Keronite comes to the surface
A
Keronite product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Nov 21, 2008
Keronite International has developed a surface treatment technology known as Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO).
Keronite is not only being used in the oil and gas industry and other demanding engineering applications such as the subsea and marine industries, but also in the automotive, aerospace, architecture industries and in a wide variety of consumer products.
The company claims that Keronite and harsh environments go together like bread and butter.
It says 'like bread and butter' because just like butter seeps into the bread and forms the perfect base for top layers such as jam or honey, the Keronite layer bonds with the substrate alloy and its porous surface forms the perfect base for topcoats such as paint.
The technology offers a surface treatment process for aluminium alloys that converts the surface into a dense, uniform and hard aluminium oxide ceramic layer.
Unlike plasma spraying of alumina, the Keronite ceramic layer is produced by means of a plasma discharge in a low concentration alkaline electrolyte that is environmentally friendly.
The transformed surface can offer extremely good corrosion and wear resistance in saline aqueous environment containing abrasive particles.
Keronite surfaces have outstanding resistance to corrosion and wear.
The Keronite layer is bonded to the substrate alloy and yet has all the surface hardness of ceramic.
Keronite also provides a good keying base for impregnating and adhesion of secondary materials such as polymers, metals, ceramics or solid lubricants for composite or duplex systems.
Keronite is already being used on a wide range of components, including down hole mud components, sonar assemblies and even aluminium riser components used in the oil and gas industries.
Keronite has enabled the use of lightweight aluminium structural components where stainless steel would normally be used, effecting a saving in cost and weight in these components.
As new oil reservoirs are found in remote areas or deeper waters, advanced technologies are required to ensure efficient and reliable subsea production systems and lighter materials are being sought to improve handling capabilities.
Likewise, the efficiency of existing fields needs to be improved and down-time reduced to compensate for the falling production rates.
This too is calling for more durable equipment that is easier to manufacture/handle and maintain.
That explains why the use of aluminium in the oil and gas, subsea and marine industries is on the rise.
Applications include drill pipes, casings, tubing, risers, pumps and valves for oil and gas, housings for seismic and geophysical data logging tools in subsea and for example winches in the marine industry.
Tim Owen of Carrack Measurement Technology, one of Keronite's customers in the subsea industry, said: 'We have been evaluating the Keronite technology as a coating for aluminium equipment designed to be left on the seabed for periods of several months.
It gives outstanding corrosion resistance in salt water.' In fact, the housing treated with a Keronite system was left for several months on the seabed and did not show any sign of corrosion damage.
The part is used to house expensive seismic logging technology.
Another area where the Keronite technology is successfully used is the marine industry.
Keronite has closely worked with one customer to develop a perfect treatment for its winches for racing yachts.
The customer states that the winches treated with Keronite outperform hard anodised coating.
The parts are constantly under stress during a race and need to stay corrosion free in the harsh salt-water environment.
The surface roughness needs to be just right to hold the ropes firmly but to release them quickly when needed.
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