POLYUREA FOR SECONDARY CONTAINMENT
Polyurea delivers superior corrosion protection and resistance against adverse chemistries such as gasoline, JP3, diesel, crude oil, condensates, brine water, hydroxides, solvents, peroxides, salts, lye and various other harsh chemicals.
What is secondary containment? If you work with hazardous chemicals, you may know something about these systems. Secondary containment systems prove an extra line of defense if something happens to the primary containment system. For instance, if a storage container that holds wastewater should happen to break, the secondary system will prevent any of the liquid to spill out and destroy the environment. It’s a temporary measure that protects the environment until the appropriate actions can be taken to fix the primary system.
Applications
Polyurea coatings are great for any type of secondary containment systems, in particular:
- Oil and gas wells
- Chemical facilities and storage areas
- Tank farms
- Sumps and trenches
- Drum storage areas
- Petroleum storage
How it works
But how can a spray-on polyurea coating act as a secondary containment system? What the coating does is create a leak-proof barrier that prevents any of the material inside the primary containment unit from escaping. As we’ve mentioned before, polyurea solution is not only watertight but is very flexible. So if it’s a bone-chilling kind of day and everything feels tight, the chemical will protect from any cracks. The same goes for a sweltering heat wave, where everything just doubles in size. The polyurea will still keep everything in place.
Polyurea Benefits
We’ve also mentioned that polyurea coatings are resistant to water damage, such as corrosion or rust. But that’s not the only weather element that can do some damage. Here in BC, we get our fair share of sunny days. And although the sun can be great for your mood and your skin, all that ultraviolet exposure can really affect a storage tank. For instance, if you have a polyethylene tank, constant exposure to the UV light can make the material brittle, leading to cracking. However, this doesn’t happen to a polyurea solution.
Some companies use a rubber lining, paint or other surface protection to use as a secondary containment system. But that can lead to problems:
A rubber lining doesn’t last nearly as long as a polyurea coating
A rubber coating doesn’t have the same abrasion and corrosion resistance
There may be weaknesses in these types of coatings that a chemically aggressive fluid can exploit
They can be expensive as compared to a polyurea solution
There’s a chance that a rubber lining can absorb and possibly release materials that cause contamination
At Quantum , we know how important it is to protect the environment from hazardous materials. And the best way for an industry to do that is to use the best type of protection available. That protection is a polyurea solution.
If you need a secondary containment system for the materials you work with and are considering using a polyurea coating, go with the best. Contact a representative at Quantum now and get the protection you need for your business
Email: customerservice@quantumfoam.ca
Office Telephone: 1-236-423-0080
Quantum Industrial Solutions is a full service Structural Coatings and linings Company offering infrastructure rehabilitation and geotechnical grouting in Western Canada.