Coating manufacturer PPG Industries recently unveiled its new PITT-CHAR NX coating as its next-generation solution for passive fire protection (PFP) technology.
The coating product was launched at a special live demonstration event on Tuesday, February 19, in Houston, Texas, USA. The event also included a technical seminar to explain the technology and engineering behind the system.
Technical Features
The coating is described as a two-component, 100% solids, flexible epoxy intumescent for use in industries like oil and gas, petrochemicals, energy, transportation, and defense. According to the manufacturer, the system ensures structural stability and integrity while meeting insulation requirements.
Compatible with cryogenic spilling protection systems, the anticorrosion coating is ideal for applications potentially subject to major accident hazards such as explosions, as well as hydrocarbon jet and pool fires. The coating offers passive fire protection to structures, divisions (decks, bulkheads, and firewalls), process vessels, pipework, and equipment which are safety critical.
Designed for use in both offshore and onshore environments, the coating is suitable for substrates including aluminum, carbon steel, galvanized steel, stainless/duplex steels, and composites. It resists damage from vibration, abrasions, impact, weathering, and from the deflection of structures during fabrication, transportation, extreme loading conditions, and low temperatures.
Operating temperatures for the coating, which has been independently tested in accordance with numerous internationally recognized standards, range from -40 °C (-40 °F) to 80 °C (176 °F). With a combination of toughness and flexibility, the coating is designed to eliminate the risk of cracking and delamination during fabrication, transportation, and construction operations.
Application Benefits
According to PPG, the new coating substantially reduces both the thickness and weight of traditional PFP coatings. The system weight is at least 15-percent lighter than alternative epoxy PFP systems and less than a third of the weight of lightweight cementitious systems, PPG said.
In turn, this allows for lower costs and faster application, since the complete coating system can typically be applied in one shift. These features can provide up to 60% savings in application time, according to the manufacturer.
The coating is available in gray and matte colors, though it can be topcoated with a wide range of coatings to provide different colors and gloss levels. It can be applied by spray, nozzle, or trowel, and it is also suitable for molding or extruding into finished goods.
A video application of the PITT-CHAR NX being spray applied can be seen below, while a photo gallery showing trowel application is available on Facebook.
Source: PPG, www.ppgpmc.com.