Our team here at PES recently performed a cooling tower repair that was caused by a chemical attack on the concrete structure. We will discuss our process and products we can use to repair chemical attacks on cooling towers.
Cooling Tower Repair Services with PES
A chemical attack occurred on the concrete structure while the maintenance personnel of this power plant was adding 93% Sulfuric Acid to the water in the cold water basin to aid in the control of water PH. Therefore, we provided the following services and PES coatings to resolve this issue.
PES-CHEM 505 Damp Seal for Concrete Repair
PES prepared the damaged area by abrasive blasting all loosely adhered concrete and opening pores. PES-CHEM 505 Damp Seal is an epoxy resin based, solvent free thin film primer, which is specifically developed for use on green and damp surfaces.
On curing, this product consolidates the substrate which helps to improve adhesion during application of other coating or concrete repair systems.
PES-CHEM 574 for Cooling Tower Repair
After 30-45 minutes, PES-CHEM 505 Damp Seal had cured to the point where we could then add the heavy duty polymer resin and aggregate system from our PES-CHEM 574 kit. This is used to repair and protect concrete and other stonework damaged by chemical, impact, vibration or other mechanical abuse. The mixed PES 574 was applied to the primed area by float or trowel. The material was spread in depths up to ¾ in. firmly and evenly onto the surface and then smoothed over with a steel trowel or float. PES-CHEM 574 itself is resistant to all types of chemicals, including the following:
- 50% Sulfuric Acid
- 40% Sodium Hydroxide
- Oils
- Other Hydrocarbons
PES-CHEM 511 UCEN Coating for More Protection
We also use PES-CHEM 511 UCEN as a 2-coat system to give further protection. This product is a high build solvent-free epoxy novalac coating, which provides outstanding chemical and corrosion protection of steel and concrete structures. The coating is particularly resistant to attack by strong acids including the following:
- Inorganic Acids 98% sulfuric acid
- Hydrochloric 36%
- Nitric 10%
- Organic Acids
- Alkalis
- Alcohols
- Amines
- Aliphatic Hydrocarbons
- Aromatic Hydrocarbons
We can easily apply PES-CHEM 511 UCEN at a thickness of 20 mils with a brush or roller. We can also spray 40 mils in a single coat.
Here at PES, we design our products to offer repair and protection solutions to many industrial maintenance problems, including cooling towers. Contact us with the link below for more information on our products!