PROBLEM

A steel tubing plant was constructing a new warehouse in Mobile, Ala. Because of corrosion issues that the plant faced at its previous location, they knew they needed to find a way to protect the 15 feet wide by 75 feet long concrete pad and dike of their acid truck unloading area from damage caused by the corrosive cargo in the trucks – hydrochloric acid. The coating also prevents any leaking hydrochloric acid from getting into the groundwater.

It also was important that the coating provided some slip resistance to make the area safer for those working in the area unloading the acid trucks.

SOLUTION

Southern Industrial Linings, a Rhino Linings applicator, chose Hi-Chem 21-70 for the project. Hi-Chem 21-70 is the most chemically resistant coating available from Rhino Linings. The dense chemical structure of the coating gives it high impermeability, excellent corrosion and chemical resistance.

The new concrete pad and dike area were abrasive blasted to create a profile. Then the area was washed clean and dried to prepare the surface for the coating. Next Primer 101 was applied at 10 to 15 mils (.25 to .38 mm) using a roller to seal the concrete. Primer 101 provides excellent moisture tolerance and will withstand mechanical stresses, which is important since tanker trucks will be regularly parked on the pad.

The primer was flooded with coarse black beauty aggregate to extend the overcoat window of the primer and to facilitate higher adhesion between the primer and the polyurethane coating. Hi-Chem 21-70 was then spray-applied at 200 mils (5 mm) and flooded with coarse aluminium oxide to provide a safe, non-slip surface for the workers.

RESULTS

The coating project took only a day to complete. The aluminium oxide in the Hi-Chem™ 21-70 not only added slip resistance to the area, which made it safer for employee, but also made the coating more durable. The coating is holding up well to the tanker traffic and to the occasional hydrochloric acid leaks.