Pond Tank Pump
An Introduction Of Spi’s Synergy Series- Ultrabond Iii Polyurea Industrial Coating
Rehabbing 25 manholes for the City of Montrose, Colorado has been a real nightmare, but with SPI’s Ultra Bond III polyurea coating and portable LPGTM proportioner, the job went smoothly, ” says Eddie Kelley of Airtight Foam Solutions. “In fact, it was pretty much flawless. “
This is high praise indeed because as anyone on the market knows, manhole rehabilitation is among the most challenging jobs available. Tight spaces, limited access, high level concrete degradation, and in most cases, an unforgiving schedule are just a few of the challenges that coating contractors face when getting into a manhole rehab project. However, as Kelley testifies, it is possible to have a relatively painless job when utilizing SPI’s Synergy Series LPG proportioner and Ultra Bond III polyurea. Together, these two innovative technologies are invaluable when relining concrete manholes.
Coating concrete surfaces can be quite a challenging endeavor, both from the perspective of applying a coating system and getting a systemthat will preserve and protect the concrete. Polyurea industrial coatings have the physical properties required to extend the service life of concrete, and when coupled with new technology from Specialty Products and services Inc., (SPI) can save time and money in the application process.
Polyurea coatings have been trusted in the construction industry considering that the early 1990s. These industrial coatings are caused by a reaction between an isocyanate component and an amine-terminated resin-blend component. This results in a seamless, flexible, high strength elastomeric coating. Polyurea is usually used for waterproofing coatings, corrosion resistance, food contact coatings, tank linings and pipe coatings. They are even employed by military and civilian industries as a high strength barrier coating for blast resistance and fragmentation containment.
Merciless Conditions
The waste motorhome water filters produces significant sulfur reducing bacteria (SRB) growth and hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S). Those two factors could cause significant concrete damage because they break down the concrete’s silica and calcium. Over time, experience of these harsh conditions break down the concrete to this type of degree that 1 of 2 things must be done the manhole must be replaced or relined. Manhole replacement involves digging up the existing manhole and completely replacing all its components. This technique is both expensive and labor intensive, therefore, maybe not aviable option for most wastewater districts. Recoating the manhole is the option chosen by nearly all municipalities. The proper protective coating will shield the concrete from decay due to the bacteria, extending the service life of the manhole structure. The correct coating system may also have sufficient elongation to handlethermal concrete expansion and contraction from annual freeze/thaw cycles.
Eliminating Steps and Saving cash
Even though the recoating option is not as cost prohibitive or labor intensive as the replacement of a manhole structure, it is still a daunting task. That’s before the invention of SPI’s Synergy Series chemistries and the LPG proportioner. Those two technologies address the many challenges of manhole rehabilitation, making the procedure much more manageable, and ultimately, saving time and money for wastewater districts.
“Using the LPG proportioner, Ultra Bond III could be applied directly onto the porous concrete substrate, ” says Chas Weatherford, of SPI.
“There is minimal prep work besides removal of damaged concrete by pressure washing and abrasive blasting. No primer is required. “
Until the advent of the Synergy Series chemistries and the LPG proportioner, coating concrete was a difficult challenge for the polyurea industry. Polyurea applied through traditional ruthless, high heat, plural component equipment an average of experiences blow holes. These blow holes are due to air that’s trapped inside the pores (bug holes) and capillaries of the concrete. The environment expands from the heated product because it is applied; pressure builds and pushes the trappedwarm air through the top of freshly applied coating, potentially creating a huge selection of pinholes per square foot. Preventing and/or repairing pinholes is incredibly labor intensive. So as to avoid pinholes, the concrete has to be base coated using another material like a plasticized mortar or urethane foam so that you can fill surface irregularities and behave as a buffer layer between your concrete and polyurea. If any pinholes occur when the polyurea is applied, caulk is employed to filleach pinhole and the coating must be re-sprayed on the affected areas. “These blow holes are like mini-moon craters, ” says Dan Helton, President of SPI. “There could be hundreds per square foot and so they just take lots of time and money to fix. It’s not feasible to coat a manhole with polyurea minus the Synergy Series chemistry and the LPG proportioner. “
This entire labor intensive and cost prohibitive nightmare is averted by the Synergy Series chemistries and the LPG proportioner technologies. The Ultra Bond III polyurea is applied at a low temperature, approximately 90 Fahrenheit. This low temperature virtually eliminates moon craters caused by the blow holes. “In addition, the merchandise is air-nucleated. This adds body to the coating which bridges the capillaries and surface irregularities. The result is a smooth, monolithic surface that is free from defects, ” says Helton.
Weatherford concurs. “Applying Ultra Bond III with the LPG machine an amazing monolithic polyurea liner that’s free of blow holes or pinholes. “
Another important advantage with using the Synergy Series LPG equipment and chemistries is this technology eliminates the requirement to use polyurethane spray foam as a base coat within the manhole concrete surface. Spray foam is often used as a base coat to help prevent difficulties with bug holes and pinholes. This added step and increase in product/labor cost are now able to be avoided.
A tight Squeeze
The LPG proportioner also has another important advantage. Unlike traditional plural component proportioners, it really is lightweight and portable. By definition, manholes are confined spaces and many have been in areas with limited access. SPI’s Synergy Series LPG weighs less than 80 lbs. and can be transported at the back of a pick-up truck. This portability allows applicators to position the equipment nearby the actual spray site, even if {it’s} hard to get into. Additionally, the LPG only takes a standard wall outlet (110 V) for power, which makes it even more convenient for hard to achieve spray sites.
LPG and Synergy Chemistry doing his thing
The best way to demonstrate just how well Ultra Bond III and the LPG interact out in the field is always to revisit the town of Montrose manhole rehabilitation project. The town of Montrose, Colorado Public Works Utilities Division had 25 manholes that needed a fresh protective lining as a result of concrete degradation. The manholes will be in service for approximately 25 years. Based on Weatherford, the city decided that recoating the manholes was more cost advantageous compared to the replacement of the sewer infrastructure. This is where Kelley of Airtight Foam Solutions is needed.
“We got the contract and were initially planning to spray polyurethane foam within the concrete after which coat with polyurea. After running into several pre-job issues, we talked with SPI and they suggested using the Ultra Bond III material, without the usage of spray foam, and applying it with the LPG proportioner, ” says Kelley. “We were pleased to utilize this innovative technology, especially as it saved so much time and money. “
In accordance with Kelley, lots of the manholes were in pretty bad shape. “The concrete was badly deteriorated due to the hydrogen sulfide gas and high moisture content. “
In addition, a few of the manholes had an epoxy coating that were applied a couple of years before. The epoxy coating failed to last well beneath the harsh conditions contained in the manhole structure or the annual weather cycle. Kelley states that in certain manholes, that he and his crew had to utilize a hand trowel to get rid of 1 to at least one 12 inches of damaged concrete prior to pressure washing and abrasive blasting the manhole structure. The effective use of Ultra Bond III would significantly extend the service life of the manholes, since it is specifically designed to endure experience of severe chemical and climate conditions.
Live Sewer, Big Challenge
To increase the challenges of the particular job, the sewer main was to stay live through the entire process yet another reason an expedited coatings process was essential. Gas monitors were used constantly during all prep and spray work to guarantee the safety of Kelley and his crew. Additionally, the crew wore all of the proper safety gear, including Tyvek suits, rubber gloves, a brand new air hood and OSHA compliant harnesses.
Also, since the sewer lines were running, Kelley had to engineer a system to help keep the debris and overspray from falling to the line. “We built wood benches across the invert. It had been a tri-fold contraption which was lowered to the manhole structure with a tri-pod and winch and then unfolded. A canvas tarp was on top of the wood, allowing us to catch all of the debris, ” says Kelley.
Once the containment apparatus was in position, the crew removed all damaged concrete and then pressure washed and abrasive blasted the manhole. Because of the Synergy Series chemistry and the LPG, the manhole was ready for the polyurea application without the need for primers, mortars or foam.
Ready AimSpray
Ahead of the application of the Ultra Bond III, Kelley and his crew used a 400, 000 BTU ducted heater to pump heat into the manhole. “This dry, heat took the moisture out of the manhole structure and raised the temperature to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the manhole, ” says Kelley.
Heat duct was taken off the manhole and the crew then applied an average of 120 mils of Synergy Series – Ultra Bond III polyurea to the concrete substrate. In accordance with Weatherford, the Airtight Foam Solutions applicator surely could adjust the product output using controls at the Lock-n-Load gun. This enabled him to modify the spray pattern diameter and output as needed to properly coat different surface areas inside the duct manhole structure.
When the polyurea application was completed, the heating duct was once more used to pump heat to the manhole and remained there for starters hour so that you can expedite the front-end curing of the product. The come back to service was immediate; thesewer was live the complete time and there was no disruption of the wastewater system.
Kelley is quick to point out that the portability of the LPG proportioner was a massive part of the success of the City of Montrose job. “Nearly 1 / 2 of the manholes were difficult to access. There is no way that i might have gotten my 36-foot goose neck trailer anywhere near to a number of them. We could actually put the LPG into a smaller truck and had no problems addressing some of the manhole locations, ” says Kelley.
With the Ultra Bond III and LPG Synergy Series technology, Kelley and his crew were able to prep and spray all 25 manholes in {14 days}, an impressive feat to say the least. “The application equipment was easy to use and not having to apply another material ahead of the polyurea saved an unbelievable period of time and money, ” says Kelley.
The answer for Failing Infrastructure
SPI has been manufacturing polyurea protective coatings and using traditional equipment in the wastewater industry since 1991. Years of accumulated knowledge helped SPI to identify the requirement for a coatings technology breakthrough, namely the teaming of Synergy Series chemistries and the LPG proportioner.
With your two innovative technologies, SPI provided an industrial coating solution to extend the service life of the existing manholes and save yourself the city of Montrose and its particular tax payers a large amount of money. Because the wastewater infrastructure in the U. S. continues to age, more and more municipalities will face the same dilemma because the City of Montrose manhole replacement or rehabilitation. SPI’s Synergy Series chemistries and the LPG provide the best and most cost-effective solution for the rehabilitation of the wastewater infrastructure.
Specialty Services and products protective coating solutions will also be employed for a multitude of applications that span across numerous industries. Many of these solutions include blast resistance, containing fragmentation irrigation water canal repair and potable water containment. Furthermore, polyurea can be used in water features, fountains and pond liners, aswell in terms of food contact coatings, tank linings, pipe coatings, corrosion resistance, waterproofing coatings, barriers for blast resistance and minimizing fragmentation in the eventuality of an explosion.