Radio Havana Cuba's Science, Technology and Environment Program:
BREAKTHROUGHFor broadcast Sunday, October 22, 2000
Written and narrated by Arnaldo "Arnie" Coro, RHC's Science Editor
Hello and welcome to Breakthrough, our Science, Technology and the Environment update. I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, this station's Science Editor, and now as always, it is my pleasure to talk to you about how Cuban scientists have developed yet another important by-product from sugar cane molasses. The product is a unique corrosion inhibitor. It is a low-cost, practical solution to the problem of preserving iron and steel from the very aggressive tropical environment.
And, let me tell you that GRUCOMA -- that's the name of the corrosion-protective coating -- came into existence because several engineers pointed to the fact that the steel tanks used for storing sugar cane molasses did not show signs of corrosion, not the slightest, even after more than 50 years of service. It is something well known by sugar industry workers -- the thick molasses, when circulating through pipes, or when stored in tanks waiting to be processed into other by-products, will last for very long periods, and both the pipes and the tanks do not show any signs of corrosion. With this information at hand, researchers at the University of Matanzas started experimenting, and they now have developed a corrosion-inhibiting coating that is made from molasses, saving the nation a lot of foreign currency.
GRUCOMA is produced at a small pilot plant, and it is packed in one, five and 55-gallon containers. So far, its main user is the sugar industry, which for the past three years has applied the anti-corrosive coating to the sugar mills' equipment, reducing the cost of the yearly anti-corrosive treatment significantly. Now, the fast-developing oil extraction industry is starting to use the new Cuban anti-corrosive coating, and other industries are testing it.
Although the molasses-based GRUCOMA can be produced locally at very low cost, plans are in the works for selling the technology to other sugarcane- producing nations, so that they can manufacture the anti-corrosive coating right where it is needed.
And now amigos, here is an invitation to join me next week at the same time and short wave frequency for another edition of Breakthrough. I am Arnaldo, Arnie, Coro, now wishing you all excellent reception of our next program.
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"Breakthrough"
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