In 2013, the city of Midland, Texas finished the construction of the Midland Composite Elevated Tank, a two million gallon water storage tower that sits above the T-Bar Well Field. Located in one of the driest areas in the country, the tank would have little downtime, so it was imperative that a low maintenance coating system would match the life cycle. The engineers chose Tnemec’s Series 700 Hydroflon with Lumiflon FEVE Resin technology as the exterior coating for its proven resistance to ultraviolet damage, as well as its long-term color and gloss retention.
The exterior coating process consisted of three stages. The tank was first coated with Tnemec’s Series 91-H2O Hydro-Zinc primer. An intermediate coat of Series 1075 Endura-Shield II epoxy was applied, followed by a topcoat of Series 700 HydroFlon, a trusted high performance fluoropolymer coating, typically used on water tanks. Tnemec’s HydroFlon uses Lumiflon FEVE resin technology, which provides outstanding ultraviolet and weathering protection, as well as high-gloss and color retention. Using a high-performance FEVE fluoropolymer coating, such as Tnemec’s Series 700 Hydroflon, can significantly lower life cycle costs associated with recoating.
In addition, the Midland Composite Elevated Tank was chosen for Tnemec’s 2014 “Tank of the Year.” The annual Tnemec “Tank of the Year” contest consisted of 235 water tanks nominated from all over North America. Out of twelve finalists, the Midland Tank was ultimately chosen because of its “aesthetic value, community significance and project details.”
Tnemec’s HydroFlon is recommended for projects demanding extremely long-term service life. The advanced coating system from Tnemec contains LUMIFLON; a solvent-soluble fluoropolymer whose unique chemical structure guarantee superior durability and extend weatherability. HydroFlon coating systems conform to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) D102 Outside Coating System No. 4 (OCS-4) by exceeding the weathering requirements of American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2604.
LUMIFLON, a product of the Asahi Glass Company, is a solvent-soluble fluoropolymer that offers distinctive advantages to architectural and industrial maintenance markets. LUMIFLON provides architects and engineers with the option of using brighter colors and higher gloss, allowing gloss values as high as 90; offers the flexibility to be heat cured or cured at ambient temperature, giving fabricators a choice between shop application or application in the field; and can be used successfully on a number of substrates, including steel, aluminum, fiberglass, concrete and polycarbonate for 30 years or more without fading.
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