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THE CHALLENGE: The ship unloader in the port of
Beaumont, Texas, operated by Kinder Morgan was in urgent need of recoating.
After long exposure to the Texas sun, high humidity, and constant contact with a
variety of harsh chemicals, the existing coating had reached the end of its
useful life.
The choice of the recoating system was complicated by a
prohibition on abrasive blasting and spraying imposed by the Port of Beaumont
and Kinder Morgans insistence on an overall eco-friendly painting process.
Appearance during application
THE SOLUTION: Working closely with Micah Young, the
Kinder Morgan Facility Manager, TFT personnel determined that the best coating
for the job was BIO-GARD 257. The fact that BIO-GARD 257 is
solvent-free was an important consideration in its selection for minimal impact
on the environment. This coating is able to be applied to wet surfaces and
would therefore be suitable for application after a high pressure water blast.
Due to its anticipated long exposure to the fierce Texas sun, the BIO-GARD
257 was treated with a powerful UV absorber to minimize chalking.
During an initial trial application, it was found that the
available water jet equipment operating at 6,000 psi was barely adequate to
remove the heavy rust scale on the structure. Some of the heavier, loose scale
was easily removed, but a great deal of the tightly attached scale was
impossible to blast off. Treatment by the CorrBanŽ process was specified in
order to maximize adhesion and to give the best possible performance over the
highly compromised surface. CorrBan is a patented decontamination process that
utilizes environmentally acceptable chemicals to strip ionic contaminants from a
surface. Coating adhesion to both bare steel and tight rust scale is thereby
optimized for maximum service life. |
Work began on the highest levels of the structure and
progressed downwards. Manlift and platforms allowed access to the open steel
structure. After water blasting and CorrBan treatment, the BIO-GARD 257
was applied mainly by roller with some brush work in tight areas and around nuts
and bolts.
Care was taken to assure good coverage on sharp edges, nuts
and bolts, and similar areas. BIO-GARD 257 is made with a robust
thixotropy or false body which gives excellent edge retention. Application of
an additional stripe coat on sharp edges assured satisfactory coverage.
Work progressed well in spite of frequent Texas sized
thunderstorms. Fortunately the freshly applied BIO-GARD 257 is
completely tolerant of immersion even immediately after application. Port
operations were another matter, however, and all work had to be suspended while
ships were alongside being unloaded.
BIO-GARD 257 applied over complex surface
RESULT: The coating contractor is pleased with the
tolerance of BIO-GARD 257 to wet or moist conditions during application.
The steel structure is now protected with a tough and durable epoxy coating to
resist the effects of a brutal marine and industrial Gulf Coast exposure.
Note: For more information about this project, contact:
Cliff Hilton
Hilton Gerhardt Ltd.
Voice/Cell: 409-299-1291
Fax: 409-892-0602
Email: sertinos@sbcglobal.net
--or--
For technical details regarding TFT or CorrBan products used
in this project, contact:
Jeff Longmore, Technical Director
Thin Film Technology, Inc.
(713) 910-6200
Fax: (713) 910-6210
E-mail: jeff@thinfilmtech.net
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