Jotun to market Chartek fireproofing
Jotun to market Chartek fireproofing
Recently, an agreement was signed between Jotun Paints and Textron Systems, Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA,making Jotun the agent for "Chartek" fireproofing in a number of countries throughout Europe and Asia.
This agreement will ensure that Chartek is distributed through the Jotun worldwide network, and that supplies are available wherever the fabrication of FPSOs or other offshore steel structures is taking place.
For Jotun Paints, the agreement with Textron effectively extends the scope of its "single-source solution" concept, so that Jotun can now provide protective coatings and cathodic protection, as well as passive fire protection.
Chartek is manufactured in Lowell, Massachusetts. As a two-pack product, it comes in kits of 22 kg, packed on skids and shipped in dry-cargo containers to markets throughout the world. The North Sea is an important market, where the great majority of fixed installations are fireproofed using the material.
Textron Systems is a major manufacturer of special materials for the petrochemical, military, aerospace and automotive industries. Its Chartek fireproofing is an epoxybased intumescent material which, when exposed to fire, expands to form a thick, insulating carbon layer around the material being protected.
According to Textron when applied to steel sections, Chartek will keep a structure standing for up to four hours in a hydrocarbon fire, where temperatures exceed 1,100°C. Applied to steel walls, bulkheads or under-decks it will, in the event of a fire on board,control the temperature of the structure in passageways, escape-ways, control rooms, living quarters and mustering stations.
Chartek is applied by specially trained and equipped personnel, using a special pump for two-component materials, which sprays the material at a temperature of 60°C without the use of solvents.
The design thickness for Chartek is 3mm or more, and this forms an extremely effective barrier against oxygen and water and, thus, provides good protection against corrosion. Combined with approved Jotun primers and a high quality topcoat, full protection is afforded for the lifetime of any installation.
A steel section coated with Chartek is shown on the left. On the right, the section has been exposed to fire and the Chartek has expanded to form a thick insulating carbon layer around the selection
Details from Jotun Paints,Jotun A/S, PO Box 2021, Hasle, 3235 Sandefjord, Norway. Tel: 47 33 457000; Fax:47 33 464613.
