Low Emission Depainting on Steel
POC: Pattie Lewis, NASA TEERM Principal Center 321-867-9163) pattie.l.lewis@nasa.gov
Background
NASA's current use of abrasive blasting for surface preparation/depainting of
structural steel creates fine, airborne dust. Such operations are regulated
under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Institute for
Occupation Safety and Health, and American Conference of Governmental Industrial
Hygienists. An alternative technology that generates less dust is desired.
Objective
Validate a low-emission surface preparation/depainting technology for
structural steel.
Stakeholders
Kennedy Space Center, Stennis Space Center and Air Force Space Command
Benefits
- Improved corrosion protection of critical systems
- Easier and less costly maintenance and reduced hazardous waste
- Reduced costs associated with current maintenance activities across NASA
Achievements
- Field demonstrations completed:
- Stennis Space Center, MS, completed in
2005, looked at:
- Three abrasive media types
- Liquid nitrogen
- Mechanical removal with vacuum attachments
- Glenn Research Center, OH, completed in
2005, looked at laser coating removal
- Distributed Final Joint Test Report
- Three alternatives performed better than the baseline process for large-scale applications
- One alternative identified as viable for small-scale applications such as repairs and weld lines
- Distributed Cost-Benefit Analysis
- One alternative was found to be less expensive than the baseline process
- All the alternatives reduced
environmental liability and environmental activity costs compared to the
baseline process
- Reduced environmental liability may be more important than overall cost at some locations
- Two alternatives virtually
eliminate all environmental activity costs
- One alternative used as surface preparation for field testing of the
Isocyanate Urethane Replacements on Structural Steel project
- Results used to identify alternatives for
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Low-VOC Coatings and Depainting Technologies Field Testing (Phase 2)
project.
Next Steps
- Assist in implementation of technologies at Stennis Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, other NASA Centers and AFSPC
- Particular interest in the silica-free hard abrasive and sponge media
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