Belzona ice prevention corrosion technology suits Arctic conditions and prevents ice buildup and providing thermal insulation and corrosion protection.
Called Belzona 5871, the product is an innovative, two-component, polymeric, solvent-free system applied under insulation. It is a multi-functional material that provides thermal insulation and corrosion protection, whilst improving safety, efficiency, and durability of industrial equipment.
Corrosion, erosion, thermal cycling, and chemical reactions damage and deteriorate pipes, valves and fitings. Even more problematic to correct is corrosion under insulation (CUI) which affects equipment operating at low, ambient, and high-temperature environments. reducing surface temperatures to below 60°C (140°F) to prevent contact-burn injuries.
Belzona 5871 is designed to be applied onto metal pipework, ducting, tank/vessel externals. It is thermally insulating and improves efficiency. It also prevents contact burn injuries, condensation, and icing. It can be applied by brush, cartridge, or heated airless plural spray which is ideal for small, complex geometries or rapid application over large areas, offering a fast return to service and high film build with potentially just one layer of product.
Upon application, the product forms a lightweight, high-build closed-cell foam. Due to the foaming epoxy technology, Belzona 5871 expands up to three times its applied thickness e.g. 1mm applied gives 3mm cured thickness, thus increasing the amount of product on the surface. Furthermore, Belzona 5871 is a solvent-free corrosion barrier, eliminating the need for any additional primer or top-coats, reducing the number of layers needed compared to conventional coating solutions. Overcoat times are up to 24 hours irrespective of temperature or humidity providing application flexibility. The cure speed and reduced number of layers required, ensure a fast return to service.
To test the thermal barrier properties, comparison between a section of uncovered steel substrate and a section of substrate protected with Belzona 5871 was carried out to determine the thickness required to reduce the surface temperature to below 60°C (140°F) as required by ASTM C1055 to prevent contact burn injuries. For example, Belzona 5871 applied at a thickness of approximately 2.2mm to give a cured thickness of 6.6 mm, will reduce the surface temperature from 120°C (248°F) to below 60°C (140°F). Belzona 5871 is insulating and capable of reducing heat transfer thus providing a safe to touch surface and preventing contact-burn injuries. The insulating properties of Belzona 5871 were confirmed using the Lee’s disc method giving a low thermal conductivity of approximately 0.1 W/m.K.
Several tests have been carried out to confirm the corrosion resistance of the Belzona 5871 system.
CUI conditions have been simulated using heated pipe sections. The system was repeatedly cycled between 120°C (248°F) and 10°C (50°F) over a period of 1000 hours with alternating wet (with a constant deluge of water at 5 litres per minute) and dry periods. Following the test, the multi-layered systems did not show any blistering, delamination, or cracking and there was no evidence of corrosion.
A 35°C (95°F) salt spray test has also been carried out, in accordance with ASTM B117 on a single layer of Belzona 5871 following two different cure regimes; a 20°C (68°F) cure and 120°C (248° F) post-cure. A vertical 50mm scribe was added to both samples to encourage corrosion. The test samples did not show any signs of failure even after 3000 hours of continuous exposure.
A continuous water immersion test was performed, in accordance with ISO 2812-2, where a substrate with a single layer of Belzona 5871, was immersed at 40°C (104°F) in deionised water. The substrate did not exhibit any signs of deterioration after 4500 hours (substrate cured at 20°C/68°F) and 2000 hours (substrate post-cured at 120°C / 248°F).
These tests confirm the excellent corrosion resistance properties of Belzona 5871 under a variety of conditions.
The product’s anti-icing and anti-condensation properties were independently evaluated by performing an ice build-up test. The sub-zero trial was performed on one, two and three layers of Belzona 5871.
Pipework operating at – 8 °C (17.6°F) Observations
1 Layer of Belzona 5871 Surface temperature: 2°C (35°F) Condensation but no icing on surface
2 Layers of Belzona 5871 Surface temperature: 7°C (44°F) Reduced condensation and no icing on surface
3 Layers of Belzona 5871 Surface temperature: 15°C (59°F) No condensation or icing
Figure 6 Table showing results of ice-build up test
The test confirmed that Belzona 5871 prevents ice build-up and condensation even at sub-zero temperatures.
