SÄKAPHEN & CP Phenolics: collaboration for the lining of firefighting pipes
Si 57 E
When CP Phenolics, a market leader in the application of heat-cured phenolic coatings, was contacted by a leading supplier of firefighting sprinkler pipes from the Netherlands for a high-stake project in the railway sector, it immediately knew it had to use one of the best products in its catalogue. That was its MIC-Shield coating, which it developed based on SÄKAPHEN’s Si 57 E.
Sprinkler pipes are an essential part of fire sprinkler systems, which are among the most widespread and effective water-based fire suppression solutions in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings today. These systems normally consist of pipes connecting fire equipment and conveying water, gas, or other media. Typically, they are made in carbon or galvanized steel and coated red to distinguish them from different pipes. Of course, there is another crucial reason to paint these pipelines: protecting them against corrosion caused by their contained fluids.
In particular, they can be subjected to Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC), a highly aggressive and accelerated form of electrochemical corrosion resulting from the proliferation of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. These organisms create deposits on the inner surfaces of the tubes, leading to pitting and pinhole leaks. That can result in irreversible damage, making the firefighting system ineffective and posing potentially fatal risks, and in the need for frequent maintenance interventions, increasing operational costs and downtimes.
The corrosion protection challenge
Protecting a series of sprinkler pipes intended for a railway tunnel against MIC was precisely the task required of CP Phenolics (Moordrecht, Netherlands), a market leader in the application of heat-cured phenolic coatings. Whereas it coated the tubes’ outer surfaces with a red powder product, it opted for its MIC-Shield lining for their inside. Designed as a specialized baked phenolic-based lining, MIC-Shield specifically offers outstanding internal protection for sprinkler pipes and other cooling pipelines vulnerable to MIC, making it the ideal solution for this project. The process entailed the application of multiple lining layers, each followed by an intermediate baking operation and, subsequently, a final one.
Merging the know-how of two companies
To develop this lining solution, CP Phenolics leveraged the expertise of SÄKAPHEN. Our product range for the pipeline industry includes an extensive selection of heat-cured phenolic and epoxy-phenolic coatings, cold-cured epoxies, as well as Novolac vinyl ester and epoxy vinyl ester products (plus a cleaning system for use in the rail infrastructure, locomotive maintenance and high-voltage transmission network).
Notably, SÄKAPHEN Si 57 E is an epoxy-phenolic lining renowned for its superior chemical and temperature resistance. CP Phenolics utilized this coating as a foundation to blend a new, modified version specifically tailored to combat MIC, ensuring enhanced protection in highly corrosive environments where microbial activity accelerates deterioration: MIC-Shield. Beyond the railway sector, it naturally has a wide range of other fields of application. Many critical structures incorporate firefighting pipelines that require superior MIC protection. A good example of this is large storage tanks for flammable liquids.
The customer was highly satisfied with the outcome, which successfully safeguarded this critical pipeline infrastructure while enhancing system reliability, efficiency, and long-term cost savings. This perfectly aligned with both CP Phenolics and SÄKAPHEN’score message: prioritizing corrosion protection today is an investment in securing the future.
Get in touch!
Whether in the railway sector or any other industry, contact us now if you would like to work with us on your next protective coating application project
