Careers Automated Rubber Lining Removal & HVTS® Alloy Protection
Long-Term Corrosion Protection for Process Vessels
Two process vessels at an oil sands water treatment facility required intervention to maintain internal corrosion protection.
The existing rubber lining had to be removed to expose the substrate for inspection. Conventional rubber lining removal relies on personnel operating high-pressure water guns inside the vessel, placing them directly at the work front. Manual removal can also leave residual material, requiring repeated passes before inspection and surface preparation can proceed.
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Plant & Challenge Background
The plant was also evaluating an alternative to reinstating rubber lining for long-term vessel corrosion protection. Rubber-lining projects depend heavily on the availability of qualified specialist resources, which can affect maintenance schedules, equipment availability, and overall project cost. Localized damage may also require extensive lining removal before the substrate can be inspected and repaired.
Automating Rubber Lining Removal
IGS used the TubeTech™ Automated Lining Removal System for industrial vessel rubber lining removal, systematically removing the existing lining in larger, controlled strips.
Across accessible surfaces, the system separated personnel from the direct high-pressure jetting work front while improving removal speed, consistency, and coverage. The automated approach:
- Reduced personnel exposure to manual high-pressure jetting
- Removed larger areas of rubber lining in controlled strips
- Reduced residual lining and repeated passes
- Prepared the vessel substrate efficiently for inspection
- No abrasive media to clean up
IGS was initially assigned rubber removal in one vessel. Based on the system’s on-site performance, the plant expanded the removal scope to include the second vessel.
Identifying and Repairing Localized Damage
Removing the lining exposed localized corrosion, pitting corrosion, and areas requiring grinding and weld repair.
The required mechanical repairs were completed before the surfaces were accepted for HVTS application.
This inspection-led sequence ensured that damaged areas were addressed before the new corrosion-resistant alloy cladding was installed.
Replacing Rubber Lining with HVTS® Alloy Cladding
Rather than reinstalling rubber lining, the plant selected HVTS® (High Velocity Thermal Spray) alloy cladding as a longer-term vessel corrosion protection strategy.
Following surface preparation, IGS applied HVTS to all wetted surfaces in both vessels, including:
- Internal shells and heads
- Manway covers
- Nozzles
- Flange faces
A total of 1,658 ft² of internal vessel surface area was protected across the two vessels within 12 double critical path shifts, including standby time.
The completed application created a corrosion-resistant alloy barrier directly on the prepared substrate. The cladded surfaces can be inspected during future maintenance without removing the entire protection system, while localized areas can be repaired where required.
Automated rubber lining removal improved safety and prepared both process vessels for long-term HVTS® corrosion protection.
That’s Asset Vitality.
Simplifying Project Delivery
IGS managed the principal vessel maintenance and corrosion protection activities as one coordinated scope:
Automated Lining Removal → Inspection → Local Corrosion Repair → HVTS® Alloy Cladding
IGS also managed the Inspection and Test Plan. This reduced the number of separate contractors and handovers the plant needed to coordinate, providing one point of responsibility from rubber removal through to completed alloy cladding.
The integrated approach delivered:
- Safer and more systematic rubber removal
- Efficient access to the vessel substrate for inspection and repair
- Corrosion-resistant alloy protection across all wetted surfaces
- Reduced dependence on specialist rubber-lining resources
- Improved access for future inspection and localized repair
- Less exposure to complete strip-out and relining requirements
“This project moved beyond simply replacing an existing lining. Integrating automated removal, surface preparation, HVTS application and quality control simplified project delivery while giving the plant an alloy-based protection system that can be inspected and locally repaired during future maintenance.”
– Alex Hartwig, Business Development Manager, IGS
Watch: HVTS – Solutions for Long-Term Protection of Boilers, Vessels, and Gas Turbines
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