Pipe coating solutions: the best products for a successful application process
SÄKAPHEN Si 17 N
Pipework, ducts, meter provers, cracking towers and columns must be protected from corrosion and chemical attacks. SÄKAPHEN’s coatings and linings ensure improved performance and enhanced flow in every industry, environment and operational conditions.
Most steels, from carbon steel to exotic alloys, can and actually suffer from corrosion or erosion issues due to their operational environment. This is widely seen in pipework, pipe spools and columns in all industries, including the petrochemical, chemical processing, power generation and waste water sectors. That is why, in some cases, these structures are lined or coated to protect their surfaces, enhance the liquid’s flow and improve process performance.
Why to coat pipework?
In SÄKAPHEN’s experience, 4 typical scenarios call for the use of coating and/or lining products:
1. Meter prover pipework (prover loops) is lined to aid in the passage of a sphere or ball (typically neoprene) around the metering system and provide corrosion protection.
2. Chemical cracking towers and columns are lined to protect assets in the fractional distillation process, including associated equipment in the process train, such as spray distributors or heat exchangers.
3. Pipework and ducts are lined in the power generation field to protect a wide variety of processes, including fumes, liquids and blast furnace gases.
4. Water treatment plants are protected against corrosion and erosion, including all waters (cooling, brackish, river, sea, process and sewage).
Chemical attacks from acids, chlorides, sulfides and carbon dioxide (CO2), mostly in aqueous solutions as much as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), naphtha and other chemicals, can also be successfully coped with.
What are the best coatings for pipes, spools and columns?
As an anti-corrosion and protective coating expert, SÄKAPHEN offers a wide range of products to protect pipelines and their accessories in virtually any industry and environment. Here is a list of the best ones:
The original and still the best! SÄKAPHEN Si 14 E is a high-quality hydrophobic single-component phenolic-based thermosetting heat-cured lining. It is self-priming and formulated for direct-to-metal application. Si 14 E is chemically resistant to organic and inorganic acids, salt solutions, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, fume gases, alcohols and cooling water, including brackish, river, sea and deionized water. It is also resistant to temperature fluctuations. It forms a hard elastic film with exceptional hydrophobic properties, preventing caking, fouling and incrustation. Once polymerized, it is fully machinable.
Because of its exceptional ceramic fillers, we are increasingly applying this coating on pipes and spools. SÄKAPHEN Si 17 N is a high-quality hydrophobic single-component phenolic-based thermosetting heat-cured, abrasion and impact-resistant lining. It is self-priming and developed for direct-to-metal application.
Si 17 N is chemically resistant to metal oxychlorides (VOCl3), 40% hydrofluoric acid, organic and inorganic acids, fume gases, chlorinated aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, oils and greases. It is also resistant to temperature fluctuations. The surface it creates is exceptionally smooth, preventing caking, fouling and incrustation. Si 17 N is resistant to water vapor diffusion (ΔT 85 °C) and, once polymerized, is fully machinable.
Some of our cold-cured solutions are also perfect for pipe coating. In particular, especially when it comes to lining large-sized spools and oil meter provers, as a high-quality two-component epoxy hydrophobic lining formulated for self-priming and direct-to-metal application, SÄKAPHEN HR 60 Extra G (Green) can be the ideal coating product. HR 60 Extra G (Green) is chemically resistant to various substances ranging from acids to strong alkalis, inorganic salts and solutions, fuels and acidic aqueous liquids, as well as all types of water, including brackish, river and seawater and deionized water. The lining film’s surface is hard elastic with first-rate hydrophobic properties, preventing caking, fouling and incrustation. It is fully machinable following polymerization. It is resistant to temperature fluctuations and has exceptional mechanical properties, including above-average temperature and chemical resistance.
Used as both a finishing layer for extra protection or as a standalone coating, SÄKAPHEN SÄKAFLAKE 900 Topcoat 3K is a multi-component Novolac vinyl ester resin enhanced with micro-glass flakes for high abrasion resistance. It also ensures chemical resistance against aggressive substances such as acids, bases, salt solutions and all types of water, including brackish, river and seawater and deionized water, and from strong alkali (NaCIO) to extremely acid mediums (HCl), including hydrocarbons from crude to solvents. It is designed to be self-priming for direct-to-metal application and can withstand temperature fluctuations. Upon polymerization, it is fully machinable. This is an ultra-high solid, low-solvent product with a volume of solid (wt%) of + 95%. For example, we have successfully applied this to some oil meter provers subjected to operational temperatures above 60 °C.
The pipe-coating process step by step
Very few steps are required for successful application on pipes, spools and columns: after any required surface preparation phase, the coating or lining is applied and finally, if it is a heat-cured product, it is polymerized.
Pipework with diameters as low as 15 mm (5/8”) can be treated, whereas the upper diameter is only limited by the size of the oven (in the case of baked coatings).
As well as straight spools, bends and tee-pieces can also be lined with SÄKAPHEN’s coatings. A wide range of accessory equipment to be assembled inside pipes, towers and columns but also associated equipment in the process train, such as spray distributors or heat exchangers, can be lined too.
