The first application of SewperCoat in North America celebrates its 30th anniversary
Calcium aluminate has been used in sewer environments since the 1940s. Initially, the drivers for its use included its resistance to sulfates in soil, rapid return to service and superior abrasion resistance.
Historical background
Over time, it became clear that calcium aluminate concrete showed improved corrosion durability even in the harshest sewer environments. Studies were performed to better understand the science behind the improved performance, and in the early 1990s SewperCoat, a 100% calcium aluminate mortar, was developed specifically to protect wastewater infrastructure from biogenic corrosion.
The first installation of SewperCoat was in Virginia in December 1991 in a critical connection chamber at a municipal wastewater treatment plant. This connection chamber was selected because of its extreme corrosive environment. Since its rehabilitation with SewperCoat, inspections of this connection chamber have been done every few years over the last 30 years and the structure has exhibited virtually no signs of corrosion or degradation. This connection chamber is still in service today, confirming that SewperCoat has offered outstanding field performance against biogenic corrosion for three decades. Today, 30 years later, SewperCoat is installed daily throughout the North American wastewater network and around the world across five continents.
SewperCoat is a ready-to-use premix mortar composed of 100% calcium aluminate materials. It is specifically designed for spray-applied installation methods to provide a protective lining for structures exposed to abrasion and biogenic corrosion resulting from the hydrogen sulfide cycle that occurs in municipal wastewater environments.
SewperCoat is part of the Imerys range of solutions for the construction market. Imerys has more than 100 years of expertise offering mineral based solutions to meet its construction customers' needs. Imerys brands for construction include SewperCoat, Fondag, Ciment Fondu, and Ibeco.
As urbanization in India accelerates, so does the country’s construction sector and demand for locally-produced, sustainable construction practices suited to the subcontinent. Inaugurated one year ago, Imerys’ state-of-the-art calcium aluminate plant in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, in India’s southeastern coastal region, produces new products that answer this precise need. It recently showcased its products and initiatives during a construction workshop for customers on October 16 in Mumbai.
While a building’s structure might make it a house, a building’s insulation will make it a home. And, while a builder might have many insulation options to choose from, only one can claim to be totally safe: mineral foams.
Achieving much more with less, or using less to achieve much more. That was the challenge Imerys experts set themselves in designing the next generation of specialty binders, designed for a market calling for greater performance with less product and lower environmental impact.
From energy usage to emissions and natural resources, the construction industry has a huge impact on the environment. Today, this impact translates to revisions in building regulations, leveraging of technological advances and new materials, and greater adoption of sustainable construction methods. This sustainability is what we strive for.