Penetrations
Mastering the most critical vulnerability in cooling tower systems, FlowMatrix provides specialised coating systems engineered to prevent catastrophic leaks and corrosion at pipe penetrations through walls and floors.
The Challenge of Protecting Pipe Penetrations
Pipework that penetrates building floors or walls requires a specialised coating system. These areas are prone to severe failure because they are constantly exposed to:
- Aggressive Chemical Attack: The coating must withstand the harsh attack of cooling tower chemicals and high/low pH levels without degradation.
- Mechanical Stress: The system must endure vibration and excessive flexing from pipework movement, preventing the sealant from cracking and causing water and chemical leaks.
- Corrosion Risk: Failure to properly coat these systems will rapidly accelerate corrosion, drastically reducing the service life of your pipework and resulting in costly failures.
Without adequate protection, pipe penetrations rapidly accelerate corrosion due to chemical attack and vibration, leading to uncontrolled water and chemical leaks that cause environmental damage, costly emergency repairs, and premature failure of critical pipework.
RepelCoat Coating System Range
RepelCoat offers a range of specialised solutions designed to meet these exact challenges:
For the application of the RepelCoat systems our personnel are trained in using the correct PPE, ventilation procedures, the application of the products, and hazard control.
RepelCoat is a registered trademark of FlowMatrix in Australia.
RepelCoat Coating Systems for Containment
FlowMatrix has developed the RepelCoat range of coating systems specifically for cooling tower environments.
For structural surfaces and containment areas, we utilise RepelCoat PUME-200, a robust membrane coating system designed for application on concrete, steel, and cool store panels.
Key Features and Benefits of RepelCoat PUME-200:
- Corrosion Elimination: Stops the progression of corrosion and chemical attack on steel and prevents pitting in concrete caused by chemical splash-out.
- Structural Leak Prevention: Seals existing leaks and prevents new ones, ensuring water and chemical containment in plantroom floors, building levels, and bunded areas.
- Chemical Resistance: Withstands the harsh attack of cooling tower water treatment chemicals, protecting the substrate from corrosive agents.
- Durability & Resilience: A tough membrane system designed to endure the excessive vibration and movement caused by fans, pumps, chillers, and compressors associated with cooling towers and refrigeration systems.
- Versatile Application: Suitable for wide-area application on building roofs and plantroom floors, concrete pads and cool store panels, damaged bunded areas used for chemical containment.
- Cost-Effective: Applying RepelCoat PUME-200 early stops further chemical damage, which is significantly more cost-effective than major structural replacement.
These coating systems are used to seal and protect all pipe penetrations in walls and floors, as well as associated vessels and tanks, linked to cooling towers or refrigeration systems in non-submerged applications.
Case Study: Sealing Critical Pipe Penetrations
The Challenge: Vulnerable Pipework and Structural Leaks
Pipework penetrations through walls and floors present a significant maintenance challenge. Sealing plumbing and pipelines from cooling towers, refrigeration holding tanks, chillers, or compressors is exceptionally difficult because the joints are constantly subjected to:
- Excessive Vibration: Movement from associated equipment causes standard seals to crack and fail, allowing water ingress.
- Chemical Attack: Aggressive water treatment chemicals continually attack sealant materials.
The combination of factors means standard seals cannot prevent water ingress, leading to corrosion and leaks into adjoining building levels.
The FlowMatrix Solution: RepelCoat PV-200 System
The specialised RepelCoat PV-200 coating system—a product developed in-house to solve these precise challenges—is utilized to restore integrity to critical penetration points.
The system’s application addresses various situations, including:
- Custom Application: The PV-200 coating system is applied to typical penetration types, such as PVC and copper line penetrations and leaking steel pipes passing through concrete floors.
- Reinforcement Method: For complex steel pipe repairs, fibreglass reinforcement is typically applied prior to the RepelCoat PV-200 application.
- Optimised Adhesion: The process includes the application of a PV-200 Primer coat to ensure maximum adhesion to the multiple substrate types.
This robust, flexible coating system reliably secures all pipework penetrations against movement and chemical ingress, eliminating leaks and extending the service life of the assets.
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