Corrosion Protection for Ship Voids Using ZERUST®

Who?

A leading manufacturer of naval vessels responsible for building and maintaining military-grade ships

What?

They needed a more efficient and cleaner method of corrosion protection for internal ship voids. The solution had to offer long-term reliability while minimizing impact on welding operations and production workflows

Why?

Previously, the manufacturer relied on traditional corrosion-inhibiting coatings. However, these were time-intensive to apply, difficult to clean, and often created surface contamination issues that interfered with weld integrity. Additionally, they were hesitant to adopt VCI solutions due to outdated perceptions from legacy products used during WWII.

How?

ZERUST® addressed these concerns by recommending ActivPowder™, a modern VCI corrosion protection solution designed for enclosed void spaces. Leveraging fast-diffusing Flash Corrosion Inhibitor (FCI™) technology, ActivPowder™ was fogged into the ship voids, providing immediate and long-lasting protection. The remaining voids were then hermetically sealed, giving the client a cleaner, faster, and more reliable corrosion prevention method.

Problem: Inadequate Corrosion Protection for Ship Voids

A leading manufacturer of naval vessels faced challenges with their existing corrosion protection for ship voids. Traditional coatings were not only time-consuming and messy to apply but also posed welding complications due to surface contamination.

Adding to the complexity, the use of vapor corrosion inhibitors (VCIs) in ship voids had fallen out of favor due to outdated perceptions from early VCI applications during WWII. ZERUST® addressed these concerns by educating the customer on the advancements in VCI technology, specifically designed for corrosion protection in hermetically welded ship voids.

Solution: ActivPowder™ for Corrosion Protection in Ship Voids

ZERUST® recommended ActivPowder™, a high-performance corrosion inhibitor ideal for enclosed spaces like ship voids. Utilizing Flash Corrosion Inhibitor (FCI™) technology, ActivPowder™ self-fogs, delivering fast and uniform diffusion throughout void spaces. This ensures effective protection even in hard-to-reach areas, preventing flash rust and offering long-term corrosion inhibition.

Key advantages of ActivPowder™ included:

High diffusion rate for rapid protection

Minimal fogging access needed, allowing easy application

Weldable post-application, with incidental residue easily removed

Meets MIL-PRF-22110 and exceeds commercial CID A-A-59441/5 standards

Following application, the ship voids were sealed hermetically, and the solution continued to protect them until the end of the product lifecycle for the ship series.

Results

The shipbuilder reported high satisfaction with the performance and ease-of-use of ZERUST® ActivPowder™. The product provided an environmentally friendly and reliable alternative to traditional coatings, delivering years of corrosion protection without interfering with welding or maintenance schedules.

Whether you’re building naval vessels or managing corrosion in other enclosed or hard-to-reach areas, ZERUST®/EXCOR® has the proven solutions to meet your protection needs. Our advanced corrosion inhibitor technologies are trusted by industry leaders worldwide for their reliability, efficiency, and compliance with demanding standards.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help protect your critical assets with customized corrosion protection strategies.