A narrowboat owner uses Superfast Titanium Epoxy Putty to make a repair capable of withstanding temperatures up to 280°C after a 15mm x 15mm hole appeared in the engine heat exchanger manifold of their vessel.

Case Study Overview

Site Narrowboat
Location United Kingdom
Pipe Type Heat exchanger manifold
Repair Type Hole repair
Products Superfast Titanium Epoxy Putty

Defect

The narrowboat had a raw water system for cooling its engine, including a manifold mounted heat exchanger. Canal water was pumped into a tank containing a series of pipes attached to the exhaust manifold.

Inside these pipes ran coolant, circulated around the engine block by another pump. As the canal water in the tank passed over the pipes, it cooled the engine coolant similar to how a fan does in a car. This canal water was then expelled through the exhaust.

Whilst moored on a canal around 30 miles north of London, the narrowboat owner noticed a 15mm x 15mm hole had appeared in the heat exchanger manifold.

SylWrap Solution

The narrowboat owner chose Superfast Titanium Epoxy Putty for the repair because of its high temperature resistance up to 280°C.

Within 24 hours of the narrowboat owner contacting Sylmasta, Superfast Titanium had been despatched and delivered to a collection point close to where the vessel was moored.

Before the repair, the area around the hole was cleaned and rubbed down to improve adhesion between the epoxy putty and the heat exchanger manifold.

As a precaution, aluminium wire mesh was placed over the hole to prevent any Superfast Titanium entering the manifold exchanger.

Enough putty was cut from the Superfast Titanium stick to cover the hole. It was kneaded by hand until it turned a uniform, golden brown colour to indicate successful mixing.

The putty was applied over the mesh and surrounding area. It was pushed firmly onto the manifold to ensure maximum contact, smoothed off with a little water and then left to harden.

Outcome

Superfast Titanium began to set after 90 minutes. It reached working strength in eight hours and achieved a full cure after 72 hours.

The narrowboat engine could have gone back into service after eight hours, but the owner was in no rush to set sail again and so remained moored for the full cure time.

Follow Up

Six months later and Sylmasta contacted the narrowboat owner to find out how the repair was performing.

They reported there were no further issues with the narrowboat engine, which had since sailed the Grand Union Canal from London to Birmingham and then onwards to Manchester.

Products Used

Superfast Titanium
Epoxy putty resistant to 280°C for making high temperature pipe repairs

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