Mott MacDonald is the lead partner for a prestigious research and development project supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The project - “Enhancing the performance of pulsed current applied coatings in corrosive environments” - aims to further develop a novel and advanced treatment for Accelerated Low Water Corrosion (ALWC) - a process of enhanced corrosion of steel in seawater, which currently costs the maritime industry millions of pounds.
Mott MacDonald and BAC Corrosion Control have developed LATreat™, a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly advanced material coating technology. It arrests ALWC and imparts long-term protection against future attack. A patent for the method and apparatus was granted in January 2004. LATreat™ has the potential to positively impact on the modern built environment, reduce consumption of new materials and improve sustainability.
The project will aim to enhance and develop this technology by researching the fundamental mechanisms of the coating to optimise the process and develop the apparatus to ensure effective coating application. This will be achieved through research at the University of Manchester, as well as undertaking on-site trials across the UK to commercially validate the technology. As part of the project the University of Manchester has received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and will be appointing a PhD student specifically for the project.
In addition, further work will be carried out to explore the potential of using this technology for other applications.
The project leader, Dr Neil Henderson of Mott MacDonald, said “We are delighted that the DTI has recognised the importance of this innovative project which provides a unique opportunity for academia and industry to work together on solving a significant practical problem for the maritime industry. A strong consortium of academics and practitioners has been established to successfully exploit this innovative technology and we are all relishing the challenge”.
Funding of over £500,000 for the three and a half year project has been provided by the DTI, the EPSRC and the industrial consortium partners, comprising:
- Mott MacDonald Limited
- BAC Corrosion Control Limited
- Aberdeen Harbour Board
- Port of London Authority
- Shoreham Port Authority
- Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited