Although the nation’s coal-fired and nuclear power stations represent different technologies, they are very similar in their reliance on massive turbines and generators to convert pressurized steam into electrical energy. A turbine can measure 100 feet (30 m) long and weigh more than 200 tons, so periodic inspections and ongoing maintenance requires a heavy duty coating system that offers both visual aesthetics and protection against abrasion.

“These floors receive a ton of physical abuse,” according to Tnemec coating consultant Dan Anderson. “They handle heavy traffic so they need to be extremely durable. When they tear these turbines apart it’s done right on the floor, so the coating system is subjected to a tremendous amount of abuse.”

Anderson cited examples of two different coating systems used on the turbine floors at power plants in South Carolina.

The first coating system was used on turbine room flooring at the existing Winyah Generating Station in Georgetown, S.C. and the new Cross Station Unit No. 3 in Cross, S.C. The two coal-fired power plants are owned and operated by Santee Cooper, a state-owned utility. The floor surface at each plant was mechanically abraded and primed with Series 201 Epoxoprime, a polyamine epoxy. Each floor then received two coats of Series 281 Tneme-Glaze, a pigmented polyamine epoxy that provides protection against abrasion and frequent cleaning. 

“Turbines come in several sizes,” Anderson noted. “The more power they want to generate, the larger the turbine is. Just one turbine can require an area that is 200-plus feet by 75-plus feet, so Cross Station with its four units required four times that amount of space. At the Winyah Generating Station, 1,200 gallons were required for the floors.”

At the Summer Nuclear Generating Station near Jenkinsville, plant maintenance crews removed all existing floor coatings prior to applying a prime coat of Epoxoprime, followed by Series 224 Deco-Fleck, a decorative flake-filled modified polyamine epoxy applied at 1/16-inch. A topcoat of Series 284 Deco-Clear, a clear polyamine epoxy that protects against mild chemicals and impact, was then roller-applied, bringing the floor topping's final thickness to a minimum of 80.0 mils DFT.

The long-lasting durability of these floor coatings make them ideal wherever specifications call for a heavy-duty, industrial coating system, Anderson observed. “While the turbine deck is the most viewed floor,” he added, “we’ve used these systems on multiple floors in shops and warehouses throughout the generating plants. In addition to resisting fork lift traffic and exposure to chemicals, the coatings also stand up to moisture and frequent cleaning."

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