The industrial composite wrap system from Belzona and distributed by Rezitech has successfully solved a corrosion problem that had affected an under-insulation tank at an Australian blue-chip nickel mine.
At a major blue-chip nickel mine in Australia, Rezitech
(authorised distributor of Belzona) has provided a full turnkey solution to combat corrosion under insulation on a tank. Within the space of 24 hours, the 9.5 m diameter tank, with a height of 2 metres from ground level, has been repaired and protected against corrosion thanks to the industrial composite wrap system Belzona SuperWrap II.
The customer's stainless steel feed tank exhibited corrosion under insulation and chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking. The company needed a solution that would restore the integrity of the substrate and protect the asset from future corrosion damage. Additionally, as the tank operates at high temperatures of around 70°C and handles highly corrosive media, the repair solution must be able to withstand harsh conditions.
The customer placed their trust in the range of metal epoxy repair composites and industrial repair coatings offered by Belzona. Following an inspection by Heath Westell, Sales Engineer at Rezitech, the Belzona SuperWrap II composite wrapping system was specified. “This composite wrapping system consists of a fluid grade resin system, a custom-made hybrid reinforcing sheet made of glass fibre and carbon fibre, as well as a release film to compact and consolidate the application. The system is specially formulated to restore the strength of punctured, weakened and corroded pipes and tank walls, making it the ideal solution for long-term protection of the asset from corrosion under insulation. Additionally, due to the cold-curing properties of the composite winding system, this reduces the need for hot work, making it a reliable alternative to soldering,” said Heath Westell.
All traces of oil and grease contamination have been removed using a suitable Rezitech degreaser. In parallel, the surfaces were sandblasted to provide a surface cleanliness compliant with ISO 8501-1 SA 2½, with a minimum rough corner profile of 75 μm. Once the surface was prepared, Belzona 9381 reinforcement sheet was first measured and moistened with Belzona resin and then applied to the areas to be repaired.
Next, Belzona reinforcement sheets were applied to the tank in three layers, while compression film was added to the top of the application area. The Belzona SuperWrap II was then rolled and compressed onto the surface of the tank using a roller, and then left to cure for approximately eight hours.
Lastly, by investing in Belzona's composite wrap system SuperWrap II, the customer was able to successfully overcome the need to replace the corroded asset and extend its life for years to come - resulting in significant savings in both time and money.