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Gas & Oil Tank Exterior Protection

Metal pipelines and storage and shipping tankers are often fabricated from carbon steel and lower grade alloy steel, then coated with primer and epoxy for chemical resistance. However, they are still prone to corrosion as a result of electrochemical reactions with the environment.

The type and rate of corrosion are closely dependent on material properties and environmental conditions. Corrosion can develop internally and externally, and because the mechanisms inside and outside of storage and shipping tankers are different they require different protective coating properties to prolonging useful life.

To protect the exterior of oil and gas storage tankers (along with transmission pipes and supporting structures), effective conformal coatings and over-coatings must have the ability to block solar UV from penetrating and causing molecular damage to the underlining epoxy and/or polyurethane structural coating. It must also have the ability to create a seal against the penetration of the moisture and water that can combine with corrosive gases from the environment, salt from sea, etc. to cause corrosion at the interface between the coating and steel. 

AIT's FLUOROSEAL® coating has the ability to defend against these small corrosive elements, either as a direct coating or as an over-coating applied over an existing epoxy coating because it boasts a tight molecular packing of fluoropolymers. 

 

External Blocking and Sealing Protection Against UV, Moisture, Water, and Corrosive Gases from Penetration the Structural Epoxy/Polyurethane Coating Outside of the Oil and Gas Storage and Shipping Tankers (or Transmission Pipes and Support Structure):

AIT FLUOROSEAL® SCX7183-PTE coating are engineered to provide unparalleled protections:

  • Field applicable high fluoropolymer over-coating with enhanced “FEVE” and PVDF performance to block UV rays from permeating and affecting the structure.
  • Tight molecular packing help seal off the ingress of moisture, water, salt-fog, salt-spray, and industrial corrosive gases such sulfides, nitrides, and CO2.
  • Microbial and fungi resistant, VOC-free brush or spray applicable coating with strong adhesion to structural epoxy or polyurethane coatings.
  • Ambient outdoor curable to a tough, abrasion resistant fluoropolymer for direct vehicle and foot traffic.

    Field and Factory Applicable for FLUOROSEAL® SCX-7183-PTE Coating for the Outside of the Oil and Gas Storage and Shipping Tankers (or Transmission Pipes and Support Structure):

    • If the outside of the oil and gas storage and shipping tankers (or transmission pipes and supporting structure) are being refurbished, clean off all rusted areas, loose paint, and other debris and solvent clean to prepare the surface.
    • For FLUOROSEAL® SCX-7183-PTE, the user has a choice of either directly brushing or spray coating directly over the existing surface or over surfaces that have been re-coated with epoxy coating.
    • A good practice is to apply two coats to ensure complete coverage and reach more than 50µm (2-mil) thickness. Thicker coatings are acceptable but not necessary.
    • Inspect to ensure complete coverage. Patch brush with additional coating if needed (can be any time after the initial coating).
    • Allow the wet coating to dry to-the-touch for at least 10 minutes. For foot traffic, allow at least 1 day of ambient curing. More time may be necessary for days without sunlight.
    • FLUOROSEAL® SCX-7183-PTE will fully cure (cross-linked) at ambient temperature to a hard coating that is ready for foot and vehicle traffic. 
    • Cured FLUOROSEAL® SCX-7183-PTE with thickness of just over 50µm (2-mil) is a powerful fluoropolymer coating that protects the outside of steel oil and gas storage and shipping tankers, blocking direct UV rays from the sun that can damage traditional structural epoxy or polyurethane protective coatings. 
    • Cured FLUOROSEAL® SCX-7183-PTE is also a powerful fluoropolymer coating that seals against H2S, CO2, and other corrosive gases that can combine with moisture and rain (including salt-fog and salt-spray) to cause corrosion.

    Unique and Novel FLUOROSEAL® Coatings for Field Brush or Spray Applications

    Almost all high fluoropolymer coatings are only available for factory coating and curing. Novel FLUOROSEAL® coatings, while containing a higher percentage of fluorination than normal PVDF and FEVE coatings, are ambient curable to an abrasion resistant hard coating. They are engineered for use as over-coating protection, as well as a direct coating over steel and concrete. Their proven fluoropolymer molecular structure seals against UV, moisture and water, salt-spray and fog, along with H2S, CO2, SO2, and other corrosive gases.

    From the outside, high fluoropolymer FLUOROSEAL® coatings with their unique, proven capability to block UV penetration along with seal against the penetration of corrosive gases, moisture and water that can be prevalent in a refinery environment.

      The following are some of the unique protection capabilities:

      1. For the INSIDE of new pipes and tankers with an epoxy coating, FLUOROSEAL® coatings can be applied as a transparent over-coating in just 50µm thick for unparalleled protection against H2S and CO2 induced corrosion. High fluorination FLUOROSEAL® coatings are now available in field applicable ease brush-spray coatings and are crosslinked for tough abrasion resistance to high shear flow.
      2. Outstanding adhesion to cleaned metals with or without an original primer coating. That is, it can be field brush or spray coated on rusted areas that have been prepared by removing rust, flaking paint and other debris.
      3. For the OUTSIDE of new pipes and tankers with existing epoxy coatings, FLUOROSEAL® coatings can be applied as heavier pigmented coating for extra protection, extending the maintenance period by 30-50 years. The high fluorination FLUOROSEAL® coatings have been proven effective for horizontal and vertical UV blocking and resistant protective coating.
      4. This high fluorination molecular packing structure is proven to block the penetration of moisture and corrosive gases, providing unparalleled protection for structural epoxy and/or polyurethane coatings against water immersion, salt-spray, and salt-fog for pipes and tankers near the ocean.
      5. With major polymer glass transition (Tg) at below -45°C and the high temperature stability of fluorinated polymers, FLUOROSEAL® coatings provide long-term protection from tropical to polar climates.
      6. FLUOROSEAL® coatings can be used as an over-coating or original coating and cure to a tough, abrasion resistant finish for direct foot and vehicle traffic.
      7. FLUOROSEAL® coatings for pipes, tankers and supporting structural applications are all VOC-free and can be used anywhere in the world.