When the Port of Greater Baton Rouge needed to overcoat a one-million gallon water tank adjacent to the busy Interstate 10 Horace Wilkinson Bridge, project engineers relied on Tnemec for a spray-applied protective coating system that was commuter friendly. “This is a high-profile water tank located on the west side of the Mississippi River south of the bridge,” according to Tnemec coating consultant Bill Lomasney. “There are thousands of commuters who pass by that tank every day, which caused the owner to be skeptical about spray-applying an exterior coating due to the potential for overspray reaching traffic on the bridge.”
Series 30 Spra-Saf EN, an advanced technology hydrophobic acrylic polymer, was recommended for the project due to its “dry-fall” characteristics, which helped reduce the potential for overspray problems on commuter traffic crossing the bridge. Spra-Saf EN provides long-term corrosion protection and weathering properties, as well as good gloss and color retention on structural steel, tanks, towers, pipes and similar structures.
The multi-column tank received a pressure washing at 3,500 pounds per square inch (psi) to remove surface contaminants and loose paint. A-Way Tank Service then spray-applied two coats of Spra-Saf EN. “Its spray-safe properties resulted in significant cost savings compared to the alternative of coating the tank using rollers, which is very time-consuming,” Lomasney acknowledged.
“Despite the owner’s initial skepticism about spraying the tank and the long-term performance of an acrylic, the contractor had no overspray problems and the tank still looks fantastic after more than 10 years,” Lomasney added.
Located in Port Allen, Louisiana, the Port of Greater Baton Rouge is located at the convergence of the Mississippi River and the U.S. Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Ranked among the top ten ports in total tonnage in the U.S., the port handles a variety of bulk cargoes for domestic and international markets including asphalt, barite, coal, coffee, coke, grain, forest products, molasses, oats, ores, pipe, rye, steel, talc and sugar. The port provides a self-contained fire protection system with water storage tanks and pumps.