Belzona eliminates potential environmental damage
Article Type: Environment and safety From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 55, Issue 6
Belzona Polymerics Limited, a manufacturer of industrial protective coatings and polymer repair composites, has developed a solution to prevent the detrimental effects of aggressive chemical attack and leakage within concrete chemical containment areas.
Bunds, sumps, plinths, channels and sluices are susceptible to deterioration through attack from chemicals. If the deterioration is not addressed the structural integrity of the concrete will be seriously undermined with the potential for chemical leakage and structural failure resulting in environmental damage and impact.
Gordon Cairns, National Sales Manager for Belzona explains, “These costly after-effects can easily be avoided by using a Belzona chemical containment repair and protection system. This Belzona solution is a cold applied cost effective repair composite that has proven results within the power industry but has been particularly successful in demineralised water treatment plants.”
Concrete chemical containment structures can now be repaired and protected to resist chemical attack. This preservation and long term protection of the concrete eliminates possible structural failure and loss of chemical. By utilising the Belzona solution, chemical attack of concrete can be prevented reducing environmental impact and expensive operational downtime.
An inspection of a discharge sluice at a nuclear power station in the UK found the concrete to be suffering from severe deterioration due to acid attack. A previously applied cementitious repair screed had been damaged due to impact which caused peaks and troughs in the channel. Subsequently the acid penetrated the concrete, attacking the underlying substrate leaving large voids. Belzona was able to provide a cost effective solution to prevent chemical attack and reduce further deterioration of the sluice channel with the application of an innovative Belzona material.
The Belzona solution was applied to ensure the sluice channel was restored promptly as the product is able to rebuild and protect in one operation. Traditional methods of repair would require rebuilding, then protecting with a coating system which would have been prohibitive due to the need to keep the demineralised water treatment plant operational.
Gordon Cairns added, “The work undertaken enabled a prompt and efficient return to service of the channel which ensured there was minimal disruption to the power station operations team.”
Belzona was used in a chemical containment repair and protection application in a sluice channel at a coal fired power station some 6 years ago which when recently inspected was found to be in excellent condition.
More information is available at: www.belzona.com
