Flexible coating offers protection for heat exchangers

The company says it has facilitated the fused quartz coating of metal based on its patented NANOmel Technology. Once applied, the film provides a dense and flexible glass-on-metal coating that protects the metal substrate from corrosion.

SiOx anticipates applications in process environments, including heat exchangers where fouling can reduce energy efficiency, impede fluid flow and increase pressure drop.

Consequently, heat exchangers are over-sized, production lines are shut down for cleaning, and energy consumption increases. The estimated cost of fouling in industrialised countries is 0.25 per cent of GDP. SiOx’s NANOmel silica coating is claimed to reduce fouling by over 50 per cent without reducing the thermal efficiency of the heat exchanger.

Heat exchangers are often operated in aggressive media with titanium used to ensure a long lifetime for the equipment. In one application, the company is participating in a collaborative project using the NANOmel coating on materials such as stainless steel, which is 3-4 times cheaper than titanium plate. By substituting titanium with stainless steel, SiOx’s partner could potentially save €25m annually.