Washwater neutralization system for glass forming line

A method for reducing acid corrosion of equipment used to form polyacrylic acid coated fibers having coated thereon a polyacrylic acid binder and a maleic acid cobinder or maleic anhydride cobinder comprising:

• providing a neutralization system comprising a holding tank having a base solution;
• coupling said neutralization system to a washwater tank in a closed loop, said washwater tank having a quantity of a first washwater solution, wherein said quantity of said first washwater solution is used to remove an excess of polyacrylic acid binder and maleic acid cobinder or maleic anhydride cobinder from surfaces of at least one member selected from a suction box, a forming fan, and a conveyor of said equipment;
• monitoring the pH of said first washwater solution utilizing at least one pH probe coupled to said washwater tank and being electronically coupled to said neutralization system, by adding a quantity of said base solution from said holding tank in said neutralization system in an amount sufficient to raise the pH of said first washwater solution to at least about 8.5 when the pH of said first washwater solution is determined to be below 8.5;
• coupling a binder recovery tank to said washwater tank in said closed loop to recover said excess polyacrylic acid binder and said maleic acid cobinder or maleic anhydride cobinder from said first washwater solution before being returned to said washwaer tank;
• and
• coupling a hoodwall washwater recovery system to a hoodwall recall recirculation tank of the equipment, said hoodwall washwater recovery system introducing a quantity of a second washwater solution to remove excess polyacrylic acid binder and maleic acid cobinder or maleic anhydride cobinder from at least one wall of a forming hoodwall of the equipment,
• wherein said hoodwall washwater recovery system is not coupled to said closed loop;
• and
• wherein utilizing said first washwater solution having a pH of at least about 8.5 reduces acid corrosion by at least partially neutralizing and removing said excess of polyacrylic acid binder and maleic acid cobinder or maleic anhydride cobinder from said surfaces.