Posted on

Case Study: Power Station Repair Extensive Damage to Alloy 20 Pump Lid Caused by Impeller

Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating is used to repair a badly damaged Alloy 20 pump lid at a power station water treatment plant

Keeping a lid on the cost of repair for a power station treatment plant pump in Puerto Rico

A power station in Puerto Rico repair a treatment plant pump lid made from Alloy 20 which would have cost $4000 to replace after it suffered extensive damage when an impeller fell out of place.

Case Study Data


Site
Power station treatment plant
Location
Puerto Rico
Repair Type
Damage repair
Defect
Gouged and scratched Alloy 20 pump lid

Products Used


Ceramic Brushable Green
Brushable epoxy coating used to repair surface damage and offer greater protection of the Alloy 20 pump lid

Case Study PDF


Case Study Data


The pump lid came from a mud pool at the power station treatment plant. It was 500mm in diameter and made from Alloy 20 (nickel-chromium-molybdenum stainless steel) for its high chemical and corrosion resistance.

Extensive damage had been caused when an impeller blade came out of place and fell directly onto the lid, leaving numerous scratches and several very deep gouges across the surface.

A replacement lid would have cost $4000 and required shipping to Puerto Rico, potentially leaving the pump out of service for a significant amount of time and causing disruption to operations.

The power station instead used Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating to repair the pump lid. Ceramic Brushable is reinforced with silicone carbide, giving it a toughened, ultra-smooth finish.

It is painted onto surfaces which have suffered heavy surface damage or been weakened by corrosion and abrasion, restoring their strength and protecting the original part from further deterioration.

A pump lid made from Alloy 20 undergoes repair at a power station treatment plant after being damaged by an impeller
The pump lid having been fully repaired by Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating

The lid was removed from the pump. Part A and Part B of Ceramic Brushable Green were mixed and then applied via brush. The first few coatings were used to repair the damage by filling in the gouges and scratches, found mostly in the centre of the lid.

This was followed by additional layers being added across the entire 500mm area, creating a new reinforced surface over the original Alloy 20 to offer protection to the lid.

Once the final coating of Ceramic Brushable Green had begun to harden, the lid was turned on a lathe to finish it. The two colour tones on the complete repair show where the lid is angled towards the edge.

After a full cure had been achieved, the lid was fitted back in place and the water treatment plant could return to full service. The power station were extremely pleased with the application as it prevented a costly replacement which would have resulted in downtime at the site.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

Posted on

Case Study: Water Treatment Plant in Puerto Rico Repair Worn Pump Extracting from a Well

Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating used to repair a worn water well pump at a treatment plant in Puerto Rico

Pump it up – the repair which allowed a water treatment plant to keep pumping water from their below ground well

Sylmasta provide a long-term repair solution for a water treatment plant in Puerto Rico, whose pump extracting from a below ground well had become heavily worn due to minerals and sediment in the water.

Case Study Data


Site
Water treatment plant
Location
Puerto Rico
Repair Type
Damage repair
Defect
Heavily worn pump extracting water from a well

Products Used


Ceramic Brushable Green
Brushable epoxy coating used to refurbish and repair the worn pump, restore it to original thickness

Case Study PDF


Case Study Details


The large water pump was used by the water treatment plant to extract water from a well. The water was then distributed around the entire site for various purposes, making the pump central to operations.

This natural groundwater contained minerals, sediments and impurities which caused deterioration to the pump. Over time, the pump became so worn and degraded that there was a substantial risk of bursting.

A burst would have been a disaster for the plant. Operations would have needed to be shut down and a replacement pump fitted. This would have been a costly and time-consuming exercise, potentially involving the fabrication of a new pump and its shipping to Puerto Rico.

Before the water well pump reached the stage whereby it needed to be replaced, the treatment plant decided to repair and reinforce the system using a hard-wearing, abrasion resistant coating.

Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating was used for the application. Ceramic Brushable is reinforced with silicone carbide, giving it a toughened, ultra-smooth finish.

It is painted onto surfaces which have suffered heavy damage or been weakened by corrosion and abrasion, restoring their strength and protecting the original part from further damage.

Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating used to repair a well water pump which had become extremely worn at a treatment plant in Puerto Rico
The well pump repaired and strengthened with Ceramic Brushable Green

The two parts of the epoxy coating were mixed in the prescribed ratios and then brushed onto the pump. The 90 minute gel time of Ceramic Brushable enabled more epoxy to be mixed and applied without the threat of premature curing.

Four coatings were used, each between 1mm and 2mm thick. This built up a substantial, reinforced shell around the worn pump to restore the weakened metalwork to its original thickness.

With a recoat time of around four hours, it took two days to complete the repair. The application took place over night whilst the site was shut down to limit disruption and the cost was insignificant compared to fitting a new pump.

The treatment plant now monitor the pump on a regular basis for future wear caused by corrosion and erosion. When there are concerns that it is becoming too weak, further coatings of Ceramic Brushable are added to restore integrity.

Speaking about the process, the maintenance manager at the plant said: “The pump deteriorates very soon but coating it in Ceramic Brushable helps a lot.” In this way, Sylmasta have provided a cost-effective and long-term solution.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

Posted on

Case Study: Corroded Tank Repair at a Puerto Rico Pharmaceutical Plant

A heavily corroded tank at a pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico undergoes repair using Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating

Putting a lid on corrosion – the roof of a heavily corroded tank undergoes repair using Ceramic Brushable Green

When rust finally breached the top of an industrial tank at a pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico, a repair method was needed to keep the corroded tank operational for several more years before a planned replacement.

Case Study Data


Site
Pharmaceutical plant
Location
Puerto Rico
Repair Type
Corrosion protection
Defect
Heavy corrosion to the top of an industrial sized tank

Products Used


E190 Brushable Epoxy
Brushable epoxy resin coated onto strips of Fibreglass Tape to make composite patch repairs to holes in the tank

Fibreglass Tape
Fibreglass Tape soaked with E190, after which it cured to form a rock hard material covering holes in the tank

Epoxy Composite Repair Kit
E190 Resin and Fibreglass Tape can be purchased in an Epoxy Composite Repair Kit for making complex patch repairs to pipes and tanks

Ceramic Brushable Green
Brushable epoxy coating repaired the top of the tank by creating a hard-wearing surface resistant to corrosion

Case Study PDF


Case Study Details


The tank was suffering from heavy corrosion, especially at the top. The pharmaceutical company responsible for the plant had been determined to try and keep the system operational until the scheduled replacement of the tank.

Unfortunately, the corrosion became so bad that a repair had to be made. The primary consideration was cost; the company did not want to spend thousands of dollars refurbishing a tank, only for it to be condemned within a few years.

A badly corroded tank top at a pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico prior to undergoing repair using a Sylmasta brushable epoxy
The top of the tank was suffering from heavy corrosion

It was decided to use Ceramic Brushable Green Epoxy Coating as a cost-effective and convenient means of both repairing the damaged tank roof and protecting it from further corrosion.

Ceramic Brushable Green is reinforced with silicone carbide and painted onto surfaces, structures and machinery to create an ultra-smooth, hard wearing protective layer.

It can be applied to old or new parts made from all metals and most plastics. It seals surfaces and protects against chemical attack, cavitation, erosion and pitting, as well as corrosion.

Large holes appeared in the tank during the surface preparation process

Before the application of Ceramic Brushable Green, the roof of the tank had to be cleaned to remove paint, rust and grime. During this process, several holes appeared in the tank owing to how brittle the metalwork had become.

The holes were bridged using Fibreglass Tape coated with Sylmasta E190 Brushable Epoxy Resin, available to purchase together as part of the Sylmasta Epoxy Composite Repair Kit.

Strips of Fibreglass Tape were cut off, soaked with E190 resin and then layered over each hole to build a composite patch repair. E190 has a work time of 30 minutes, after which the resin-soaked strips cured to form a rock-hard material sealing all holes.

Once the holes had been path repaired, the entire tank was painted with Ceramic Brushable Green. The 90 minute gel time meant that large quantities of epoxy coating could be mixed without the threat of premature curing.

Three coatings of Ceramic Brushable Green were applied. The re-coat time between layers was around four hours. A full functional cure was achieved 24 hours after the last coating, with the entire application taking a little under two days to complete.

Although only set to be a temporary repair, complications down the line meant that the planned replacement of the tank had to be suspended. Five years later and the tank was still in service, fully functional thanks to Ceramic Brushable Green with no signs of further corrosion.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

Posted on

Case Study: Repair of Metal Blades in Bakery Flour Mixers Suffering From Heavy Corrosion

Metal blades in a bakery flour mixer were suffering from corrosion until Sylmasta Ceramic Brushable Green provided a repair

Saving a bakery a load of dough – Sylmasta repair metal blades suffering from heavy corrosion in a flour mixer

When metal blades in two flour mixers were found to be suffering from corrosion, a commercial bakery in Puerto Rico was faced with the prospect of a costly shutdown – until a Sylmasta repair saved the bakery a load of dough in more ways than one.

Case Study Data


Site
Commercial Bakery
Location
Puerto Rico
Repair Type
Corrosion protection and repair
Defect
Heavily corroded metal blades in two flour mixers

Products Used


Ceramic Brushable Green
Brushable epoxy coating refurbished the corroded blades and provided future protection from both corrosion and abrasion

Case Study PDF


Case Study Review


The mixers in question were used by the bakery to mix together flour and other ingredients to make turnovers and other popular products.

During a regular inspection to the machinery, it was discovered that the blades were suffering from corrosion. Production using the two mixers in question had to be halted until the parts were either replaced or underwent repair.

A flour mixer in a bakery in Puerto Rico which was suffering from badly corroded interior blades
One of the flour mixers suffering from corrosion

New blades for the flour mixer would have cost $3000 per blade, setting the bakery back $6000 on new parts for both machines plus installation costs. There were further complications when it was revealed that replacement blades were not available from stock.

This meant that the parts would have to be built from scratch, a time consuming process that would have meant a long wait for the mixers to be put back into operation. With the two mixers out of use for the foreseeable future, the bakery would have found itself struggling to fulfil existing orders, let alone take new ones.

An old and worn flour mixer in a bakery required protection and repair from corrosion
Wear and tear had taken its toll on the flour mixers

$6,000 to replace the metal blades suffering from corrosion and many weeks of lost production. The bakery was looking at losing a lot of dough, both in terms of money and the delicious baked goods that it made.

A better solution than replacing the blades was needed and the bakery started looking for repair methods. That led them to Sylmasta, who were able to recommend the use of Sylmasta Ceramic Brushable Green for the job.

Sylmasta Ceramic Brushable Green epoxy coating used to repair and refurbish metal blades in a flour mixer which were suffering from heavy corrosion
The repaired metal blades inside the flour mixer coated with Ceramic Brushable Green

Ceramic Brushable Green is a toughened, solvent-free, water-resistant coating that is used to reinforce and strengthen machine parts. It offers protection against corrosion and its ultra smooth, low friction finish reduces abrasion.

Coating the blades with Ceramic Brushable Green therefore not only allowed the flour mixer to be put back into service, but it lengthened the lifespan of the parts by making them less susceptible to wear and tear.

An epoxy repair coating used to protect metal machine parts from corrosion
Ceramic Brushable Green will protect the blades from corrosion and abrasion

The ease with which Ceramic Brushable Green is used enabled the bakery to carry out a quick and easy repair. It is brush applied and simply painted onto the area requiring repair. Several coats were used and within 24 hours of the application, both the flour mixers in question were put back into operation and the bakery was operating at full capacity once again.

After completing the repair, the bakery contacted Sylmasta to say how happy they were with the solution and that the blades now looked as if they were brand new. Ceramic Brushable Green is reinforced with hard-wearing, high purity, green silicon-carbide, which means it will be a long time before the blades require servicing again.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: contact@sylmasta.com