#non-metallic cladding

In Oil and Gas and Petrochemical Industries, corrosion on the pipe supports is a common and very usual problem. CUPS – Corrosion Under Pipe Supports is well known as a second biggest corrosion issue, after CUI (Corrosion Under Insulation), as pipe supports are ideal place for corrosion occurrence. Corrosion and friction on place of the contact between pipes and pipe supports eventually result in major damages on the pipe they carry.

Pipe supports suffer damages from both corrosion as well as from friction of the pipe over the pipe support. Due to corrosion and friction, protection coating on pipe often fails, resulting in pipe damages.

By using SolarTech PE55 between the pipe and the support we are eliminating the corrosion and friction, hence protecting the pipe from damages.

SolarTech PE55 is UV cured GRP that is applied in its uncured state when soft and malleable, allowing the material to adjust to any shape of the substrate. Once cured, the material is hard, corrosion, wear and friction resistant.

SolarTech PE55 will be installed on the support itself and as well as on the pipe section that will be in contact with the support. With this metal – to metal contact between pipe and pipe support is avoided, and we have GRP – to – GRP contact. GRP protects metal from corrosion, and is very resistant to friction.

There are various shapes of pipe supports, including I-beam, wide flange beam, angle, channel; however SolarTech PE55 in its uncured state is adjustable to any shape of the substrate, so application of the material does not pose an issue. SolarTech in its cured state will absorb the friction, and by eliminating the water and moisture will prevent corrosion too.

SolarTech GRP range of products have been manufactured over a decade by Corrotech Construction Chemicals, a Dubai based company. The material is used as a non-metallic cladding in various projects all over the world, proving its effectiveness, ease off application and overall superior performance.   For more information on product, as well as on previous successful applications both as non-metallic cladding and pipe supports protection, visit www.mctuae.com or write to [email protected].

Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) is a composite material that offers high chemical resistance with great tensile strength and exceptional durability. GRP consists of glass fibers embedded in polyester or vinyl ester resin to strengthen it in an orientation tailored to a specific application. The extreme stability and durability of the material mixed with the glass fibers make it ideal for use in pipe protection. The outstanding mechanical characteristics of GRP manufactured pipe liners enhanced with UV cured GRP technology creates an optimal end product of the highest quality for use in the pipeline protection marketplace.

SolarTech, UV cured GRP used as a non-metallic cladding solution, meets the needs of varied types of industries like Oil & Gas, Power, Petrochemical, Water and Waste water, Municipal & General industries. On the market, for pipe and insulation protection, non-metallic cladding is fighting widely used metal cladding. There are many benefits of use of GRP as pipe and pipe insulation protection, however market is yet to step out of safety-zone of traditionally used metal cladding.

GRP combine the benefits of strength and corrosion resistance. Moreover, they offer great design flexibility with the possibility to customize a wide range of properties. The following are some of the major benefits of GRP:

High corrosion resistance

Low weight and simple push-on combinations enable high installation rates even in less accessible and demanding surface

Installation possible irrespective of weather conditions

Single source system solution including manholes and fittings

High abrasion resistance

UV resistance

High structural load capacity

Compatibility with other materials

Low operating and maintenance costs

A proven service life of more than 50 years

Corrotech Construction Chemicals, a manufacturer of  SolarTech GRP  will always be able to meet the client’s needs when it comes to GRP pipe and pipe insulation protection. SolarTech UV Curing Technology offers endless solutions.

GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) is a polymer material that includes fiberglass. According to chemical manufacturers in UAE, GRP is a combination of fiberglass and the plasticity of various resins. These may include polyester, epoxy, polyurethane, vinyl ester or polypropylene.

Applications of Glass Reinforced Plastic

GRP, especially Solartech brand has various applications including waterproofing, structural strengthening and corrosion resistance. It can be found mostly in water storage tanks, chemical storage tanks, tank roof lining, manholes, chemical plants, pipeline networks, water transmission pipelines and more.

Advantages of Glass Reinforced Plastic

Strength and Durability: Due to its strength to weight ratio, GRP is an attractive lightweight material that builds strength into almost any finish component. GRP is often stronger than sheet metals and steel and is highly resistant to environmental extremes.

UV Stability: Solartech GRP are UV cured GRP which are manufactured with a high-quality UV inhibitor to prevent UV degradation from taking place.

Corrosion Resistant: GRP is resistant to corrosion and has much longer life expectancy compared to other construction materials. In harsh environments, GRP is the preferred option over wood, metal or plastic.

Versatility: Because of the molding process that GRP is subject to, it can take the shape of any container. This make sure that all GRP products are made to an exact size in order to guarantee perfect fit.

Low Maintenance: GRP has virtually low maintenance involved. It is a hardy material which can endure extreme conditions with very little wear and tear.

Solartech GRP by Corrotech

The Solartech product range offered by Corrotech compromises of GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) sheet laminates, topcoats and primers which are all curable by UV radiation. They offer three different grades of Solartech laminates including VE 55, PE 55 and PW 55 which are all formulated to ensure top quality protection against corrosive environments.

Corrotech Construction Chemicals ensure that all their product including Solartech GRP are manufactured using only the highest grade of raw materials available today. The company is quality-driven and is continuously engaged in investing in the latest technology to ensure product quality. To know more of their Solartech GRP and other product range, visit http://www.mct.uae.com

In Oil and Gas and Petrochemical Industries, corrosion on the pipe supports is a common and very usual problem. CUPS – Corrosion Under Pipe Supports is well known as a second biggest corrosion issue, after CUI (Corrosion Under Insulation), as pipe supports are ideal place for corrosion occurrence. Corrosion and friction on place of the contact between pipes and pipe supports eventually result in major damages on the pipe they carry.

Pipe supports suffer damages from both corrosion as well as from friction of the pipe over the pipe support. Due to corrosion and friction, protection coating on pipe often fails, resulting in pipe damages.

By using SolarTech PE55 between the pipe and the support we are eliminating the corrosion and friction, hence protecting the pipe from damages.

SolarTech PE55 is UV cured GRP that is applied in its uncured state when soft and malleable, allowing the material to adjust to any shape of the substrate. Once cured, the material is hard, corrosion, wear and friction resistant.

SolarTech PE55 will be installed on the support itself and as well as on the pipe section that will be in contact with the support. With this metal – to metal contact between pipe and pipe support is avoided, and we have GRP – to – GRP contact. GRP protects metal from corrosion, and is very resistant to friction.

There are various shapes of pipe supports, including I-beam, wide flange beam, angle, channel; however SolarTech PE55 in its uncured state is adjustable to any shape of the substrate, so application of the material does not pose and issue. SolarTech PE55 in cured state will absorb the friction, and by eliminating the water and moisture will prevent corrosion too.

SolarTech range of products have been manufactured over a decade by Corrotech Construction Chemicals, a Dubai based company. The material is used as a non-metallic cladding in various projects all over the world, proving its effectiveness, ease off application and overall superior performance.   For more information on product, as well as on previous successful applications both as non-metallic cladding and pipe supports protection, visit www.mctuae.com or write on [email protected].

Protection of pipelines before and after the installation is one of the most important tasks for maintenance professionals in the Oil and Gas Industry.

CUI (Corrosion Under Insulation) harms Pipelines

It’s a fact that CUI costs the oil and gas industry billions of dollars annually. CUI arises when moisture gets stuck in the area between the pipe and the thick layer of insulation surrounding it. Since the moisture can’t escape, prolonged contact between it and the steel substrate accelerates corrosion. Whether is comes in through holes or cracks in the insulation, this stuck moisture can cause quick rusting and corrosion on the pipeline’s surface.

Since the pipe is completely surrounded by the layer of insulation, the CUI often goes unnoticed.  Once the insulation is finally exposed from the pipe, facility operators often find the pipe to be totally ruined.

What To Do? Protect Pipelines using UV cured GRP

GRP (Glass-fiber reinforced Plastic) is an extremely versatile material that has found its use in Oil and Gas Industry too. It is a range of UV curing GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) based on vinyl ester and polyester resins, formulated for protection against corrosion, abrasion, impact, chemical attack, aggressive climatic environments, etc.

Manufacturers of the GRP offered their technology for the pipeline insulation protection, to substitute the conventional aluminum cladding. The GRP system has many advantages over the aluminum cladding, the most important one being the fact that GRP system is completely seamless, and as such does not allow water ingress.

Corrotech Construction Chemicals has been manufacturing UV cured GRP laminate under the brand name SolarTech. These products have been extensively used as a non-metallic cladding in the protection of insulation and mitigation of problems related with CUI in the oil and gas industry, particularly in cryogenic conditions.   Compared to the metallic cladding, UV cured GRP meets the international insulation standards, reduces energy losses, significantly reduces application times and costs, and mitigates CUI in both thermal and cryogenic environments.

For more information about SolarTech UV cured GRP pipeline insulation protection and Corrotech’s innovative technology in the construction industry, please call +971 4811 2100 or visit their website at http://www.mctuae.com/.

UV cured Technology

UV curing is a process in which ultraviolet light is used to initiate a photochemical reaction to create a crosslinked network of polymers. It is used to instantly cure or “dry” inks, coatings or adhesives. This curing technology has developed over the recent years and is becoming widely used in the Middle East as the preferred method for insulation protection, pipe wrapping or renewal of pipe support pads. SolarTech UV curing Technology offers endless solutions for both applications over concrete or metal substrates.

Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) is among the composite materials taking advantage of the above technology. It is a fiber polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass, hence, lightweight, extremely strong, and a tough material. GRP is positioned as an easy-to-use ultra-violet-activated material used in a multitude of applications for repair and protection of waste water tanks, sewage storage tanks, underground seawater storage tanks, tank roofs, over and underground transfer lines, gas pipelines, and many more.

For almost a decade, Corrotech Construction Chemicals (CCC) have been manufacturing the SolarTech  UV cured GRP products in their factory in Dubai Investment Park, Dubai, UAE. They primarily manufacture four main GRP laminates on two SMC (Sheet Moulded Compound) machines using either Polyester or Vinyl ester resins in the formulation as well as liquid systems for priming substrates, a separate coating for pipe protection, as a top coat for potable water applications or exposure to chemical attack.

Benefits of UV Cured GRP:

Cures by UV light

Ready to Use Material

Numerous possible applications

In uncured state, easy to cut to any desirable shape

Completely seamless protection system

High resistance to abrasion and impact

Easy to apply, no skilled workforce needed

Suitable for use on a wide range of substances

Corrotech Construction Chemicals is constantly working on meeting the increasing demand of SolarTech product range in the UAE and the Middle East, and at the same time offering flexibility in manufacturing SolarTech sheet laminates in varying dimensions.