OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
An underground mining application for the EonCoat coating
and abrasion protection, while providing rapid turnaround with minimal surface preparation. Unlike traditional coatings, the product bonds best with corroded surfaces – so much so that flash rust is often intentionally allowed to form prior to application – to create an alloy barrier that can prevent corrosion for decades. Te coating can be applied to equipment with pitting and is safe for application in enclosed or confined areas.
CONTROLLING CORROSION One of the world’s largest underground mines, located in Sweden, wanted to extend the life of one of its large process hoppers, where corrosion to its lower steel cone was noted during an inspection. Te hopper is vital to the mine, since it stores and dispenses thousands of tons of processed iron ore granules every week.
Te hopper corrosion resulted from
a very corrosive, moist, salty service environment. Te hopper stores and processes iron ore, accompanied by large amounts of natural salts, mined from deep underground. Condensation from varying temperatures throughout the year is also present. To address these issues, the mine turned to SPI Performance Coatings, a European distributor, and EonCoat, a spray-applied inorganic coating from the USA-based company of the same name. Te coating is actually a chemically bonded phosphate ceramic (CBPC). It’s one of the first of a new category of coatings designed to stop corrosion, ease application and reduce downtime. In contrast to traditional polymer and zinc coatings that sit on top of the steel substrate, the corrosion-resistant
CBPC coating bonds through a chemical reaction with the substrate and slight surface oxidation actually improves the reaction. “When applied to carbon steel, an
alloy of stable oxides is formed that will no longer react with the environment and will protect the steel from corrosion,” says Merrick Alpert, president of EonCoat. “Tis corrosion barrier is covered by a ceramic layer that resists corrosion, water, abrasion, impact, chemicals, fire and temperatures up to 200°C with a topcoat.” EonCoat also manufactures a high-temperature version that provides protection up to 550°C. Te double layer of protection – the
alloy layer and the ceramic layer – makes it impossible for corrosion promoters such as oxygen and humidity to get beneath the coating. In fact, there is actually a third
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