Thermal barrier coatings have an incredible ability to improve the efficiency and longevity of many different materials, which is why they have become beneficial to a wide range of industries. From a broad perspective, the protective layer a thermal barrier coating provides is ideal for mitigating the damage caused by extreme temperature and corrosion. However, it’s also important to understand the specific benefits these coatings provide for certain industries. In this article, we’ll cover the main ways to use a thermal barrier coating for marine applications.
Why Thermal Barrier Coatings Are Crucial for Marine Industries
Before explaining some of the top examples of thermal barrier coating applications in marine industries, let’s cover the general reasons why thermal barrier coatings are so vital in this context.
The constant presence of water in marine industries can present many complications. Both saltwater and freshwater have an extraordinary ability to cause corrosion and oxidation, both of which cause the materials of marine equipment to degrade quickly.
When the materials used in marine industries degrade, they not only become unusable but they can also result in significant repair and replacement costs. Since that’s the case, it is critical to find a way to protect these materials so that they can continue to perform their main functions for as long as feasible.
There’s no getting around the fact that marine industry equipment will be exposed to high volumes of moisture. Fortunately, the next sections will explain a few of the ways that a protective thermal barrier coating can dramatically reduce the damage that excessive moisture can cause.
Examples of Marine Applications for Thermal Barrier Coatings
There are countless viable applications of thermal barrier coatings in the marine industry. To learn more about some of the most common examples, read on through the sections below.
Ship Hulls
As you would expect, a ship’s hull has more exposure to water than nearly any other part of a ship. In fact, you can expect a hull to be in near-constant contact with water at all times. As such, there is a great need to protect a ship’s hull from the water in which it sits. A thermal barrier coating is the ideal long-term protective solution for keeping a ship’s hull intact.
Ship Decks
Although they do not sit directly in the water, ship decks are equally vulnerable to water damage, corrosion, and other decay as any other part of a ship. The reason is that most ship decks are exposed to both rainfall and spray from the bodies of water in which they travel. Coating a ship’s deck ensures it will remain strong and dependable.
Ballast Tanks
A ballast tank is an integral part of a ship’s infrastructure that helps to provide stability as the ship floats on the water. To achieve this, the ballast itself must contain water to create a consistent amount of buoyancy. As is true regarding water that comes from outside of the ship, water within the ballasts can have the same corrosive effect. Fortunately, lining the inside of the ballast with a thermal barrier coating will allow it to last much longer than it normally would.
Ship Engines
A ship’s engine also benefits from a thermal barrier coating, but not for the same reasons as other ship components. In this case, the element that will result in inefficiencies and a shorter lifespan in a ship’s engine is not water but heat and friction that arise during the engine’s operation. As their name implies, thermal barrier coatings protect against the degradation that extreme heat causes. This will allow a ship’s engine to operate far more efficiently and for a longer period of time.
Ship Production
Interestingly, thermal barrier coatings are not only beneficial for ships that have already been constructed, but they are also extremely helpful during the production of a new ship. Building a new ship is a complicated process that requires the use of many different types of production machinery. As is true regarding ship engines, the machines the marine industry uses to create ships also generate heat and friction while they operate. Using thermal barrier coatings makes shipbuilding far more efficient and productive.
Offshore Platforms
A few industries that operate in marine environments require long-lasting offshore platforms. Similar to a standard shop, an offshore platform remains in contact with water, which leads to the same issues of corrosion and oxidation. A key way to ensure that an offshore platform does not degrade rapidly is to make sure it has ample protection in the form of a thermal barrier coating.
Benefits of Thermal Barrier Coating for Marine Applications
You are now aware of at least a few specific ways in which thermal barrier coatings support marine industries. Through that reading, you have likely picked up on a few benefits that thermal barrier coatings provide. However, before we conclude this article, we thought it would be insightful to provide a quick overview of the main overarching benefits of thermal barrier coatings in marine applications.
First, and perhaps most importantly, thermal barrier coatings will improve the lifespan of many types of marine equipment. At the same time, thermal barrier coatings also enhance the performance of that equipment during its lifespan. This leads to better efficiency in operation and less spending on repairs and replacements. Those improvements also lead to better fuel efficiency.
Thermal barrier coatings for marine applications also reduce the odds of major system failures. This means that thermal barrier coatings are not only beneficial for the functioning of marine equipment, but they are also helpful for promoting safety for those on board a ship.
Finding the Best Thermal Barrier Coating for Marine Applications
This article reveals that thermal barrier coatings are necessary for the success of marine-based industries. Without such protection, ships and other forms of marine industry equipment would quickly become damaged to the point of being completely unusable. If you work in the marine industry and you are in need of the perfect thermal barrier coating product for your operation, reach out to ThermaCote today to learn more about what we can provide.