Safe Grab Sampling for Refrigerant Production

How Consistent Grab Sampling Enables Ongoing Innovation for a Leading Refrigerant Producer

In the highly competitive refrigerant manufacturing space, two qualities can help a manufacturer stay ahead: uncompromising product quality and speed to market.

Robust and efficient chemical sampling practices have helped Changshu 3F Zhonghao New Chemical Material Co., Ltd., maintain both of those qualities. The company has become a market leader with fast, consistent production and strict adherence to safety and environmental protection protocols.

How important is product quality for 3F, and how does the organization benefit from grab sampling systems designed to maximize leak-tightness and reliability? We will let the 3F team and their Swagelok Shanghai representatives, who have worked closely together for four years, tell you in their own words.

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Maintaining Plant Safety

3F produces fluorine refrigerants, fluorine foam agents, cleaning agents, new fluorine polymer materials, and fluorine fine chemicals. These substances can be highly corrosive and toxic. If they escape from a sampling system, they can threaten operator and environmental safety.

“Due to the high toxicity and flammability of our products, sampling systems for our products require leak-tight performance and reliability,” says Yinjie Wang, process engineer, 3F. Prior to the company’s relationship with Swagelok, technicians used open-loop samplers constructed with alloys that were not fully compatible with chemically aggressive anhydrous hydrofluoric acids. Seeking to reduce risk, 3F leadership switched to Swagelok grab sampling panels and sample cylinders constructed with high-quality 316 stainless steel. The new materials helped reduce the potential for corrosion, enhancing safety throughout the plant.

“Swagelok’s sampling panel system has served us for four years now with no glitches or leaks,” Wang added.

“Our vision is: safety, occupational health, environmental protection,” said Dr. Linxu Si, chief engineer, 3F. “Our department is committed to safety and keeping stable product quality. Swagelok provided a very reliable sampling system that allows us to get samples safely, stably, and to control product quality.”

Maintaining Product Quality

“What sets us apart from other companies is that we can consistently deliver high-quality products,” said Dr. Si, noting the importance of reliably delivering refrigerants that meet customer specifications. “Swagelok grab sampling panels help us maintain high levels of internal quality control.”

"Swagelok grab sampling panels help us maintain high levels of internal quality control."

Dr. Si notes that it is not just sampling systems that have helped with the company’s focus on quality.

“Our teams have taken training courses from Swagelok, which are very comprehensive,” he said. “Training has helped our teams master the operation of our sampling systems, as well as how to maintain them. This knowledge has helped us improve our sampling process, leading to better control of product quality.”

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Staying Ahead of the Competition

3F’s refrigerants and fluoropolymers are used in a variety of industrial and consumer applications, including in automobiles, household air conditioners, and a range of rubbers and engineered plastics. Many of these markets are evolving rapidly. Maintaining speed to market and ongoing innovation are some of the only ways to compete.

“In the fluorine chemical industry, the pressure of technological innovation is enormous,” said Ralph Xu, marketing manager, Swagelok Shanghai. “Falling behind the competition is not an option. Our role is to maintain close communication with 3F, keep pace with their technological progress, and provide solutions that best meet their requirements, helping them create a leading position in the marketplace.”

“We will continue to face fierce competition in the new product market. We need to offer newer, more reliable, and higher-quality products to our customers. That’s why we believe in Swagelok."

“We will continue to face fierce competition in the new product market,” said Dr. Si. “We need to offer newer, more reliable, and higher-quality products to our customers. That’s why we believe in Swagelok. We are looking forward to more opportunities for win-win cooperation between us in the future.”

Sound grab sampling practices performed in conjunction with high-quality panels can help many chemical processing operations improve product quality and consistency. Interested in learning more about the benefits you can realize by improving your sampling practices? Start a conversation with our grab sampling specialists today.

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