# US 11,078,371 B2 · Method for applying a coating to an external surface of a man-made object to be at least partly immersed in water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,371 B2 - Document ID: US11078371B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/767,295 - Filed: 2016-10-11 - Published: 2018-10-25 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-15 - Assignees: Akzo Nobel Coatings International B.V. - Applicants: Akzo Nobel Coatings International B.V. - Inventors: Phil Stenson; Barry Kidd; Haoliang Chen; Richard Mark Ramsden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078371B2 ## CPC - C09D 5/1681: {Antifouling coatings characterised by surface structure, e.g. for roughness effect giving superhydrophobic coatings or Lotus effect} - B05D 7/14: to metal, e.g. car bodies (involving a chemical reaction between the metal and the coating C23) - B63B 71/00: Designing vessels; Predicting their performance - C09D 5/16: Antifouling paints; Underwater paints - C09D 5/1693: {as part of a multilayer system} - B63B 59/04: Preventing hull fouling (anti-fouling paints C09D5/16) - G01N 19/02: Measuring coefficient of friction between materials {(testing of tyres G01M17/02; determinations of friction coefficient used in vehicle braking or traction control systems B60T8/172)} - C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D) - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract The disclosure relates to a method of applying a coating to an external surface of a man-made object to be at least partly immersed in water (e.g. a vessel or an offshore drilling station) for a time period wherein there is relative movement between the immersed object and the water. The applied coating has a minimal resistance rating for a set of coatings. The method comprises a computer-implemented coating selection process, which comprises a first steps of obtaining, for each coating in the set of coatings, a total roughness value of the external surface based on a fouling roughness value, a macro roughness value and a micro roughness value associated with each coating. The coating selection process comprises in a second step selecting a coating from the set of coatings, wherein the selected coating has a minimal resistance rating associated with the obtained total roughness value for the time period. The method further comprises applying the selected coating to the external surface of the man-made object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of applying a coating to an external surface of a man-made object to be at least partly immersed in water for a time period wherein there is relative movement between the immersed object and the water, the method comprising: employing a computer-implemented coating selection process comprising: obtaining, for each coating in a set of coatings, a total roughness value of the external surface based on a fouling roughness value, a macro-roughness value and a micro-roughness value associated with each coating, where the fouling roughness value relates to a roughness associated with the settlement of marine fouling organisms to the man-made object; selecting a coating from the set of coatings, wherein the selected coating has the minimum resistance rating associated with the obtained total roughness value for the time period of all the coatings in the set of coatings; wherein the method further comprises applying the selected coating to the external surface of the man-made object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a calculation of the fouling roughness value associated with each coating comprises: accessing a roughness database that associates combinations of each coating and a geographical region where the man-made object is expected to be located during the time period with a respective static fouling roughness value; retrieving the static fouling roughness value; converting the static fouling roughness value to a dynamic fouling roughness value by accounting for an expected activity of the man-made object during the time period; calculating the fouling roughness value based on the dynamic fouling roughness value and based on an expected change in the fouling roughness value with time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one static fouling roughness value associated with a combination of a coating in the set of coatings and the geographical region has been derived by: retrieving from a fouling database parameters relating to fouling of a plurality of man-made objects to be at least partly immersed in water that have been in the geographical region and to which the coating was applied; calculating a fouling score based on the parameters for each man-made object in the plurality of man-made objects, yielding fouling scores; calculating a representative value of the fouling scores; obtaining the static fouling roughness value from a table associating the calculated representative value of the fouling scores with the static fouling roughness value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of man-made objects is divided into at least two subgroups, wherein each of the at least two subgroups is associated with a respective range of fouling scores, wherein the respective ranges do not overlap and wherein each subgroup comprises only man-made objects that have fouling scores within the respective range of each subgroup; and wherein for each subgroup a separate average is calculated, and subsequently a separate static fouling roughness value, a separate dynamic fouling roughness value, a separate fouling roughness value and a separate total roughness value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the macro roughness value is derived by: calculating a macro roughness score based on at least one of an initial substrate macro roughness score, a coating macro roughness score-, and a time-dependent macro roughness score; calculating the macro roughness value based on the macro roughness score. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the micro roughness value is derived by: calculating a micro roughness score based on an initial micro roughness score and a time-dependent microroughness score; calculating the micro roughness value based on the micro roughness score. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the minimal resistance rating is calculated by a Computational Fluid Dynamics model based on at least one of the total roughness value, a shape and size of the man-made object, and an operational speed of the man-made object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the external surface is segmented in at least two segments, and wherein the total roughness value of the external surface is a combination of the total roughness value of a first segment and the total roughness value of a second segment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the external surface is segmented in a Boot Top part, a Vertical Side part and a flat Bottom part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected coating is configured to protect against one of fouling, corrosion, solid and liquid particle abrasion, deterioration as a result of UV absorbance and ice. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the external surface of the man-made object to be at least partly immersed in water comprises a hull of a vessel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the power requirement to move the vessel at a desired speed is calculated for the vessel hull coated with the selected coating. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the power requirement is converted into predicted fuel consumption or predicted green-house gas emissions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one static fouling roughness value associated with a combination of a coating in the set of coatings and the geographical region has been derived by: retrieving from a fouling database parameters relating to fouling of a plurality of man-made objects to be at least partly immersed in water that have been in the geographical region and to which the coating was applied; calculating a fouling score based on the parameters for each man-made object in the plurality of man-made objects, yielding fouling scores; calculating a representative value of the fouling scores; obtaining the static fouling roughness value from a table associating the calculated representative value of the fouling scores with the static fouling roughness value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the man-made object to be at least partly immersed in water is a vessel or an offshore drilling station. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the macro-roughness value relates to roughness elements originating from the surface of the object selected from plate waviness, plate laps, weld seams, bolts, steel profile, corrosion of the man-made object, damage to the man-made object, coating roughness, and coating defects. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the micro-roughness value relates to roughness elements originating from the surface of the coating material.