SURFACE PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF PLURAL-COMPONENT COATINGS TO PIPELINE DURING REHABILITATION

This article discusses methods and equipment for surface preparation and coating of pipeline during refurbishment activities. The need for surface preparation prior to coating is considered and an evaluation of abrasive air blast cleaning and mechanical shot blast cleaning techniques are presented. The factors affecting mechanical shot blast efficiency are reviewed, including important design elements that should be considered in the selection and specification of mechanical shot blast equipment. Equipment requirements for application of high-performance plural-component coatings are presented. Field experience applying a plural-component polyurethane coating is reviewed.