Numerous naturally-occurring factors are working against the paint and coatings in your ethanol plant.
These destructive factors include:
- The expansion of iron oxide and steel as it rusts, which causes premature coating failure.
- Damage to paint and coatings, creating entry points for corrosive moisture to penetrate.
- Rapid mildew growth on storage tank exteriors.
- Decay due to environmental and weather conditions.
These forces compromise the integrity of your stored ethanol and if ignored or postponed, they can lead to the need for more comprehensive and costly repairs. The damage can actually reach right into the structure of your facility’s concrete.
Solution starts at the surface
There are two essential ingredients that work together to form the most effective, protective coating possible:
- Proper surface preparation for both metal and concrete including thorough cleaning, a sound (abraded) surface, and proper sealing and priming.
- Applying multiple layers of coatings to keep unavoidable, microscopic pinholes that develop during the drying / curing process from providing a channel for moisture to penetrate.
It also is essential that the correct product is used for your specific application. As an example, for ethanol storage tanks we use a urethane system that has an inorganic chemical structure. In simpler terms, it contains nothing for mildew to feed on. This means that even after years have gone by, the growth of mildew is a non-issue compared to those coatings that are blackened by mildew within months.
Industrial painting expertise for your ethanol plant
At Painters USA, we believe in doing our work properly for the most effective, endurable results. From time invested in surface preparation to the benefit of our product knowledge, we are a valuable partner to help you maintain and improve your ethanol facilities. With large crews based out of offices in Illinois and Texas, we can deploy the resources needed to get the work done safely and as quickly as possible. And we're ready to work during planned shutdowns, weekends, evenings, and other times needed for the least amount of disruption to your operations.