Industrial Maintenence and Plant Operation

I M P O

• J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1

it is difficult to perform good surface preparation. Instead of struggling to remove rust that has already started, this type of primer penetrates the rust and turns it into a hydrophobic passive layer that can be top-coated with a water- or solvent-based coating. For submerged areas, combining this primer with a high solids moisture cure urethane is especially recommended.

Reinforced concrete surfaces such as floors, walls, pillars and loading docks can benefit from the protection of migrating corrosion inhibitors. These can be combined with repair mortars, coatings and sealers. When applied, migrating corrosion inhibitors travel through concrete pores to reach the metal surfaces of embedded rebar, where they are attracted and form a monomolecular barrier. This adsorbed layer protects rebar from corrosive elements such as air, moisture and chlorides and can significantly extend the service life of a concrete structure. A good rule of thumb is to reseal and treat reinforced concrete structures every 10 years.

Simple And Effective Packaging
Strategies For Storage,
Shipment

Ensuring that finished goods are pro-
tected from corrosion during shipment is
critical to protecting a company’s bottom
line and securing the customers’ confi-
dence. A very simple way to do this is
to use VpCI packaging — papers that
are coated with VpCI or films that have
VpCI directly embedded. Many versatile
packaging options are available, whether
VpCI papers for wrapping and interleav-
ing; VpCI linerboard and packing boxes;

VpCI film for shrouding, shrink wrapping and bagging; and VpCI bubble wrap for extra padding and static dissipation. VpCI packaging materials like these eliminate the time-consuming task of greasing and un-greasing finished goods to guard against corrosion. Many of the materials can be combined with additional protective qualities — such as fire retardants or extra moisture and grease resistance. VpCI shrink wrap film works well for protecting backup plant equipment, or equipment temporarily offline. VpCI-impregnated foam pads can be inserted in lay-up packaging for additional protection.

Another advantage to using VpCI pro-
tection is that such products and methods
are often more environmentally friendly
than traditional corrosion inhibitors. VpCI
technology is highly effective and often
overrides the needs for dangerous chem-
icals such as nitrites to be included in the
product makeup. VpCI methods typically
cut down on the amount of materials
needed as well, and many VpCI products
can be recycled or disposed without
special permits.

Taking a look at these basic areas of corrosion prevention is an important step toward protecting your plant against the unnecessary corrosion costs and losses that come with everyday exposure to oxygen, moisture or other contaminants.

Using current corrosion protection technology that is easier to apply and remove is an excellent option of which to take advantage. A little corrosion prevention goes a long way toward extending plant service life and lowering costs. It is an excellent alternative to letting corrosion eat away plant assets.