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

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