Abstract
As is often the case when developing new technologies the first adopters are those who have a specific problem for which they are seeking a solution. This was the case in 2005 with a new, at the time, high temperature protective coating designed for use beneath insulation and in highly aggressive cyclic temperature environments between 40°C (104°F) to 260°C (500°F). The facility in question is a gas processing plan in South Australia and they had significant issues with corrosion on their propane treater units. This paper will review the circumstances of the application in 2005, detailing the corrosion mechanisms at work and the justification behind the selection of the then largely unproven new coating technology. It will then review the performance of the material over the course of its ten year service life concluding with a detailed review of its current condition. The paper then moves to the wider topic of coating development and specification with particular reference to developing test methods where robust methods are not yet known. The paper details the methodology used to create and validate a reliable test for coatings used in the prevention of CUI. With reference to the South Australian experience, the paper poses the question ‘how can new coating technologies be successfully developed and launched into a such a conservative market?', especially given the importance placed by customers around long term proof of in service performance.
