Epoxy Coating for Aviation Fuel Tank
THE CHALLENGE
The client’s aviation fuel tanks required a new lining system as part of their scheduled maintenance. While the tanks were in a serviceable condition, signs of rust and other defects required repairing in order to return them to the clients’ internal working standards.
OUR SOLUTION
The tanks on this site contain aviation fuel, with corrosion taking place on the tank floor over time from water separation. Novaguard 650 was the coating system selected for the tanks, which is a system specifically formulated for fuel tanks. It is an epoxy system with excellent anticorrosive properties and water resistance, and is approved for aviation fuel. It also meets the requirements of EI 1541 2.2., the standards for aviation fuel containment.
The tank floor and the internal shell were blasted, up to a height of 2.3 metres, using a fresh mineral abrasive to a standard of SA2.5. This process eliminated any Ferric Oxides that had built up over time, leaving a suitable substrate for coating application. We then inspected the area for any additional defects that had been uncovered in the preparation process and notified to the client. We then completed the necessary repairs.
Climate control conditions were in place to control the humidity and temperature to ensure the substrate condition was maintained and that conditions were suitable for the coating application.
The entire tank was masked and thoroughly cleaned over three days to remove all dust and debris.
Once the area was prepared and inspected, our operatives applied the first coat of Novaguard 650 at 350 microns in grey. This was applied using a Graco XM variable ratio heated spray unit. This system heats, pumps and mixes the coating very accurately, ensuring the correct delivery of the coating. A stripe coat was applied to all welds, bolts, nuts and other areas where paint is prone to flow away from the substrate. Finally, another layer of Novaguard 650 in white was applied to achieve the required 600 microns DFT.
The integrity of the lining was then tested visually inspected and a holiday detector was used to detect any pinoles and irregularities in product application thickness.
The client was extremely happy with the result.
