Coating Removal Process^®

In a business where loose flakes of fuel tank coating can stop a jet engine, maintenance becomes job one. That’s why ARINC Incorporated partnered with Eldorado Solutions Incorporated, a leader in the development of specialty chemicals, to develop an innovative system that safely removes degraded coatings from integral fuel tanks for KC-135 and F-111 aircrafts—turning a previously time-consuming and cost-prohibitive process into an effective maintenance solution for coating removal and replacement.

Features

The Coating Removal Process^® is a highly efficient, environmentally friendly chemical system that decreases coating removal time and is less labor intensive. The Coating Removal Process is also cost effective: in addition to requiring fewer personnel to do the job, complete coating removal is achieved in less time, with less removal of components. The system can be tailored to remove specific coatings such as primers, topcoats, and sealants. It can even be designed to selectively remove the primer and topcoat, leaving the sealant intact.

The Coating Removal Process uses a ground-breaking closed-loop operation, where the chemicals from the six-hundred gallon reservoir tank are continuously circulated through a feed and return manifold. This allows for safer coating removal, eliminating the need for personnel inside the fuel tank. In fact, only two personnel are required for the entire operation. And because the chemicals continuously cycle through, the risk of personnel coming in direct contact with chemicals is greatly reduced, and chemical waste is minimized. In most cases, the waste can be cleaned and recycled for future use.

The system also includes state-of-the-art heating and pumping units that heat the chemical safely and keep the chemical application clog free.