Masoud Zirconium sounds like an overkill for your application. David Hendrix The Hendrix Group Inc.

M.A.Soud et al Ammonia Sparger in ammonium nitrate main reactor . Teflon coated spargers in nitric acid injection will fail due to increase in velocity and spray jet mixing of both nitric acid and ammonia liquid. Teflon coating will fail due to raise in temperature due to dilution and mixing in such service although S.S 316 can basically stand the nitric acid corrosion problem well. Hastelloy C 276 or generic name grades may not be a good substitute for this service. Alloy 20 / Alloy 20 Cb3 (UNS N0820) - medium grade with Ni around 32% 3% Mo, 2% Cu and stabilized grades with low carbon or Alloy 825 (Trade name: Inconel 825 with 44% Ni, 22% Cr, 3% Mo, 2.25% Cu, 0.05% C with Ti stabilized) may be better than Hastelloy C 276 for this service - i guess. Also you can think of Hastelloy F (now outmoded) / Hastelloy G, G2, G3, G30 grades. Hastellow G has 44% Ni, 22% Cr, 6.5% Mo, s-3% Cu,2%Ta_Nb/Cb,small amount of W with <0.05% C). Hastelloy G 3 is a special purpose one meant for grain boundary precipitation problem like Zirconium. Another variety with trade name Inconel 925 with 42-44% Ni, 22% CR, 3% Mo, 2.25% Cu with very low carbon (<0.02%) would be alternative choices. Zirconium is too exotic and exhorbitant . Also you have to take into consideration of the problem in fabrication and welding while considering such exotic materials. Trust this answers your querry. C.V.Srinivasan Nishi Engineers Pvt Ltd Chennai 20 India August 31,2004 E-mail:nishi@vsnl.com >In my opinion... > >Zirconium is an exotic, extremely expensive metal and can be >justified in only the most extreme of expensive processes. I >would assume that you could reasonably justify an extensive >program of materials investigations before you would need to >go to one of these exotics. > >Have you considered Alleghney Ludlum's C-276 (Hastalloy C)? >It is the corrosion "bad boy" that seems to solve many >problems when dealing with corrosive "witches brews" that >defy other solutions. >Strength at high tempeature is very good too. > >Try this site for info on both: > >http://www.alleghenytechnologies.com/ > >keep us informed about your experience and final decisions.. > >MJCronin