Industry Spotlight: Fluid Handling
At A&A Coatings, we can provide thermal spray coating solutions for a wide range of fluid handling equipment. Without the correct form of protection; chemical attacks, corrosion, erosion, and wear can drastically reduce the service lifespan of such expensive equipment. In the fluid handling industry, we are the thermal spray specialists you can count on. We have been in the business for more than seven decades and are well-equipped with advanced thermal spraying technology and deep industry knowledge to meet your thermal spraying needs.
What is Fluid Handling?
For starters, it refers to handling fluids that are moving or passing through at high velocity. Fluid handling systems often comprise of elbows, bends, stems, valve seats, pump impellers, and more. With industrial fluids moving at high speeds, you need to be aware of high impact points as they can erode, wear out, and corrode over time. Those vital components need to remain in tip top condition during every production process; worn out parts lead to delays and inefficiency.
Benefits of Thermal Spray Coatings for Fluid Handling Systems
Since our inception, we have worked with a wide spectrum of end-users and even pump original equipment manufacturers to produce cost-effective and extremely durable thermal spray coatings for high-wear components. Our thermal spray coating solutions have provided a broad range of benefits, including:
- Reduced maintenance and operating costs
- Reduced overall downtime
- Reduced component replacements
- Improved component reliability
- Increased productivity via extended machinery, plant, and component operational lifespan
- Optimized fluid handling system and component performance
- Enhanced protection against corrosion and wear caused by abrasive and corrosive fluids
Common Thermal Spray Coating Materials Used in the Fluid Handling Industry
At A&A Coatings, we are able to apply customized thermal spray coatings via the High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) process, the plasma spraying process, and more. Check out the common materials that are used to coat fluid handling equipment and systems:
- Ceramics
The common ceramics that are used in plasma spraying processes include zirconia, titanium oxide, chromium oxide, and alumina. If your equipment is required to handle fluids that are boiled to high temperatures, and you need to minimize phase transformation, you can add stabilizers such as ceria and yttria into your zirconia coatings. It is imperative that your systems are ready to handle volume fluctuations as poorly coated components can crack during service.
- Chromium carbide
You can choose between the HVOF process and plasma spraying process when applying chromium carbide coatings on your components. Chromium carbide coatings are known to be very well-bonded, dense, and hard. They are highly recommended for increasing wear resistance; for parts that are subject to fretting, hard surfaces, and abrasive particles.
- Tungsten carbide
Just like the above, the plasma spraying process and HVOF process is applicable when it comes to spraying tungsten carbide coatings. If the industrial fluids you need to handle contain abrasive grains and particles, you can consider coating them with our superior quality tungsten carbide coatings. These materials can be used to achieve low temperature wear resistance.
