 |
|
PaintSquare Daily News is available in three editions: Industrial Only Commercial Only Combined Industrial & Commercial Your free subscription also includes: Special topical editions and Weekend Brief—a recap of the week’s top news and some great in-depth reads. Subscribe now: paintsquare.com/psdn |
PPG Adds Dual-Performance Coating
PPG Industries has launched a new application of an epoxy-based coating to protect against extremely high and low temperatures in marine and industrial environments.
PITT-CHAR XP is a flexible, epoxy-based intumescent passive fire protection coating for environments where exterior durability and corrosion resistance are required.
High, Low Temperature Protection
According to PPG, the coating prevents steel structures from heating up rapidly in the event of a fire by providing insulative protection against high temperatures.
The product can also be used in the LNG market to protect steel structures from extremely cold temperatures that could result in a cryogenic liquid spill.
"Because of the performance characteristics of flexible epoxy intumescent PFP coatings in low and high temperatures, the petrochemical industry has expressed interest in these coatings as a means to protect structural steel from the extremely cold temperatures that could result in the event of an LNG release, as well as potential explosion and subsequent fire," said Paul Greigger, PPG's technical manager for PITT-CHAR.
According to Greigger, the product offers low-temperature flexibility, cryogenic capability, hydrocarbon fire protection, jet fire resistance and blast resistance.
"PITT-CHAR XP provides enhanced resistance to cracking on flexing and vibrating structures and delays the loss of load-bearing capacity and integrity, buying time for personnel to evacuate to a safe area," Greigger said.
When applied at a thickness of 4 to 25 mm (0.16 to 0.98 in.), the coating can protect against hydrocarbon fire where environmental temperatures can increase up to 2,000°F, PPG says. The coating protects underlying steel from rapid heating by expanding and forming a ceramic-like layer of char, which will be up to six times as thick as the original coating, to insulate the steel.
For cryogenic protection, when temperatures can drop down to -260°F during a spill, the coating is applied in thicknesses ranging from 15 to 38 mm (0.59 to 1.49 in.), the company says.
For more information: www.ppgpmc.com.
