Coated fluid handling components and methods for protecting and extending the service life of fluid handling components

Abstract

Coating compositions for coating fluid handling components, and related methods, may include in some aspects a coating composition having a trifunctional silane, a silanol, and a filler. The coating composition may be applied to a surface of a fluid handling component that is configured to be exposed to a fluid. The coating composition may be applied to at least partially cover or coat the surface. The coating composition may be configured to chemically bond with a cured primer composition that includes an epoxy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for increasing a service life of a fluid handling component, the method comprising:
 at least partially coating a fluid handling component to obtain a first coating layer on the fluid handling component to enhance wear resistance of the fluid handling component, such that the fluid handling component exhibits a comparison factor indicative of an increased resistance to wear greater than about 2;   incorporating the fluid handling component into an operation involving fluid flow;   exposing the fluid handling component to fluid flow in the operation involving fluid flow for a first period of time;   at least partially removing at least a portion of the first coating layer from the involving fluid flow; and   at least partially coating the involving fluid flow to obtain a second coating layer on the fluid handling component, one or more of the first coating layer or the second coating layer comprising trifunctional silane, silanol fluid, and filler,   the one or more of the first coating layer or the second coating layer being positioned to reduce a wear-rate of the involving fluid flow as exposed to fluid flow associated with the operation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the comparison factor is indicative of a first amount of time during which a portion of the coating wears to a first depth divided by a second amount of time during which a portion of the fluid handling component without the coating wears to a second depth equal to the first depth. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid handling component comprises at least a portion of one or more of a machine or a fluid system, and the comparison factor ranges from about 2 to about 30. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first period of time ranges from about 500 hours to about 2000 hours. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising exposing the fluid handling component to fluid flow for a second period of time after at least partially coating the fluid handling component to obtain the second coating layer on the fluid handling component; and one or more of:
 the second period of time ranges from about 500 hours to about 2000 hours; or   a ratio of the first period of time to the second period of time ranges from about 1.0 to about 1.5.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 applying a primer composition to at least a portion of the fluid handling component prior to at least partially coating the fluid handling component;   at least partially curing the primer composition prior to at least partially coating the fluid handling component to form a bond between the primer composition and the fluid handling component; and   at least partially curing the coating composition to form a chemical bond between the coating composition and the primer composition.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least partially removing at least a portion of the second coating layer from the fluid handling component; and   at least partially coating the fluid handling component to obtain a third coating layer on the fluid handling component, the third coating layer comprising trifunctional silane, silanol fluid, and filler, the third coating layer being positioned to reduce a wear-rate of the fluid handling component as exposed to fluid flow associated with the operation involving fluid flow.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising exposing the fluid handling component to fluid flow in the operation for a third period of time after at least partially coating the fluid handling component to obtain the third coating layer on the fluid handling component. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein one or more of the first coating layer or the second coating layer are formed from a coating composition comprising pigment and titanium dioxide, and one or more of trifunctional silane, silanol fluid, or filler,
 wherein the coating composition comprises an amount of the pigment ranging from about 1.0 wt % to about 5.0 wt % of the coating composition on the basis of non-solvent fluid handling components and an amount of titanium dioxide ranging from about 0.50 wt % to about 0.90 wt % of the coating composition on the basis of non-solvent components.