It is a huge challenge developing new environmentally friendly antifouling paints for ships. The paint must, in addition to serving as a protective film on the ship's underside, be strong and able to bind to many kinds of materials and last under many conditions worldwide.
Together with DTU Chemical Engineering, paint manufacturer Hempel A/S has developed a mathematical model which is used as a tool in the design of effective antifouling paints. "Paint specifications are being determined according to shipping patterns.
This means that we can count on the temperature, velocity, salinity, and activity" says Claus Weinell, Project Manager at Hempel A/S. The collaboration between DTU and Hempel has so far lasted for seven years. "We have several active projects. We work for example together with DTU Mechanical Engineering concerning self-cleaning systems ...", says Claus Weinell.