Mothballing is done when there are no plans to bring the facility back up but the customer is looking to preserve the assets for at least two reasons: (1) to protect the equipment in the case that circumstances change and they do start it back up, or (2) they want to preserve the assets to maximize the re-sell value of the equipment in case the facility will be sold.

Another distinguishing factor is that mothballing will generally mean that no additional resources will be available (people, electricity, etc.) to maintain the layup.

Are You Ready for a Sprint or a Marathon?

Often, boiler or cooling tower layup is short and/or seasonal, like a sprint, simply requiring a dose of one of Cortec’s Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibiting “reptiles” (e.g., Boiler Lizard, Boiler Gecko, Boiler Dragon, Cooling Loop Gator) to ward off internal corrosion while the system is offline and make it easy to start up when heating or cooling action is needed again. Mothballing is more like a marathon; the extended layup affects how you “train” for preservation. Bryan noted, “While the products used MIGHT be the same, in many cases, the longer period of being out of service may result in changing the recommended product. The recommended dosages may also be different.”

For example, while the Boiler Lizard® is an excellent option for a dry layup of several months to one year, Bryan would recommend applying the Boiler Dragon™ for mothballing because the physical properties are better suited to multiple wet-dry cycles over long-term seasonal fluctuations. In the case of cooling towers, Scott pointed out that wet layup would be very appropriate for seasonal or short-term layup, whereas mothballing would likely require a dry layup with a higher dose of the same product (e.g., Cooling Loop Gator®) in order for protection to last longer.

Monitoring: Are Your “Reptiles” Doing Their Job?

Another critical piece of mothballing is monitoring. Unlike dehumidification systems or nitrogen blankets, Cortec® “reptiles” do not require frequent attention to make sure they are still working right. However, since anything can happen over long periods of time, it is important to do a six-month check-in to make sure the vessel remains closed, and enough Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors are present and active. Bryan explained that one way to do this is to install corrosion coupons in easy-to-access parts of the boiler and periodically remove and photograph them before placing them back inside. “If, at any time, there is any observed corrosion on the discs, a re-application of the preservation product should be considered,” Bryan said.

Are You Looking at the Bigger Picture?

Since boilers and cooling towers are typically part of a larger facility, Bryan pointed out that the mothballing decision should be accompanied by a review of all ancillary components or assets on site to see if anything else requires long-term preservation. Facility owners should choose materials such as Vapor phase Corrosion Inhibitors (in the same family as Cortec “reptiles”) that are effective and easy to remove. Cortec is available to help tailor an effective corrosion protection strategy for each specific situation. Contact Bryan and the team at Cortec for further assistance on small seasonal layups or large mothballing projects.