In industrial applications where high temperatures and reactive environments are common, equipment fouling and coking can significantly impair performance and increase maintenance costs. SilcoTek coatings provide advanced solutions to these problems, enhancing the efficiency and lifespan of various systems. This week, we wanted to talk about SilcoTek's anti-fouling and anti-coking coating options and how they can help to protect your parts. In experimental reports from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, led by Dr. Siavash Khodakarami and Dr. Tarandeep S. Thukral, our coatings were tested against weathering, corrosion, and coking.
Fouling is the accumulation of unwanted material on solid surfaces, often occurring in heat exchangers, pipelines, and other fluid-handling equipment. It can lead to reduced heat transfer, increased pressure drop, and decreased operational efficiency. Coking is a specific type of fouling, primarily seen in petrochemical and refining industries, where carbon deposits form on equipment surfaces. This is particularly problematic in high-temperature processes, such as jet fuel processing and cracking furnaces.
Heat exchangers are devices designed to transfer heat between two or more fluids without mixing them. They are commonly used in various industries, including power generation, chemical processing, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), automotive, and refrigeration. The primary function of a heat exchanger is to either absorb or dissipate heat from one fluid to another, improving energy efficiency and controlling temperatures within systems.
SilcoTek coatings help to mitigate particulate build up on the surface of the tubes that transport the fluids. By avoiding coking and fouling from that build up, it allows the heat exchanger to perform at its best, which means less equipment maintenance and replacement, decreased down time, increased output, and better ROI than other exotic alloys.
SilcoTek employs a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to create high-performance coatings that can be applied to a variety of metal substrates. The most notable anti-stiction SilcoTek coatings for anti-fouling and anti-coking applications are SilcoKlean®, Dursan®, and Notak®. We address fouling by 2 different methods: barrier approach (SilcoKlean) and chemistry approach (Dursan and Notak).
SilcoTek coatings are engineered to address specific challenges related to fouling and coking, common issues in many industrial processes. These coatings enhance surface properties by modifying the surface energy of substrates, making them less attractive to foulants and coke precursors. Additionally, they offer excellent chemical resistance, preventing chemical reactions that lead to fouling and coking. With thermal stability, these coatings can withstand high temperatures, maintaining their protective properties and preventing thermal degradation that often leads to coking. Their durability is ensured through a strong bond formed during the CVD process, providing extended protection against fouling and coking. By reducing fouling and coking, these coatings help maintain the efficiency of heat exchangers, reactors, and other equipment, leading to lower energy consumption and operational costs.
Petrochemical and Refining:
Aerospace:
Power Generation:
In a study to mitigate carbon deposition by autoxidation of jet fuel, SilcoKlean 1000 coating was applied to stainless steel tubes and tested under controlled conditions. The results demonstrated significantly reduced carbon deposition compared to uncoated and other coated samples, validating the effectiveness of SilcoTek coatings in high-temperature, high-fouling environments. According to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, the SilcoKlean coated stainless steel had greater than 10x less carbon build-up in comparison to bare stainless steel. See the visual differences in the before (left) and after (right) below! Read their study HERE.
Images above are from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign's study on carbon deposition mitigation with coatings.
Even under extreme pressure and temperature, SilcoTek coatings significantly improve corrosion resistance, allowing for more efficient and easy release of particulate and extending the life of your equipment.
Coating features and benefits include:
SilcoTek coatings offer a reliable and effective solution to combat fouling and coking in various industrial applications. By enhancing surface properties, improving chemical resistance, and maintaining thermal stability, these coatings extend equipment life, improve efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs. With a new focus on heat exchanger applications, coatings are also beneficial to provide optimal performance and longevity in petrochemical processing, aerospace, and power generation.
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References:
Khodakarami et al., Slippery omniphobic covalently attached liquid coatings mitigate carbon deposition by autoxidation of jet fuel, Cell Reports Physical Science (2022), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.100859