The most widely used safety spray shields are Spra-Gard® Safety Shields. These are most frequently specified because of their wide range of physical characteristics.

Materials

Spra-Gard® Safety Shields are fabricated in three proprietary thermoplastic textiles:

• Teflon* (tetrafluoroethylene or TFE coated fiberglass)
• Polypropylene (PPL)
• ECTFE

 

The two woven cloths – TFE and PPL – have a carefully engineered, patented "porosity concept". The fabrics are not impenetrable but slightly porous – too slight to permit a sprayout but sufficient to allow fluid to seep through to the indicating patch in the event of a leak.

ECTFE features a fluoropolymer clear film that forms the wide center band of the Spra-Gard® “See-Thru” Shields. This non-flammable film withstands temperatures up to 300°F (150°C) and has very high tensile strength. It also demonstrates excellent chemical resistance.

Design

Safety spray shields feature a sensitive pH indicator that changes color when even the slightest amount of leaking fluid comes in contact with it. The indicator turns brilliant red with an acid leak and bright green with an alkali leak. While the affected patch can no longer be used, it can be removed and replaced with another patch after the shield has been neutralized. The shield is then ready for reuse.

Installation

Spra-Gard® Safety Shields have an overlap design, for easy installation and completely wrapping around the pipe connections. This prevents a lateral sprayout. During installation, they are held in place by means of a velcro fastener. No tools are required, and a single installer can secure a shield over a flange or valve in less than a minute.

After quick installation with velco, a pair of tie-down cords need to be drawn tightly around the pipe and secured with a square knot.

Features

Spra-Gard® Shields can be used indoors and outdoors. They have undergone rigorous ultraviolet (UV) testing and performed without degradation for approximately 500 hours. This is equivalent to approximately four to five years of outdoor exposure in the tropics and even longer in a temperate zone.

The shields resist ignition and flame propagation.