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Tanks... Tanks a lot!
Project: Liquid Sugar Tanks
Client: Coca-Cola
Type of work: Brush/roller application in light industrial environment
PROBLEM
Corrosion - Spot areas of corrosion evident through the surface area. Mould Growth - Existing porous coating was harboring mould growth and grime. Exterior Exposure and Restricted Access - Tanks are subjected to the elements and are tucked in behind other process equipment making access difficult.
ANALYSIS
Our initial site visit revealed that the existing coatings on the tanks had exceeded their useful life. Rusting was evident as was significant accumulations of mould and grime.
While the existing coatings were intact and exhibited excellent adhesion, areas of rust bloom had broken out in many areas, with particular frequency on the dome of the tanks where snow and ice accumulate in the winter.
Limited access from adjacent process equipment and the close proximity of cars made abrasive blasting and spray finish techniques unadvisable.
RECOMMENDATION
Drawing from past experience, Indu-Kote Systems provided a specification from the Sherwin Williams' Company that was both cost effective and high performance. The tanks were initially power washed with a biodegradable detergent to remove mould and grime from the surface. The tanks were then sanded and all areas of rust bloom were removed by grinding with power tools to SSPC – SP3 standard.
The following coating system was then applied:
Pre-Primer Coat: Sherwin Williams' Corothane I MCU Pre-prime - This moisture-curing urethane pre-primer has the ability to thoroughly wet the surface and soak into areas of tightly adhered corrosion and under loose edges of existing coatings. It does an excellent job of adhering to marginally prepared surfaces where abrasive blasting is not an option. Intermediate Coat: Sherwin Williams' Macropoxy 646 Surface Tolerant Epoxy Coating - This high-solids, intermediate epoxy coating is an excellent choice to provide film build and corrosion protection within the coating system. As a surface tolerant coating, the epoxy will provide excellent inter-coat adhesion to the existing coating and provide a film build even on sharp edges due to its edge retentive (thixotropic) properties. Finish Coat: Sherwin Williams' Hi-Solids Polyurethane - An aliphatic urethane designed to provide exceptional gloss and colour retention making it ideal for exterior applications. The resin system also displays excellent chemical resistive properties and - with its tight film properties - will resist future mould and bacterial growth.
RESULTS
The tanks have a bright, high-performance, mould and mildew resistant coating system that will provide many years of service.
Mold and Mildew Resistant: – Aliphatic urethane top coat has a tight film structure that is resistant to mould and mildew growth. Low Maintenance – The coating system is low maintenance. Virtually no further maintenance will be required, other than periodic routine washing of air-borne dust Professional Appearance – The appearance of the tanks is now befitting of an industry leader.
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Welcome to Indu-Kote System's quarterly newsletter. Each quarter, we feature an industrial or commercial coating project completed by IKS. This quarter, we present a coating project for Coca-Cola.
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