CIP downtime	3+ hours	Eliminated
Steam consumption	Baseline	~12% reduction

Products Used:Tank Heating Eductors Steam Jet Heaters

Municipal WastewaterLiquid Jet PumpNew York

Replacing a Failed Submersible Pump in a Corrosive Sump

The Challenge

A municipal wastewater treatment plant had a collection sump receiving high-chloride process water. Submersible pumps were failing every 6–9 months due to corrosion of motor windings and shaft seals, at a replacement cost of $4,200 per unit plus labor. The plant needed a more durable solution.

The Solution

A 2″ 316 Stainless Steel Liquid Jet Pump was installed in the sump, driven by the plant's existing 60 PSI water supply header. The jet pump has no motor, no seals, and no electrical components in the fluid path — nothing to corrode or fail. The entire unit is solid 316SS.

The Result

The jet pump has been in continuous service for over 4 years with no maintenance. The plant eliminated recurring pump replacement costs and the associated labor. Total cost of ownership over 4 years is less than the cost of a single submersible pump replacement.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Before	After
Pump replacement frequency	Every 6–9 months	None in 4+ years
Annual maintenance cost	~$5,800	$0
Unplanned downtime events	2–3/year	Zero

Products Used:Liquid Jet Pumps

Oil & GasGas Jet PumpTexas

Continuous Vapor Recovery from a Crude Oil Storage Tank

The Challenge

An oil storage terminal needed to continuously exhaust hydrocarbon vapors from a floating-roof crude oil tank to prevent vapor accumulation above the lower explosive limit. Electrical blowers were prohibited in the classified hazardous area. A solution with no electrical components was required.

The Solution

A 1″ 316 Stainless Steel Gas Jet Pump was installed using the facility's instrument air supply (90 PSI) as the motive fluid. The jet pump continuously draws vapor from the tank headspace and discharges it to a vapor recovery unit. No electrical components, no motors, no ignition sources.

The Result

Continuous vapor recovery has been maintained for 3 years without incident. The installation passed ATEX/NEC Class I Div 1 inspection with no issues. The simplicity of the jet pump — no moving parts, no power supply, no maintenance — made it the preferred solution over all alternatives considered.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Before	After
Electrical components in hazardous area	Required (blower)	Zero
Maintenance events	N/A (new installation)	Zero in 3 years
Regulatory compliance	Concern	Full ATEX/NEC compliance

Products Used:Gas Jet Pumps

AgricultureTank MixingIowa

Keeping Liquid Fertilizer in Suspension in 50,000-Gallon Storage Tanks

The Challenge

A fertilizer distributor was storing liquid ammonium polyphosphate (10-34-0) in two 50,000-gallon tanks. The product settles rapidly when not agitated, forming a hard sediment layer that required manual tank entry and cleaning every season — a costly and hazardous operation.

The Solution

Six 2″ Carbon Steel Tank Mixing Eductors were installed in each tank (twelve total), arranged to create a helical circulation pattern. The eductors are driven by a small recirculating pump running on a timer — 15 minutes per hour is sufficient to maintain full suspension.

The Result

Sediment formation has been completely eliminated. Tank cleaning has not been required in two full seasons. The recirculating pump runs only 6 hours per day, consuming minimal energy. The distributor estimates the system paid for itself in the first season by eliminating one tank cleaning event.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Before	After
Seasonal tank cleaning events	1 per tank per season	Zero
Pump runtime	N/A	6 hrs/day (timer-controlled)
Payback period	N/A	Less than 1 season

Products Used:Tank Mixing Eductors

PharmaceuticalSteam Jet HeaterNew Jersey

Inline Steam Heating for CIP Solution in a Pharmaceutical Plant

The Challenge

A pharmaceutical manufacturer needed to heat CIP (Clean-in-Place) caustic solution from ambient temperature to 180°F inline before it entered the cleaning circuit. A shell-and-tube heat exchanger was in use but required frequent descaling due to hard water deposits, and the gaskets were incompatible with the caustic solution.

The Solution

A Model 320 Steam Jet Heater was installed inline in the CIP supply line. The direct-contact steam injection heats the solution instantaneously with no heat transfer surfaces to foul or corrode. The 316SS construction is fully compatible with caustic cleaning solutions.

The Result

The heat exchanger was decommissioned. Descaling labor was eliminated entirely. The CIP circuit now reaches target temperature in the first pass, reducing total CIP cycle time by approximately 8 minutes per cycle — significant savings given the number of daily CIP cycles in the facility.

Results at a Glance

Metric	Before	After
Descaling events per year	8–10	Zero
CIP cycle time	Baseline	~8 min reduction per cycle
Heat exchanger maintenance	Ongoing	Unit decommissioned

Products Used:Steam Jet Heaters

Eliminating Stratification in a 20,000-Gallon Acid Storage Tank

Steam Heating a 5,000-Gallon Grain Mash Tank Without a Heat Exchanger

Replacing a Failed Submersible Pump in a Corrosive Sump

Continuous Vapor Recovery from a Crude Oil Storage Tank

Keeping Liquid Fertilizer in Suspension in 50,000-Gallon Storage Tanks

Inline Steam Heating for CIP Solution in a Pharmaceutical Plant

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