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Explanation
Crevice corrosion refers to corrosion occurring in confined spaces to which the access of the working fluid from the environment is limited. These spaces are generally called crevices. Examples of crevices are gaps and contact areas between parts, under gaskets or seals, inside cracks and seams, spaces filled with deposits and under sludge piles
Crevice corrosion of type 316 stainless steel This photo shows that corrosion occurred in the crevice between the tube and tube sheet (both made of type 316 stainless steel) of a heat exchanger in a sea water desalination plant.
Mode of Attack
Depending on the environment developed in the crevice and the nature of the metal, the crevice corrosion can take a form of: pitting (i.e., formation of pits), filiform corrosion (this type of crevice corrosion that may occur on a metallic surface underneath an organic coating), intergrannular attack, or stress corrosion cracking.
Significance
The susceptibility to crevice corrosion varies widely from one material-environment system to another. In general, crevice corrosion is of greatest concern for materials which are normally passive metals, like stainless steel or aluminum. Crevice corrosion tends to be of greatest significance to components built of highly corrosion-resistant superalloys and operating with the purest-available water chemistry. For example, steam generators in nuclear power plants degrade largely by crevice corrosion. Crevice corrosion is extremely dangerous because it is localized and can lead to component failure while the overall material loss is minimal. The initiation and progress of crevice corrosion can be difficult to detect
Prevention
Use welded butt joints instead of riveted or bolted joints in new equipment Eliminate crevices in existing lap joints by continuous welding or soldering Use solid, non-absorbent gaskets such as Teflon. Use higher alloys (ASTM G48) for increased resistance to crevice corrosion
1.4547 (254SMO) (6% Mo austenitic) 1.4462 (2205) 1.4539 (904L) 1.4401/1.4436 (316) 1.4301 (304) 1.4016 (430) 'The Crevice Corrosion Engineering Guide' provides a mathematical model of crevice corrosion to assist in the selection of the austenitic stainless steels above in various water conditions