METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREHEATING EPOXY COATINGS FOR SPRAY APPLICATION

• US 20060233960A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warren Environmental & Coating, LLC
• Original Assignee: Warren Environmental, Inc.
• Inventors: Warren, Danny, Smith, David Allan
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/421.100
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/166 the material to be sprayed being heated in a container B05B7/208 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/1673 heat being transferred to the material to be sprayed by a heat transfer conductive fluid B05B7/162, B05B7/1653 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/02 performed by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/34 Applying different liquids or other fluent materials simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2504/00 Epoxy polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/826 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/06 with the heat-exchange conduits forming part of, or being attached to, the tank containing the body of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/024 the conduits of only one medium being helically coiled tubes, the coils having a cylindrical configuration

Abstract

A method and system for the spray application of epoxy materials is provided. The system includes a dual walled tank structure as a reservoir for containing and preheating the epoxy materials in preparation for mixing and spray application. Each component of the epoxy material is preheated before the components are mixed. After preheating, the components are then mixed together and spray applied. The method and system of the present invention provides a high quality spray applied epoxy coating while reducing equipment down time and cleaning.

Claims

1. A system for the spray application of a multi-part epoxy material, said multi-part epoxy material including at least a resin and a catalyst, said system comprising:

a heating tank, said heating tank including an outerwall and an inner wall, said inner wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer wall and said outer surface of said inner wall cooperating to form a heating jacket therebetween, said inner surface of said inner wall forming a resin chamber, wherein said heating jacket contains a heat transfer medium, wherein said resin is contained within said resin chamber;

means for heating said heat transfer medium disposed within said heating jacket;

a resin heat transfer conduit disposed within said heating jacket, said resin heat transfer conduit having an input end in fluid communication with said resin chamber and an output end disposed on the exterior of said heating tank;

a catalyst heat transfer conduit disposed within said heating jacket said catalyst heat transfer conduit having an input end in fluid communication with a catalyst reservoir and an output end disposed on the exterior of said heating tank;

means for establishing a flow of resin through said resin heat transfer conduit;

means for establishing a flow of catalyst through said catalyst heat transfer conduit;

a mixing pump configured to receive and mix said flow of resin and said flow of catalyst and discharge said mixture at an elevated pressure; and

a spray applicator for applying said discharged mixture.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for heating is an electrical heating coil.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for heating is a fuel fired burner.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a resin pre-heating conduit disposed within said heating jacket, said resin heating conduit having an input end on the exterior of said heating tank and an output end disposed in fluid communication with said resin chamber, wherein resin is introduced to said input end and preheated before entering the resin chamber.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said resin within said resin chamber is preheated to a temperature that is below the evaporation temperature of the various chemical components within the resin.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the resin is heated to a temperature of between approximately 150°

F. and 160°

F. as it flows through said resin heat transfer conduit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the catalyst is heated to a temperature of between approximately 150°

F. and 160°

F. as it flows through said catalyst heat transfer conduit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said resin heat transfer conduit is a coil of piping disposed within said heating jacket.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said catalyst heat transfer conduit is a coil of piping disposed within said heating jacket.

10. A method of spray application for a multi-part epoxy material, said multi-part epoxy material including at least a resin and a catalyst, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a heating tank having an resin chamber therein;

filling said resin chamber with an epoxy resin;

preheating said resin within said resin chamber to a first temperature;

drawing said preheated resin from said resin chamber to create a resin flow;

providing a catalyst;

creating a catalyst flow;

preheating said catalyst flow to a second temperature;

mixing said catalyst flow and said resin flow; and

discharging said mixed resin and catalyst flow at an elevated pressure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said first and second temperatures are between approximately 150°

F. and 160°

F.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

heating said resin flow to a second temperature, said second temperature being higher than said first temperature.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first temperature is below the evaporation temperature of the various chemical components within the resin and said second temperature is between approximately 150°

F. and 160°

F.

14. The method of claim 10, said heating tank comprising:

an outer wall;

an inner wall, said inner wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a heating jacket disposed between said outer wall and said outer surface of said inner wall, wherein said heating jacket contains a heat transfer medium;

a resin chamber formed by said inner surface of said inner wall, wherein said resin is contained within said resin chamber; and

means for heating said heat transfer medium disposed within said heating jacket.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said resin flow is directed through a resin heat transfer conduit disposed within said heating jacket, said resin heat transfer conduit having an input end in fluid communication with said resin chamber and an output end disposed on the exterior of said heating tank, and said catalyst flow is directed through a catalyst heat transfer conduit disposed within said heating jacket said catalyst heat transfer conduit having an input end in fluid communication with a catalyst reservoir and an output end disposed on the exterior of said heating tank.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said resin within said resin chamber is preheated to said first temperature that is below the evaporation temperature of the various chemical components within the resin.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the resin is heated to a second temperature of between approximately 150°

F. and 160°

F. as it flows through said resin heat transfer conduit.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the catalyst is heated to a temperature of between approximately 150°

F. and 160°

F. as it flows through said catalyst heat transfer conduit.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said resin heat transfer conduit is a coil of piping disposed within said heating jacket.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said catalyst heat transfer conduit is a coil of piping disposed within said heating jacket.