Project Specs:
Location: Los Angeles, California
Application: Chemical Tank Platform and Guardrails
Product: ISOFR Dynaform® Structural Shapes, ISOFR Dynaform® Guardrail, and Corvex® Molded Grating
Overview
The $1.6 billion sewage treatment plant in southwest Los Angeles, California, treats over 250 million gallons of water per a day. It is one of the largest in the world and is located less than a mile away from Dockweiler State Beach.
Problem
Because of the proximity of the sewage treatment plant to the beach, the air is highly corrosive and has greatly affected this facility over the years. In addition to the ocean air, frequent splashes from a corrosive solution, ferric chloride, caused the metal gratings and guardrail around the tank to become severely corroded and slippery. If not addressed immediately, it would become a hazardous working environment, so the client was looking for a product to use in their facility for guardrails and platforms that could withstand the highly corrosive conditions encountered at the plant.
Solution
The sewage treatment facility chose a corrosion resistant product to replace their traditional metal platforms in order to increase worker safety, cut costs on the installation, and have a longer service life. The facility decided to use Fibergrate’s fiberglass reinforced glass (FRP). Corvex Molded Grating and Dynaform Guardrail replaced the steel gratings and railing around the chemical tanks. The plant will benefit from the properties of FRP in many ways:
• Corrosion Resistant: The resin formulation of Fibergrate’s FRP products are specially formulated to prevent corrosion.
• Slip Resistant: The slip resistant surface of Fibergrate’s molded grating gives plant workers safe, secure surfaces on which to walk, preventing slippery conditions from chemicals or water.
• Long Service Life: Even in the most corrosive environments, FRP will maintain its structural integrity while being strong enough to provide reliable, long-lasting protection.
The treatment plant sought a cost-effective solution that was both safe and long-lasting. Because of on the quality of Fibergrate’s FRP products, it is a low maintenance solution to the corrosive effects of ferric chloride and saltwater on the plant’s platform and guardrail. The client and contractor are very pleased with the installation since it has thrived against the harsh conditions. After their experience with Fibergrate and FRP products, they invited Fibergrate to complete more projects, replacing items as needed in other areas of the plant.
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