Industrial

TC-11 at Work

Northland Marine Services operates a barge service between Seattle and Hawaii. During the months of October to April, the barges are exposed to rough conditions. The months of December and January are particularly rough because of cold fronts that routinely generate open ocean wave heights of thirty feet or more.

Northland Marine Services has offered Case, Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, Volvo, International, and other customers the option of treating their equipment with TC-11 prior to the voyage for a modest fee since July of 2001. The customer washes off the TC-11 with a pressure washer when it arrives at its final destination, and the treated equipment is virtually corrosion free.

The January 27, 2004 voyage was so rough that the tugboat engine failed, and the voyage was 30 days instead of the usual 16 days. This provided an excellent opportunity to test the performance of TC-11.

The photographs presented below provide a graphic indication as to how effective TC-11 is as a corrosion inhibitor. All of the equipment in the photographs was exposed to identical environmental conditions, so it is possible to draw accurate conclusions about the performance of TC-11 based upon the photographic evidence.

Condition of an untreated surface. The salt penetrated through the paint to the underlying metal.

Customers do not like to receive new equipment that is corroded. There is something about spending $500,000 for a piece of equipment and having it arrive looking used because it picked up a salt film during transport. This occurs when the equipment is transported on a road that has been salted to control snow and ice or when the equipment is shipped by ocean transport.

By applying a thick film of TC-11 at the factory it is possible to have the equipment arrive at the final destination in the same condition that it was in when it left the factory.

Corrosion inhibitors suffer from two problems. They either evaporate, or they leave a wax film. If the film evaporates, corrosion takes place unabated. If a wax film is generated, it is very difficult to remove.

TC-11 is the only corrosion inhibitor that does not evaporate and it does not leave a wax film. TC-11 has unique chemical characteristics that allow it to offer the best of both worlds: a film that penetrates and lubricates like a solvent based corrosion inhibitors that provides the level of corrosion control associated with wax film based corrosion inhibitors.

After a factory has completed the fabrication of a piece of heavy equipment, it takes approximately three quarts and twenty minutes to treat a piece of equipment the size of a Caterpillar D-9. This represents twenty dollars worth of TC-11 and twenty dollars worth of labor at $60 an hour.

When the heavy equipment arrives at the final destination, which may be the other side of the world, it will have a coat of grime on it. All the dealer or end-user has to do is wash the equipment down with a pressure washer, and it looks as if it has just been waxed with an automotive car wax. It is not necessary to use soap and water. The idea is to wash off the salt and dirt and to leave the TC-11 film in place.

The TC-11 can be applied with a low pressure sprayer. For large applications a 4 gallon knapsack sprayer is very efficient.

The person who applies TC-11 should have a respirator approved for organic vapors and eye protection.

TC-11 should be applied in a well ventilated area. The flash point for TC-11 is 110F, which means that the fumes generated during application should not be allowed to accumulate. After one half hour the fume issue is much less significant.

There is no need to be concerned about over spray. TC-11 does not affect rubber, paint, or plastic. This means that the applicator can apply a coat over the entire machine. This allows TC-11 to penetrate into every crack and crevice, which is where corrosion starts.

TC-11 is used on a much smaller scale for operational purposes in the case of heavy equipment. TC-11 can be used to treat hinges, latches, fittings, and other articulated mechanisms. The intent is not to coat the entire piece of equipment, but to prevent corrosion from starting at critical locations on the machine. The chemicals generated by a corrosion cell operate as a catalyst to accelerate the corrosion process throughout the entire piece of equipment.

TC-11 is particularly effective in "hidden" areas. Sometimes it seems as if engineers go out of their way to make water traps. By spraying TC-11 into cavities, it is possible to completely control corrosion. Because the areas are shaded or completely dark, the TC-11 film is semi-permanent. It is very important to clean the areas with water once year, if possible. The metal will not get wet, but the accumulated salt and dirt will be removed.