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PAPER 2. (B-gas) PAINTING GRADE 3,2.

1.

What kind of process is corrosion?

Corrosion is a chemical change brought by an electro chemical process called Electrolysis.

2.

What particular problems relate to the maintaining of an effective coating system in splash zone?
Rapid change in oxygen,
salt spray,
Growth of marine life,
access to the working area is difficult.
Wave impact and erosion.
Mechanical damage due to ship movement.

3.

What factors influence the rate of corrosion?

a. Variation in oxygen content on steel surface (wet and dry)
b. RH percentage above 60%.
c. Higher nobility metals in contact.
d. Air borne acids, alkalis and salts.

4.

What ills mill scale and why it is a particular problem when attempting to protect steel?
Mill scale is an oxidized iron. Mill scale is nobler than steel so the exposed areas of steel (anode) will
sacrifice itself to protect the mill scale (cathode).

5.

What is the number of the Swedish standard contained within BS 7079 and list the rust and
blasting grades together with their brief relevant titles?

RUST GRADE
Rust grade A - Covered in mill scale with little or
no rust.
Rust grade B - A mixture of mill scale and rust.
Rust grade C - Mill scale, rusted with slight surface
pitting.
Rust grade D - Heavily rusted and pitted.

BLASTING GRADE
Sa 1 - Light blast clean.
Sa 2 - Thorough blast clean.
Sa 2 1/2 - Very thorough blast clean.
Sa 3 - Blast clean and visually clean.

6.

What factors influence how clean and how rough the surface becomes after blast cleaning.
Abrasives (Size, Hardness, Density and shape)
Human factor are Speeds, Angles Distance and Time
Surface profile and cleanliness

7.

Regarding hand and power tool cleaning state what always concludes this process and to what
standards.
Wire brushing:
Brushes must be made from phosphor, bronze or beryllium bronze.
St 2 - Thorough hand & mechanical cleaning (manual).
St 3 - Very thorough hand & mechanical (mechanical). Used on rust grades B,C,D.

8.

Name five items that can be included in paint to improve its performance or suitability for a
certain use.
Extenders,
to make paint go further
Dryer
to improve or enable drying
Thixotropic agent
to enable high build
Anti skinning agent
to stop paint skinning over in tin
Stabilizer
to stop the ingredients separating in the tin

9.

Identify six paints by their binder name.

Polyurethane,
Alkyd,
Epoxy,
Emulsion,
Acrylic,
vinyl,
Cellulose and zinc

Chlorinated rubber,
Aluminum,
Silicon,

10.

Name four binder / solvent combination.

Epoxy
Acetone
Chlorinated rubber
Xylene
Alkyd resin
White spirit
Emulsion
Water

11.

Name six opaque pigments together with their respective colours.

Calcium plumbate
Creamy white
Red iron oxide
Red
Red lead
Red
Zinc chromate
Yellow
Zinc phosphate
White
Coal tar
Dark brown or black
Phthalocyame blue
Blue
Phthalocyame green
Green
Burnt umber
Brown

12.

Describe what a laminar pigment is.

The laminar pigment (M.I.O, Mica, glass flakes) particle shape tiny hands or leaves, upon drying they
interweave and overlap each other to form a leave type. Surface provides a low permeability to water.

13.

What is the difference between a convertible and a non-convertible coating?

A Convertible coating is one which chemical changes up on drying. Therefore the dry paint cannot be
softened or damaged if its own solvent is applied to it.
A non Convertible coating does not change chemically up on drying, but dries by evaporation only and
can be damaged or softened if its own solvent is applied to it.

14.

Define a barrier system of coating.

This type of coating isolates the substrate from the environment by providing a low permeability
coating system.

15.

Define the term tie-coat and give an example of its use.

A coat used to apply over two incompatible coatings e.g. during maintenance painting.

16.

What is impressed current? What problem can arise from its incorrect setting up?
Impressed current is the second line of cathodic protection after the sacrificial coating. If too great of
voltage is applied to the pipeline Hydrogen Gas bubbles can from on the steel surface and push off the
sacrificial coating. This is known as Cathodic Disbondment.

17.

Name two types of paint mill and give two examples of each.

DIRECT CHARGE MILL

Ball mill
Attritor mill
High speed disperser mill

PRE-MIX MILL
Big mill (Ballotoni)
Sand pearl and Bead mill
Slurry mill

COLLOID MILL
Simple roll
Dried roll mill
Triple roll.

18.

What determines the degree of gloss, a paint may possess.

a) The ratio between binder and pigment. The fineness of the pigment grind.
b) Fineness of pigment grind.
c) Skill of spray painter.
d) Method of application.
e) Absorbing of the substrate for the paint.

19.

What is the procedure for removing oil and grease from a surface, found after preparation has
taken place?
If oil and grease is found after preparation, clean with solvent wash with 2% detergent wash followed
by rinsing Drying and re-blasting.

1.

Name four expendable abrasives and state the difference between an expendable and a reusable
abrasive.
Expendable abrasives
Glass flakes
copper slag
garnet shells
Ice,
walnut shells
coconut shells.
Expendable abrasives - They cannot be reused after blasting. They fall with high
impact over the steel surface and shattered, and on falling becomes powdery. Can
be used only one time.
Reusable abrasive - After blasting they can be reused upto twenty times. E.g. steel
iron, shot with grit. It can be reclaimed, cleaned and monitored for the size before reusing.

2.

Name the three basic constituents of a solvent carrying paints and the functions each performs in
the paints.
a. Binder: It binds the particle together, holds them in suspension and gives the paint its finish,
flexibility, gives good adhesion to the surface. It converts to a solid dry film and gives resistance to
water, alkalis and abrasion.
b.

Pigment: Gives colour and opacity to the paint. Gives resistance to acids, alkalis, light.

c.

Solvent: Forms the evaporative part of the drying process. Thins the paint for easy application.
Washes out the equipment and brushes can act as a degreasing agent if approved.

3.

Describe what qualities a laminar pigment gives to paint and name four pigments.
It gives a high resistant coating to the passage of water,
E.g. M.I.O, graphite, glass flakes, mica, aluminium flakes.

4.

Describe what a tie-coat is and give three reasons why we may require one.
A tie-coat is a paint, which can tie two normally incompatible systems together, mainly used for
maintenance painting. It is used in anti-fouling system.
Reasons: To get proper adhesion, to avoid bleeding, to avoid solvent stripping.

5.

Describe a typical paint manufacturing process and give the two types of paint mill which could
be used.
Select raw materials, mill the paint, carry out any QC testing requirements, can the paint, store in the
warehouse and then distribute the paint.
Direct charge mill, ball mill, attriator mill.
Ball mill- it grinds all the raw ingredients together. Premix mill takes all the premixed ingredients and
refines this mixture to high quality paint used in large batch in run.

6.

How is BS 4800 used in the construction industry?

It specifies 100 colours out of the 237 in BS 5252. It is used to identify the existing colour paint for
which maintenance painting has to be done. It is useful for the manufacturer's to verify with the
standard colours given in BS 4800 (100 colours).

7.

What shall painting equipment comply with when being used on the Bgas site?
To the paint manufacturer's recommendation.

8.

What are the essential differences between blister and osmotic blister?
Expansion or contraction of the paint film against the substrate usually causes dry blisters.
Osmotic blisters are blisters, which contain liquid, gas or crystals (chlorides). Main causes are solvent
entrapment, water entrapment, hygroscopic salts left on the blast cleaned surface. It is dome shaped

20.

How do we check for a correct reaction when using it?

Turns black upon drying. *T-wash should not be used in aluminum. Use PVB*

21.

How does B-gas define the following.

Long term protection: Upto 10 years.
Short term protection: Upto 2-3 years.
Medium term protection: Upto 5 years.
New galvanizing: less than 3 month old, Shiny with no cohesive layer.
Weathered galvanizing: Over three month old, dull, with a cohesive oxide layer

22.

What is the procedure for removing oil and grease from a surface before preparation
commences?
To remove oil & grease before preparation commences clean with solvent or for large areas work with
2% detergent low pressure wash and rinse with fresh water and dry.

23.

Under what conditions must paint be stored?

In ad dry, lockable, well ventilated building away from gas areas, flames, heat sparks and rays of the
sun and follow any special storage condition.

24.

What two coat paints are applied at works?

High solid solvent based epoxy primer to 75 microns D.F.T.
Epoxy M.I.O Mid coat to 75 microns D.F.T

25.

What distance must be left at areas to be welded when painting?

75mm (Seventy-five mm)

26.

How much must new paint overlap on old repairs?

100mm (Hundred mm)

27.

What is the maximum allowed time for priming to take place following the preparation and by
what method is primer applied?
4 hours, Brush or spray as appropriate.

28.

What do B-gas class as hot duty services?

One which reaches a temperature of above 99c, when (it is working) in use.

29.

What must all pneumatically and electrically operated power tool equipment's should be done
before use?
Properly earthed and in safe working condition

30.

What type of sheeting may and may not be used for protection against spillage and spotting?
Sheeting must be non-flammable. Flammable sheets like tarpaulins should not be used. (Fire hazard)

31.

What must not be used to clean out kettles or dispose of rubbish?

Fire or flames.

32.

Give the rules for mixing of paints regarding sizes.

When mixing paint always follow manufactures recommendations
Up to five litres may be mixed by hand. Above five litres must be mechanically mixed.

33.

What are osmotic blisters and what can cause them?

Osmotic blisters are blisters, which contain liquid, gas or crystals (chlorides). Main causes are solvent
entrapment, water entrapment, hygroscopic salts left on the blast cleaned surface. It is dome shaped.

34.

Name a black pigment in common use apart from coal tar.

Carbon blocks.

35.

What is unusual about the preparation of surfaces which are dealt by SPA 4?
After blasting remove grit contamination with clean water

36.

Where does a pipeline leave the ground and what problems would you find and how might you
treat this?
Sketch:
1. Mechanical damage from back filling.
2. Rapid change in oxygen in soil, steel interface due to alternate wetting or drying conditions.
3. Soil may be chemically reactive.
4. Acid attack will produce corrosion.
a) Apply extra coating
b) apply masking (polyethylene)
c) Better drainage to avoid standing water
d) top mustle well seeded.

37.

What additional information would you record when maintenance painting a pipeline without
removing the previous coats?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

38.

Condition of previous coating

Corrosion and breakdown of existing paint
Colour and Opacity checks
Method of cleaning and abrading
Type of paint system used
Any reactions on test samples
Temperature checks
Type of application
Details of WFT / DFT
Details of Tie/Strip coats

Name five paints and state their drying or curing method.

1. Emulsion - Coalescence Evaporates without chemical action but it also gets dries like a nonconvertible but acts like a convertible coating.
2.

Alkyd -

Solvent evaporation followed by oxidation.

3.

Chlorinate rubber -

Solvent evaporation only. Non-convertible coating.

4.

Two pack epoxy -

Solvent evaporation followed by chemical reaction.

5.

Fusion bonded epoxy -

Heat cured - Thermosetting, convertible coating.

39.

If a pipeline was in direct contact with acoustic cladding what paint system might be applied if
we wished to maintain it every three years or not at all?
Cladding - No maintenance required.
Acoustic cladding does not have any anti corrosion property. Acoustic cladding reduces the noise level
by 10 - 20 dB. Thermal cladding is carried out to with stand the temperatures in between -10c to
+1000c.

40.

What is important about selecting a paint system suitable for a certain environment?
Each and every paint has its own characteristics. Select a paint system that should with stand the
environmental conditions and comply with the specification requirement. Marine conditions, high
humid condition, too low temperature conditions.

41.

Give one advantage of using testex tape and plastic disposable W.F.T combs.
It can be kept as a permanent record.

42.

State the principles of being able to use a banana gauge for taking D.F.T. readings.
When using the banana gauge on ferrous metal (substrate) coated with non-ferrous coatings, then the
D.F.T can be measured with banana gauge. It works on the principle of magnetism.

43.

Calculate the volume of solids of the paint if the W.F.T was 186 microns and the D.F.T - 93
microns.
VS % = D.F.T x 100 = 50%
W.F.T.

44.

Calculate the W.F.T. of a paint if the Vs %ge was 66 and D.F.T was 88 microns.
W.F.T = D.F.T x 100 = 133.3 microns
Vs %

45.

Calculate the D.F.T. of paint if Vs % was 44 and W.F.T was 234 microns.
D.F.T = W.F.T x Vs % = 102.96 microns
100

46.

Calculate the density of paint if a 5-litre tin weighed 15 kg.

Density = weight = 3 gms / cu.cm
Volume

47.

Calculate the density of two pack material if part A paint was 1.5 g/cu.cm and part B catalyst
was 0.5 g / cu.cm (assume ratio 1:1)
1.5 + 0.5 = 1 g / cu.cm
2