What paint for steam service valves?

[Gorman3]

I've got trouble with the solver topcoat I'm putting on my cast steel valves. Not surprisingly the chinese paint used there is crap and unless I give them direction who knows what I'll get.

There are 3 main problems.

1 - Fumes accumulate in the crates and after a month shipping opening fumes can be inhaled (high benzene content). This is most likely because the valves are crated less than 24 hours after painting, which is the prescribed "full" dry time.

2 - Paint comes off easily. It is commonplace for paint to come off valves in steam service but I'd like to find something more resistant. Current pain is good up to 80 celcius.

3 - Gloss finish. The current pain is silver and very glossy, according to their spec sheet the gloss is 60 degress, whatever that means. The shine is too much and sometimes highlights any ugly spots on the casting.

Wondering if you guys can rec a chinese paint, or maybe provide a spec that I can give to them to find a chinese equivalent. Here we use a brand called Paris in color "aluminium chrome finish".

Perhaps there's an ASTM spec for this type of service?

Thanks for any and all help.

N

 

[gr2vessels]

valvabot,
It seems that you have not really done your homework in regard of reading at least a proper painting specification suitable for your environment/application. Even if you specify generically the Vendor spec, you still have to read what are you getting, because the fence paint doesn't stick to the steel valve. To me the industrial paint and fence paint are pronounced exactly the same way in Chinese;- "dontbuy".
There is a long list of various standards in relation to the painting of the equipment, but I'm not sure where to start with you. Perhaps you should ask some written guidance for your application, via an email, from companies like Akzo Nobel (or International Paint), view their website at

http://www.internationalpaint.com

. Those guys will help you. Ask what standards are they recommending for surface preparation, measurements and record keeping, the paint application, records of atmospheric conditions, methods of application, paint adherence tests and records, etc....
Come back with a bit more specific questions, when you feel that you got the hang of it. We'll be happy to help more...
cheers,
gr2vessels