What You Need to Know About Industrial Pipe Coating

September 4, 2024

Sometimes short-term gains can lead to long-term pain. Relying on unprotected bare metal pipes for your industrial process or transfer project can save you money at installation time, but may end up costing you more in maintenance and repairs down the line. Unprotected pipes are susceptible to corrosion, abrasion, flow inefficiencies, and even catastrophic failure.

In this blog, we take a look at why leading operators rely on comprehensive pipe coating for their critical infrastructure. We’ll review the many benefits pipe coatings offer over the lifespan of your project, take a closer look at coating options, and consider how to choose the right treatment for your pipes.

Why Choose Industrial Pipe Coating?

Metal piping is used in almost all industrial processes and wherever large amounts of oil, chemical products, or other liquids need to be transferred over distance. Strong and adaptable to almost any application, metal piping does come with some significant disadvantages.

Whenever bare metal piping comes in contact with moisture or caustic or oxidizing chemicals, it becomes susceptible to corrosion. Left unchecked, pipe corrosion can lead to leaks, pipe failure, or contamination of your fluids.

In many cases, it can significantly shorten the use life of your piping infrastructure. Damaged pipes often require expensive and unplanned downtime for maintenance, replacements, and repairs, while posing a potential safety risk to your staff and customers.

Tough, durable coatings provide a proactive solution to pipe corrosion. Applied to the outside or inside of piping, pipe coatings help prevent pipe corrosion due to environmental exposure or contact with harsh fluids being carried within the pipe. In fact, studies have shown that applying a coating to bare metal piping can extend its life by anywhere from 50% to 85%.

The right coating will also prevent contamination of your product and can even improve flow within the pipe by reducing friction and preventing build-up or blockages.

Benefits of Pipe Coatings for Your Industry

Effective pipe coatings extend the life of your infrastructure and improve flows within pipes. They also limit planned and unplanned downtime. While coating pipes increases your up-front investment, it’s money well spent to ensure long-term value and return on investment.

Pipe coating also delivers specific benefits to a wide range of industries. Take a look at the following table to find out more.

 

Pipe Coating Benefits by Industry
Industry	Benefits
Oil & Gas Production and Transfer	Corrosion resistance: Protects your pipes from moisture and corrosive elements found in raw and processed oil and gas products. Leak prevention: Strengthens and protects your pipes to reduce the risk of dangerous and costly leaks, improving safety and reducing the chance of catastrophic spills. Flow efficiency: The right coating reduces friction and limits deposit building to maintain optimum flow and prevent blockages. Thermal insulation: Some coatings provide thermal insulation, keeping both heat and cold where they are supposed to be.
Power Plants	Mechanical protection: Coatings strengthen pipes to withstand external abrasion and internal pressure, preventing leaks and improving safety. Corrosion prevention: Prevents corrosion in critical infrastructure carrying pressurized steam of cooling water. Durability: Coatings extend the life of all piping infrastructure to limit downtime and minimize maintenance costs.
Food and Beverage Processing	Sanitation: Supports a hygienic environment by preventing contamination from rust or corroded metals, ensuring food safety. Efficiency: Ensures a steady flow of ingredients or products by preventing sticking, clogging, or blockages within supply piping. Regulatory compliance: Helps to maintain the strict health and safety standards required in food processing, protecting your product, your business, and your reputation.
Chemical Processing	Protection: The correct coating for your process will protect your pipe from even the harshest chemical agents, extending its use life. Safety: Reduces the need to come in contact with dangerous liquids or gasses, protecting your staff and facility. Less maintenance: Lowers overall maintenance costs by protecting your pipes from chemical damage.
Marine and Offshore	Saltwater resistance: Protects your pipes from the corrosive effects of saltwater, so you can continue serving your customers. Structural integrity: Corrosion resistance ensures the longevity of salt-exposed pipe infrastructure, and reduces the likelihood of leaks or catastrophic failures. Cost-effectiveness: Dramatically reduces maintenance costs by limiting the need to repair hard-to-access submarine piping.

 

Coating Types and Applications

Industrial pipe coatings are applied to both the inside and outside of a pipe, depending on the application and the level of protection required.

External Coatings

External coatings protect pipes from external environmental factors such as extreme temperatures, corrosion, and chemical exposure. They also help to prevent abrasion and other types of mechanical damage to pipes.

Commonly used external coating materials include:

• Polyethylene: Used widely with underground and underwater pipes for protection against moisture and salt.
• Epoxy: Tough and highly resistant to chemicals. Often used in harsh operating environments.
• Fusion-bonded epoxy: A chemically-bonded epoxy coating valued for its durability and excellent adhesion properties.
• Coal tar enamel: Typically used in harsh corrosive operating environments, especially to protect marine undersea pipelines.

Internal Coatings

Internal coatings or linings are designed to protect the pipe’s interior from corrosion and to improve flow efficiency by reducing friction and preventing material buildup.

Commonly used internal coating materials include:

• Cement mortar lining: Widely used in large water and sewage pipes to prevent corrosion and waste buildup.
• Epoxy linings: Offers corrosion protection and chemical stability. Commonly used in pipelines carrying potable water as well as oil and gas.
• Polyurethane linings: Provide excellent chemical resistance and are often used in aggressive fluid environments.
• Coal tar enamel: Used to protect pipe interiors from corrosive chemicals and to maintain flow in raw water and wastewater piping.

The following table summarizes the suitability of common pipe coating materials for different applications:

 

Coating Materials by Application
Coating Material	Corrosive	Abrasive	Hi-Temp	Low-Temp	Hi-Pressure	Insulating
Epoxy Coating	✔️	➖	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌
Polyurethane Coating	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	➖	❌
Zinc-Rich Coating	✔️	➖	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌
Coal Tar Enamel	✔️	✔️	➖	✔️	✔️	❌
Fusion-Bonded Epoxy	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	✔️	❌
Polyethylene Coating	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	➖	✔️
Cement Mortar Lining	✔️	❌	❌	✔️	❌	✔️
Polyurethane Lining	✔️	✔️	❌	✔️	➖	✔️
Intumescent Coating	❌	❌	✔️	❌	❌	❌
Vinyl Ester Coating	✔️	➖	✔️	✔️	➖	❌

 

Both internal and external coatings must be matched to your material, application, and operating conditions. While many companies offer pipe coating services, it’s important to work with an experienced provider like MultiService Industrial to ensure you get the right coatings and linings to meet your specific needs.

How to Choose the Right Coating for Your Application

The right coating for your pipes can improve safety and efficiency and dramatically increase your pipe’s use life. The wrong coating could mean expensive pipe replacements or remediation measures down the line. Here are six key steps to make sure you get the coating you need.

 

Coating Selection Checklist
1. Assess your operating conditions	Temperature: Consider the external and internal temperature range in which your pipes will operate. Chemical Exposure: Identify the chemicals your pipes will be exposed to while transferring fluids. Moisture and Salt: Will your pipes be exposed to high levels of water and salt, in marine or underground environments?
2. Determine mechanical stress levels	Pressure: Determine the internal pressure in your pipes. High-pressure systems may need strengthening coatings. Abrasion: Will your pipes be exposed to external abrasion or other types of mechanical shocks?
3. Consider industry-specific requirements	Food and beverage: Coatings must comply with health and safety regulations. Oil and gas: Choose coatings that inhibit corrosion from wet oil and gas and boost flows in heavy crude mixes. Chemical processing: Select coatings that provide strong resistance to caustic or corrosive chemicals in your process.
4. Evaluate cost vs. longevity	Budget: Consider the cost of the coating against returns over its expected lifespan. Investing in a high-quality coating may save money by lowering maintenance and repair costs. Durability: Look for coatings that offer extended protection, minimizing the need for repainting or pipe replacement.
5. Consult with an expert	Get professional guidance: Work with experienced professionals like MultiService Industrial who offer knowledge and expertise in delivering the best coating for your needs. Customized solutions: Choose a provider that offers tailored solutions to your unique requirements, not a one-size-fits-all service.
6. Ensure compliance with industry standards	Standards and certifications: Check that your selected coating meets industry standards and certifications.

 

Maintenance and Inspection

While an effective pipe coating will reduce your overall maintenance burden, it is not a substitute for performing regular scheduled inspections and maintenance on your equipment. To get the maximum benefit from your industrial coating, it’s important to catch any problems early.

It’s also essential to understand the conditions your equipment will be operating under. The wrong coating for the conditions will cause your equipment to underperform.

By understanding the characteristics of the fluids you are transporting and the conditions you operate in, an experienced pipe coating supplier like MultiService Industrial will be able to customize a coating solution to fit your needs.

MultiService Industrial: We’ve Got You Covered

At MultiService Industrial we understand that cost is not the same as value. We also know that cutting up-front expenses by skimping on protection can end up costing you more in the long run. That’s why we take the time to understand your specific process needs and budgetary constraints and offer coating solutions that maximize long-term value.

Talk to us about your pipe corrosion challenges. We pride ourselves on offering coatings ideal for any application or operating environment, and we believe in “Doing It Right” up-front, so you can enjoy both peace of mind and the long-term benefits of investing wisely.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you succeed in the long term, or click below to learn more about our pipe-coating services.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MULTISERVICE’S PIPE COATING SERVICES

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