Corrosion Protection

Corrosion is the deterioration of metal caused by a reaction with the environment and happens every day in every industry. However, certain elements – including water, salt and chemicals – speed up the rate of corrosion.

In addition to the fabric cladding, which is naturally inert to corrosion, and solid steel frames that have no unseen places for corrosion to start, Legacy’s corrosion-resistant buildings offer several features that makes them longer-lasting in corrosive environments.

Lyons Salt, a salt mining operation in Kansas, is an example of a company that deals with corrosion every day. When they purchased a corrosion-resistant structure to enclose salt mining operations, they added some special features that improved the building’s durability. See these additions below.

Interior Liner

A fabric liner is securely attached to the bottom flange of the building frame. The liner acts as a barrier between the salt and the steel building frame. Liners are available in several weights and fabric types. Lyons chose a clear liner to maximize the light penetration inside the building.

Steel Bracing Rods

The bracing cables used in traditional construction allow corrosive materials to collect between the threads of the cables, causing them to corrode and snap. Replacing the cables with 5/8-inch steel rods for bracing eliminates this problem. The solid steel rods have no hollow areas or indentations for corrosion to start, and they are made of galvanized metal for further protection. These thick rods are significantly less vulnerable to corrosion than cables.

Purlin Caps

Salt dust can enter through the open ends of the hollow purlins and settle inside the tube. The old-school way of solving this problem is by smashing the end of the purlin and attaching it to the building frame. The problem is that smashing the end of the purlin compromises the integrity of the framing member. Legacy’s solution to this problem is adding caps to the end of each purlin, preventing dust from entering the hollow tube without compromising the strength of the member.

Ventilation

Moisture is a common cause of corrosion. Proper aeration and air circulation around the building not only keeps a comfortable temperature inside the building, it also protects the frames from corrosion caused by dampness or condensation inside the building – particularly important in structures with crawl spaces, insulation or cavities. The building in Lyons has separate gravity ventilation systems for the building interior and the cavity created by the liner.

Double Coated Steel

Steel used to support conveyors and other equipment is necessarily outside the liner. In addition to the hot dip galvanizing, this steel was coated with an epoxy for extra protection from corrosion. This epoxy coating protected the unlined steel and ensures that the conveyor support system lasts as long as the building supporting it.