Pipeline Sandblasting

Pipelines are critical energy infrastructure assets; in order to perform as needed and resist corrosion and other damage, proper surface preparation is essential. Sandblasting, or abrasive blasting, with quality abrasive materials, clears the pipeline’s surface so that paint and other coating systems can be applied for ultimate protection. Find out more about pipeline abrasive blasting with superoxalloy abrasives from 10X Engineered Materials.

Pipeline Surface Preparation With 10X Abrasive Media

Pipeline blasting media like sand, slags, and garnet can prepare a surface for the appropriate coating, but their weaker particles make them more prone to pulverizing during blasting operations. This fragility means you need more material to complete a project. Their particles are also more likely to become embedded in the surface, reducing its overall quality and impacting the coating system’s performance. 

With 10X Engineered Materials, our superoxalloy abrasives are created from the byproducts of mineral wool manufacturing. Instead of a semi-crystalline structure with many fracture points, superoxalloys have a random molecule pattern with no fracture points. This structure is known as amorphous, and this pattern of molecules gives the particles significantly increased uniform particle strength in all directions. No matter how the particles hit a surface, they are much less likely to break or embed. 

Additionally, superoxalloy abrasives have six particle shapes, a combination of angular, sub-angular, dog bones, rounded and sub-rounded. This mix is so unique in the industry that our particle shapes are actually part of our patent. They work together to deliver high cutting speeds and the ability to finish and clean any residual corrosion spots. You can prepare pipes for coating with just one pass and achieve a cleaner surface for better coating adhesion strength.

Aluminum Oxide vs 10X Superoxalloy Abrasives

Benefits of Our Blasting Media for Pipeline Surface Preparation

Our abrasives offer a multitude of benefits for sandblasting pipelines:

• Safety: Our superoxalloy abrasive particles are made of a mineral wool insulation byproduct and are the only abrasive material in the world with an IARC monograph concluding that they are biosoluble in the lungs and are not classifiable as carcinogenic to humans. When sand and other blasting abrasives break, they create bio-cumulative dust, which leads to an unhealthy environment for machine operators. However, since superoxalloy abrasives resist fracturing, they do not produce as much dust. Workers are exposed to lower levels of total dust, which greatly enhances the safety of blasting operations.
• Environmental advantages: Superoxalloy abrasives offer environmental advantages in the workspace and beyond it. With less dust formation, the workspace stays cleaner and creates a better area for machine operations. Additionally, our superoxalloy abrasives have a clean TCLP and are able to be left on the ground in most applications.
• Reusability: The durability and strength of superoxalloys enable them to avoid breaking during blasting so you can reuse more particles for your next project. In addition to dust reduction, you’ll have less downtime, less waste, and more cost savings.
• Higher blasting pressure: The strength of tempered amorphous particles across their entire surface gives them the ability to handle blasting at much higher pressures than other abrasives. Our superoxalloy abrasives can withstand pressures of up to 150 pounds per square inch (PSI) — while still performing with minimal fracturing and low dust production.
• High surface quality: Superoxalloy abrasives create a smoother finished surface. Since they don’t break, pieces don’t embed in the metal at high rates like with other blasting abrasives. They can also be used for both dry and wet blasting.
• Ultra-low consumption: Each particle in the blasting process does more work so fewer particles are required to complete a project. You will need less of the abrasive material over time. You’ll also have less downtime for pot refills, reduced cleaning time, and more productive blasting time.

DynamiX, is our premier solution for pipeline sandblasting. Designed to excel in challenging environments, this versatile product line excels in less-than-ideal blasting conditions, including shallow angles and extended nozzle standoff distances.

Contact 10X Engineered Materials for Pipeline Abrasive Blasting

Go beyond the traditional blasting materials with innovative and efficient superoxalloy abrasives from 10X Engineered Materials. Our abrasives’ strength makes them last longer and work better to prepare the surfaces of crucial pipelines for paint and other protective coatings. Get in touch with us today to find out more!