Fire protective coating for LNG market

The company says that the coating is suitable for applications where exterior durability and corrosion resistance are required. It is intended to prevent steel structures from heating up rapidly in the event of a fire by providing insulative protection against high temperatures. The product can also be used as an insulative method of protecting structural steel from exposure to the extremely cold temperatures that can result in the event of a cryogenic liquid spill, a feature that is said to be particularly relevant to the LNG market.

The epoxy PFP coating protects the underlying steel from rapid heating in case of fire by expanding and forming a ceramic-like layer of char which will be up to six times as thick as the original coating, insulating the steel against high environmental temperatures. According to Paul Greigger, technical manager PITT-CHAR, PPG Industries, in the case of a cryogenic liquid spill, temperatures can suddenly drop down to −162 °C meaning that any insulation system protecting the steel needs to withstand these extremely low temperatures without becoming brittle and failing. For this purpose, the coating is applied in thicknesses ranging from 15mm to 38mm. After exposure to a cryogenic spill, the coating typically remains relatively undamaged and no additional maintenance is required. If a fire ensues, however, the coating will expand at high temperatures and form a protective char.”