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Plural Component Painting of Submarine Main Ballast Tanks
The Navy has completed a study evaluating the environmental and economic
benefits of using plural-component painting units for submarine material
and maintenance work. The study compared plural-component painting to
the in-place single-component process and made these recommendations:
•
Establish plural-component paint spraying of Main Ballast Tanks
(MBTs) as a Best Management Practice (BMP) for submarines for depot-level
maintenance
•
Update UIPI 6311-460 (Seawater Tanks, Preservation of) to reflect
the use of plural-component painting equipment
•
Consider centrally procuring six plural-component paint units
for each shipyard that services submarines
•
Study the potential use of plural-component painting at Ships
Intermediate Maintenance Activities (SIMA) and other intermediate maintenance
activities.
Benefits to implementing plural component included decreased
labor costs and decreases in paint waste and hazardous waste.
Disadvantages noted ranged from an increase in solvent use
and waste and a slight increase
in overall “paint-out” time to concerns about having to modify
equipment designed by foreign manufacturers. Initial investment outlays
and annual operating cost comparisons for painting submarine ballast tanks
with plural- and single-component units are also provided in the study.
Source:
Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center;
http://p2library.nfesc.navy.mil/P2_Opportunity_Handbook/4_11.html |
