Products for the Petroleum Industry

Introduction

• Interior Welded Steel POL Tank Lining, based on the WC-5^TM Top Coat.
• Exterior Exposed-Steel Corrosion Barrier for:

  Normal Environments, based on the WC-1^TM Top Coat.

  Severe Environments, based on the WC-2^TM Top Coat.

  Extreme Environments, based on the WC-15^TM Top Coat.

General Benefits of Fluorinated Polymers

Like most fluorinated polymers, such as PTFE or PVDF, an FPU^TM coating has very low surface energy, is extremely stable (chemically non-reactive), flexible, abrasion resistant, dielectric, and impermeable to oxygen and water. These properties make FPU^TM:

• Easy to clean. Its low surface energy produces a non-stick finish that resists soiling. its chemical stability allows the finish to withstand solvents.
• Durable. Its chemical stability allows it to withstand full immersion in petroleum products. (e.g., an FPU^TM in a jet fuel tank will last at least 30 years). It does not chalk when exposed to UV radiation. Its flexibility allows it to resist chipping.
• Effective. Its impermeability to both oxygen and water, FPU^TM provides superior barrier-effect corrosion protection.

Specific Benefits of FPU^TM

Unlike most fluorinated polymers, our FPU^TM coatings are formulated from a set of original, patented polymers developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The NRL formula has many of the same robust protective properties as other fluorinated polymers, . However, unlike other fluorinated polymers, FPU^TM coatings cure chemically at ambient temperature, and cross-link as they cure. This gives FPU^TM several advantages over competitive products:

• Mechanical Toughness. Because the polymer strands form numerous cross-links among themselves it cures, an FPU^TM coating is much more mechanically tough than conventional fluorinated polymers.
• Spray-on Application. Because they cure at ambient temperature (unlike other fluorinated polymers, which need to be baked on) our FPU^TM coatings can be:
  • Applied in an economical thin film with standard painting equipment.
  • Repaired in the field.

Applications

Interior, Welded Steel, POL Tank Lining

This system is based on the FPU^TM WC-5^TM top coat, which is enhanced with PTFE to provide an impermeable surface with extremely low surface energy (i.e., there is very little energy available for forming chemical bonds with soiling agents, water, or other solvents). U.S. Navy uses a WC-5^TM based system, for its new large (250 barrel to 300,000 barrel) shore-based fuel tanks. The system is described in the Naval Facilities Guide Specification 09970, Interior Coatings for Welded Steel Tanks Petroleum Fuels. The FPU^TM WC-5^TM system lowers maintenance cost, because it:

• Reduces the number of times a tank needs to be re-coated, thus avoiding the cost of both the maintenance effort and the down time. In contrast to a typical Epoxy system, which will show rust spots in 5 years, our system has a 30-year service-life. The Navy conducted its first major field test of a WC-5^TM prototype in 1983. As of 1997, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) had used WC-5 on 29 tanks in 11 locations, world wide, representing over 3,230,000 barrels of capacity. FPU^TM is proven to outperform both the previously used Epoxy systems (MIL-P-24442 and the two coat MIL-C-4556 system).
• Reduces the cleaning cost because you can clean the tank without detergent, using only high-pressure hoses. This cuts the maintenance effort by approximately 50%. It also reduces the cost of wastewater disposal, because you can separate the oily waste from the water using an oil-water separator and dispose of the water normally, without handling it as hazardous waste.

• Avoid a costly bottom replacement.
• Maintain fuel purity (an important issue for modern jet aircraft).
• Prevent minor fuel leaks (an important issue in a time of environmental sensitivity).

In modern tanks, the bottom has a 5% slope toward the center and inlet pipes that are angled so as to produce a swirling motion toward a center-mounted sump. With FPU's hydrophobic surface, the water forms beads that (together with particulates) glide along the slick bottom surface, toward the sump. With a WC-5 lining, these modern tanks are essentially self-cleaning. WC-5 also performs very well in ships and on offshore platforms as a corrosion barrier in mechanical rooms, CHT tanks, and other areas that are exposed to fuel, oil, or chemicals. It is Lloyds certified for Refined Spirits Tanks (MATS/2482/1), Crude Oil Tanks (MATS/2483/1), and Bilge and Double Hull Void Spaces (MATS/2484/1).

Exterior Exposed-Steel Corrosion Barrier

Our exterior coating system (based on the FPU^TM WC-1^TM, FPU^TM WC-2^TM, or FPU^TM WC-15^TM) provides excellent resistance to moisture, atmospheric pollutants, and UV radiation. In normal conditions, FPU^TM WC-1^TM provides the most cost-effective alternative. However, if the exterior surface is exposed to extreme weather (e.g. offshore platforms, dessert areas subject to sand storms and intense sun, or coastal areas subject to high wind with salt spray), we recommend FPU^TM WC-15^TM to provide additional mechanical toughness. WC-2 is for environments of intermediate severity (e.g., northern areas exposed to cold and ice but with otherwise normal weather; or coastal areas exposed to salt spray but with mild weather in other respects). WC-15 is suitable for full immersion in salt water, is approved in Australia for Potable Water applications (ICPW AS4020), and is Lloyds certified for Salt Water Ballast Tanks (MATS/2481/1). All of our WC Series, Exterior Exposed-Steel Corrosion Barrier topcoats are available (delivery times vary) in the formulations that are optimized for the following special requirements.

• Ice Releasing (ICE).
• Non-toxic, Fouling Resistant, Easy Cleaning (E)
• Non-skid (NS)

Coating Systems

Our mild steel systems all require similar surface preparation and application procedures. Here is a representative system:

• Blast. Abrasive blast steel surfaces to White Metal in accordance with SSPC-SP 5 / NACE1 to achieve a surface profile of 1 to 2 mils. Air must be free of oil and moisture. Moisture dramatically shortens the pot life for the FPU^TM topcoats.
• Cleaning. Remove abrasive grit and dust by brushing and vacuuming.
• Temperature. Surface temperature during blasting and application should be at least 3 degrees F above the dew point and between 50 degrees F (10 degrees C) and 100 degrees F (38 degrees C).
• Striping: Brush-apply Epoxy Polyamide 21EP 150 Green Primer to surface edges, seams, rivets, bolts, welds, and other irregular surfaces (see product descriptions for information on mixing, thinning, cleanup solvents, induction time, and drying time).
• Priming. Apply Epoxy Polyamide 21EP 150, Green primer, 3 mils DFT.
• Intermediate Coat. Apply Epoxy Polyamide 21EP 151, Gray Primer, 3 mils DFT.
• Finish Coat. Apply White pigmented FPU^TM WC-5^TM, WC-1^TM WC-2^TM, or WC-15^TM, 2 to 3 mils DFT.