Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CONFERENCE 2006
Wednesday, October 4
Waterside Corrosion Session
Acknowledgments
This presentation summarized work
performed by Dr. Narasi Sridhar, Dr. Sean
Brassia, and Darrell Dunn.
Acknowledgments are also extended to
Melissa Hill, Harold Saldana, Fawn Daby,
and other members of the Materials
Applications staff.
NACE Central Area Conference 2006
OUTLINE
1. About the Southwest Research Insitute
2. Background of Type 316L SS installation
and startup issues
3. Timeline
4. Mitigating Issues
5. Startup
6. Analysis of pipe segments
NACE Central Area Conference 2006
OUTLINE (CONT.)
5. Biological Subcultures
6. Laboratory Simulations
7. Literature Review
8. Summary
9. Recommendations
10. References
NACE Central Area Conference 2006
Facts About
Southwest Research Institute
59 years of operation
501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation
3,000 employees
1,200 acre facility in San Antonio, TX
>2 million ft2 of laboratories & offices
Over 700 patents
28 R&D 100 awards
NACE Central Area Conference 2006
SwRI Today
My Operating Division
Approximately 235 personnel
Mechanical and Materials
Engineering Division
Engineering
Dynamics
Materials
Engineering
computational
mechanics
mechanical
testing
ballistics and
explosives
reliability and
materials
surface
engineering
material
applications
Mechanical and
Fluids Engineering
plant engineering
multiphase flow
Structural
Engineering
aerospace
structures
mechanical sciences
structural
systems
piping
design/analysis
testing/evaluation
flow measurement
rotating machinery
Background
Gas fired cogeneration plant in Puerto Rico.
A combination of Type 316L piping and
Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) piping
at pier level.
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) piping
installed in certain underground locations.
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Background
Seawater pumps were made of Type 317L.
Cathodic protection of Type 317L.
Protection of pumps exterior only.
Condenser tubing and plate heat exchangers
composed of titanium.
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March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
Dec.
Jan,2000
?
15 20
10
7
12
3
21
?
15 20
10
7
11
21
23
12
Feb.
13
14
Mitigating Issues
Chlorination
The absence of chlorination in the system during
the first 4 months due to:
Environmental permit restrictions of
0.5 ppm max and 0.2 ppm avg daily.
Key chlorination pump was out of service.
Initial chlorination injection was only in the
cooling tower.
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After Startup
Pitting leaks were detected in many Type 316L
piping locations within 2 weeks ( > 375 mils).
Leaks were predominantly in seawater supply
lines, but later in return lines as well.
Several patches/welds applied, but new leaks
continued to appear.
No leaks were observed in FRP and HDPE lines.
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Photograph of a
Leaking Seawater Supply Pipe
17
Analysis
A segment of failed Type 316 piping was sent
to Southwest Research Institute (SwRI ) for:
1. Root cause failure analysis;
2. Prognostications of future performance
of un-pitted sections (if possible).
18
Metallographic Analysis
No evidence of intrinsic material or
fabrication defects.
No evidence of intergranular precipitates,
secondary cracks, etc.
Shape and morphology of internal pitting
suggestive of MIC.
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2 mm
1.3 mm
O.D.
20
Mg
8.0
3.6
Al
Si
11.0 24.9
Cl
Ca
Ti
Cr
Fe
Ni
0.3
1.7
16.5
2.0
13.3
0.7
1.3
16.1
0.7
21
X-Ray Diffraction
X-ray diffraction of solids found indications
of NaCl and (gamma FeOOH).
22
Biological Subcultures
Subcultures were generated from water and
pipe deposit samples.
Barnacles within the deposits were
manually removed.
Subcultures were incubated in Marine Broth
2216 under aerobic conditions.
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24
25
Laboratory Simulations
26
27
28
Potential, VSCE
-0.05
-0.10
-0.15
-0.20
-0.25
-0.30
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Time, h
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Observations
Open circuit potential of type of Type 316L noticeable
higher in fresh seawater.
At the inlet compared to after heat exchanger and return.
Hastalloy C-22 exhibited the same behavior over time.
Evolution of circuit potentials occurred over several days.
Can be related to establishments of thin biofilms and
changes in oxide films (Dickenson, et al., 1986).
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Observations (cont.)
Protection potentials for Type 316L at 20C in seawater
s/b in the range of 0 mV vs. SCE.
Results suggest that after heat exchanger and return
piping would be less susceptible vs. inlet.
Such single point measurements are useful for
comparison but not for life predictions.
Protection potentials and open circuit potentials can have
a range of values in service.
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Chlorine Measurements
1
0.9
Cl, tower
0.8
Cl, sea
Chlorine, ppm
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
/9
30
/9
9/
9/
28
/9
9/
26
/9
24
/9
9/
9
/9
9/
22
9/
20
/9
9
9/
18
/9
9/
16
/9
9
9/
14
/9
12
/9
9/
10
99
9/
8/
99
9/
6/
99
9/
9/
4/
99
2/
9/
/9
31
8/
8/
29
/9
Date
32
33
Literature Review
Infant pits nucleate underneath breached oxide films.
Hydrolysis reactions:
Fe2+ + 2H2O
Cr3+ + 3H2O
Ni2+ + 2H2O
Fe(OH)2 + 2H+
Fe(OH)3 + 3H+
Ni(OH)2 + 2H+
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Summary
Through wall pitting in a short period of time (375 mils
in 6 weeks) was more severe than normally observed
even in stagnant water conditions.
Appeared to be almost instantaneous.
Such pitting rates were not observed in comparable
laboratory experiments.
Not attributable to metallurgical factors.
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Summary (cont.)
Stagnant water conditions (well water)
were created during prolonged hydrotesting
(leak free joints could not be attained).
Proper draining was not attempted to avoid
collapsing fiber reinforced piping (FRP).
Early plant operations were intermittent
prolonging stagnant seawater conditions.
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Summary (cont.)
Excess Chlorine levels (0.5 to 0.8 ppm) could cause
premature pitting; however:
Environmental restrictions on chlorine discharge;
Lack of calibrated monitoring; and
Early chlorine pump failure.
45
Summary (cont.)
SRBs can reduce the protective potential.
The presence of marine microorganisms can raise the
open circuit potential.
The two factors combine likely lead to the apparent
instantaneous local attack.
Once established even rapid flowing seawater would
be insufficient to stop localized attack.
Weld/patches over existing leaks can exacerbate
existing pitting leading to crevice corrosion.
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Summary (cont.)
Type 317L seawater pumps were CP protected
on exteriors only.
Current flow spill over into interior components
could not be addressed.
Anode placement possibly problematic with
insufficient protection of interior components.
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Recommendations
1. Most Type 316L segments should be replaced with
FRP.
2. Remaining Type 316L segments can be used to
provide:
a. Cathodic Protection (CP); and
b. Proper continuous through system chlorination (0.2 ppm)
is maintained.
48
Recommendations (cont.)
4. Corrosion monitoring of remaining Type 316L
segments:
a. Potential measurements (reference electrodes); and
b. Measuring dissolved iron not useful due to dilution.
49
References
Asphahani, A.I., P.E. Manning, W.L. Silence, and F.G. Hodge. 1989. Highly
Alloyed Stainless Materials for Seawater Applications. Kokomo, IN: Haynes
International.
Auduard, J.P., C. Compere, N.J.E. Dowling, D. Feron, D. Festy, A. Mollica, T.
Rogne, V. Scotto, U. Steinsmo, C. Taxen, and D. Thierry, 1995. Effect of
marine biofilms on stainless steels results from a European exposure
program. Paper No. 3, 1995 International Conference on Microbially
Influenced Corrosion. Houston, TX: NACE International.
Baptista, W. and G. Pimenta. 1995. Cathodic protection against crevice
corrosion of high-alloy steel in seawater. Materials Performance. V.34. pp.
29-32.
Dickinson, W.H., Z. Lewandowski, and R.D. Greer, 1996. Evidence of surface
changes during ennoblement of type 316L stainless steel: dissolved oxidant
and capacitance measurements. Corrosion. V.52. pp. 910-920.
Kobrin, G., 1986. Reflections on microbially influenced corrosion of stainless
steels, Biologically Induced Corrosion, S.C. Dexter (ed.), Houston, TX: NACE
International. pp. 33-46.
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References (Cont.)
Kovach, C.W., 1999. Types 304 and 316 stainless steels can experience
permanganate pitting in water-handling systems. Materials Performance.
V.38. pp. 70-75.
Lee, T.S. and A.H. Tuthill. 1982. Guidelines for the use of carbon steel to
mitigate crevice corrosion of stainless steel in seawater. Corrosion/82. Paper
No. 63. Houston, TX: NACE International.
Lennox, T.J., M.H. Peterson, and C.W. Billow. 1983. Corrosion resistance and
response to cathodic protection of advanced alloys in seawater. Materials
Performance. V.22. pp. 49-55.
Mollica, A., A. Travis, E. Traverso, G. Ventura, G. de Garolis, and R.
Dellepiane. 1989. Cathodic performance of stainless steels in natural seawater
as a function of microorganism settlement and temperature. Corrosion. V.45.
pp. 48-56.
Motoda, S., Y. Suzuki, T. Shinohara, and S. Tsujikawa. 1990. The effect of
marine fouling on the ennoblement of electrode potential for stainless steels.
Corrosion Science. V.31. pp. 515-520.
51
References (Cont.)
52
References (Cont.)
Strandmyr, O. and D. Hagerup, 1998. Field experience
with stainless steel materials in seawater systems,
Corrosion/98, Paper No. 707, Houston, TX, NACE
International.
Streicher, M.A. 1983. Analysis of crevice corrosion data
from two seawater exposure tests on stainless alloys.
Materials Performance. V.22. pp. 37-50.
Valen, S., R. Johnsen, P.O. Gartland, and J.M. Drugli.
1999. Seawater piping systems designed with AISI 316
and RCP anodes. Corrosion/99. Paper No. 321. Houston,
TX: NACE International.
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