Asia
10 June 2026
Elessent and Thermal Systems target steaming bottlenecks in sulphuric acid plants
Written by Natalie Noor-Drugan
Elessent Clean Technologies has entered a strategic alliance with India‑based Thermal Systems Private Limited to supply steaming equipment for MECS® sulphuric acid plants in North and South America. The deal links MECS® sulphuric acid process design with Thermal Systems’ boiler, superheater and economiser fabrication, giving operators a single route to specify and source new heat‑recovery equipment rather than managing separate engineering and OEM contracts.
Elessent says steaming equipment replacement is often treated as a like‑for‑like swap even though many acid plants now run at different loads and conditions than when their original units were installed. Under the alliance, the partners plan to review the full heat‑recovery train – not just a single boiler or superheater – to match equipment selection to current duty, improve uptime and reduce operational risk.
Thermal Systems will manufacture to MECS® design standards, while Elessent will take responsibility for integrating new steaming equipment into existing MECS® heat‑recovery systems. “The combination of MECS® design standards and Thermal Systems steaming equipment fabrication capabilities, allows us to better meet our customers’ needs by providing the equipment directly to them,” said Kevin Bockwinkel, Vice President, Cleaner Fertilizers, Metals and Chemicals at Elessent.
The alliance plugs directly into MECS® sulphuric acid technology already deployed in phosphates, non‑ferrous metals, oil refining and general chemicals, a portfolio that now exceeds 1,000 plant licences and projects. For sulphuric acid producers planning overhauls, it effectively adds a packaged steaming‑equipment option to Elessent’s wider line‑up, which also includes HRS™ heat‑recovery systems, SolvR® SO₂ scrubbing and MAX3™ sulphuric acid production technology.
