PRODUCTION • PROCESSING • HANDLING
waterproof coating creates a durable, seamless, flexible, protective barrier that stops leaks and strengthens the integrity of primary and secondary containment systems. Te coating exhibits superior physical properties such as hardness, tensile strength, as well as crack bridging and elongation up to 400%, to create a robust, industrial-grade protective lining. “Polyurea can bridge cracks as well as flex at a rate similar to concrete and steel,” says Collins. “Tis not only helps it last but also seals the concrete so it does not absorb contaminants if there is a spill inside the contained area.” When compared to traditional coatings, Collins also appreciates the quick return to service possible when spraying the polyurea system for containment. Where traditional coatings such as cementitious, epoxies, tars and polyurethanes will prematurely fail if not installed under a relatively narrow range of temperatures, polyurea is designed for installation and use from -4°C to 176°C. It sets and cures quickly and will withstand decades of freeze-thaw cycling, as well as wide variations of temperature and humidity. “After spraying the polyurea, return
to service is almost instantaneous, which can make a big difference in minimising production downtime,” comments Collins. “We coated about 8,000ft2
of concrete in
12 truck-offloading areas that required drive-in containment with VersaFlex polyurea. Within minutes of spray application, trucks were safely driving across it.”
FAST, EFFECTIVE CONTAINMENT IN THE FIELD
Although spraying polyurea directly to the substrate has many advantages, for containment over soil, gravel or even concrete that is too damaged to be effectively rehabilitated, pre-sprayed composite panels offer superior protection. Tis solution is particularly suited to field applications that must be able to endure heavy traffic from trucks loading or unloading materials. Although plastic liners that are seam-welded together are often used for such applications, they are more easily punctured and can bunch up under heavy use.
Field applications particularly benefit from the VersaFlex solution
“After spraying the polyurea, return to service is almost instantaneous, which can make a big difference in minimising production downtime”
straight up and tried to puncture it – but it did not puncture through. We also ran 6,044 fully loaded water trucks across a containment system and it withstood it with zero holes and no compromise to the liner.”
Collins credits both the durability
Pit liner application of the polyurea product
“For primary containment at oilfield drilling sites, we used to put various plastic systems on the well pads, but we moved away from that because plastic was not durable enough,” says Collins. Repairing plastic liners also presents a problem at the seams, when damaged areas are cut out and new sections welded in. “Te result is a patchwork liner with seams that are prone to failure due to improper welding as well.” As a solution, Collins turned to geotextiles with pre-applied polyurea for its advantages in durability and reusability. “Polyurea products are so much more durable than plastics for containment systems. When needed, we can custom apply more polyurea millage to geotextile panels and berms to accommodate even the heaviest truck use and vehicle abuse.” To verify the strength of the polyurea coating on containment mats and berms, in fact, Collins conducted a number of tests. “I ran an 11,000 pound skid loader onto a containment mat, stood the forks
of the VersaFlex polyurea as well as its extended recoating window for the ability of his company to extensively reuse its containment systems. “To reuse a containment system, we’ll cut it up into rolls, roll it up and move it. Ten we’ll take it back out, respray certain areas, and reinstall the original containment system at another location.” To create the most durable, seamless,
and reusable containment mats and berms, Collins sought to determine the best polyurea for the application. “Some polyureas look fine the first time you spray them, but the preparation needed to get any seams to bond for reuse can be challenging,” says Collins. “However, we’ve found the extended open window for recoat and repair of the VF380 polyurea allows us to easily cut out any damaged section of geotextile, put a new piece in, and spray the seams to make it virtually seamless again. We get better repair and more reuse out of our containment systems. l
For more information visit
www.versaflex.com
www.engineerlive.com 27
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