At a Steel Manufacturing Plant in Normandie, France, the cooling pipework (1.4 metres (4.5ft) diameter x 100 metres (328.1 ft) length) urgently needed corrosion protection. Coarse debris such as sand, silt, and salt were causing severe corrosion as seawater was being used as the cooling fluid. It was imperative that the surfaces were repaired and protected against erosion-corrosion caused by the high levels of salinity over the longer term.
What was the Problem?
Pipelines are critical in the steel industry but are often exposed to aggressive conditions and wear. This cooling pipework had become corroded through repeated exposure to seawater which increases the efficiency of the corrosion process, gradually reducing the wall thickness of the pipe. Left unchecked, this would have eventually led to a through-wall defect, which would result in costly downtime.
The cooling pipe needed to be repaired with a seawater-resistant coating that would offer long-term corrosion protection.
Why was Belzona Chosen?
The Customer had used Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade) previously, so trusted that it was a proven solution. They knew this product would repair existing corrosion and offer long-term resistance against seawater, protecting the pipework from future corrosion.
As well as being a long-lasting solution, Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade) only requires a two-coat application, facilitating fast turnaround times. Airless spraying is also safe for application in confined spaces, which made it a good choice for interior pipe coating. Furthermore, opting for a solvent-free system reduced health and safety risks during application.
How was the Solution Applied?
Mid-application of Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade)
To prepare the surface for application, the interior and exterior of the pipes were grit-blasted to SSPC-SP10 (Near-White Metal) abrasive blast cleaning standard. Once blasted, the pipeline was ready for its first coat of Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade).
Airless spraying was used to coat the interior and exterior of the cooling pipe to increase application speed and provide a more even DFT (Dry Film Thickness). As it is a solvent-free system that is 100% solid, the WFT (Wet Film Thickness) will be equal to the DFT.
Two coats of Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade) were applied at a thickness of 250 µm (10 mil) each to achieve a minimum total DFT of 400µm (16 mil), with the second coat being applied in as little as 5 hours after the first (at 20°C).
What was the Result of the Application?
This application offered a long-term solution to the corrosion issues this large Steel Manufacturer was experiencing with their cooling pipework.
This case study demonstrates how the two-part epoxy coating, Belzona 5811 (Immersion Grade), offers a cost-effective, long-term solution to pipeline corrosion. Belzona’s epoxy coatings are well suited for applications in the steel industry due to their fast and simple application procedures, and long-lasting protection against corrosion.
Content Creator, Belzona Inc., Harrogate, UK.
Responsible for writing a range of content including blog posts, press releases and a range of marketing material.
