From Trauma to Transcendence:

CUI and Coatings of Choice

Dr. Mike O’Donoghue – AkzoNobel
Vijay Datta, MS – AkzoNobel
SSPC Webinar, October 25th , 2016
Agenda

• Introduction

• Causes of CUI and Mitigation of CUI

• CUI Coating Solutions

• Coating Testing

Unless otherwise agreed in writing by AkzoNobel, all products supplied together with all technical service, information, advice and recommendations
given are subject to our standard terms and conditions of sale which are available on request. Any information given here is for guidance only and is
provided without any representation or warranty of any kind, express or otherwise. Further, AkzoNobel accepts no control or liability for the
appropriateness of any product or the surface, structure or design to which our products are applied or the application process itself. You should seek
independent expert advice as to the appropriateness of a particular design or structure for use of our products. We also strongly recommend that
independent testing and/or assessment is carried out prior to the application of any product to determine suitability for use.

Protective Coatings
Corrosion Cost Comparison

Annual Global Cost of Corrosion: > US$ 2.5 Trillion

(3.4% of a country’s GDP)

Annual Cost of US Natural Disasters : > $19 Billion

Corrosion costs the US Economy

> 50 times
as much as all the natural disasters

Courtesy: NACE International IMPACT Study, 2016

G2MT Laboratories 2014
Pierre Crevolin, NACE Western Regional Conference 2005
Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) – Costs Billions

Corrosion rates of carbon steel can be significant if

operating at high temperatures and subject to temperature
cycling, particularly when thermally insulated

“… approximately 35% of incidences

of corrosion failures, or near failures
were caused as a result of corrosion
under insulation …”

(This statement follows a 2 year survey of plant failures at a

major US petrochemical complex)
Corrosion Related Accidents
Corrosion Under Insulation
Overview of CUI

Corrosion of steel under thermal

insulation due to the presence of
moisture, oxygen, and other corrodents

Known since 1950’s

High interest since 1983

NACE SP0198 - 2010 & EFC 55

Carbon Steel - 4C to 175C
Stainless Steel 50C to 175C
CUI

Corrosion under ‘wet’ thermal insulation - aggressive

CUI is up to 20x faster than atmospheric corrosion
(1.5 – 3.0 mm/year)
Insulated high temperature steelwork requires protection against CUI which is a threat
during construction, shutdown and intermittent use of equipment
Why is there is a problem?
• No insulation is 100% waterproof
• The corrosion rate under wet insulation can be up to 20 times greater
than the rate at ambient operating conditions
• Corrosion is hidden
• Nothing runs above 212oF forever
• Equipment temperatures cycle
• Inspection can be limited and costly
• Reluctance to shut down unit
• Budgetary concerns
Implications of CUI
Critical Steel Temperature Ranges for corrosion:
• C-Steel 25F → 302F (Greatest Risk of Corrosion)
• S-Steel 122F→ 302F (Greatest Risk of E.S.C.C. )

The highest corrosion rates are normally experienced in operational conditions

between 140F to 250F

Moisture ingress into broken or compromised insulation can occur from

32F to 302F
Thermal Cycling – The vehicle for CUI

Moisture movement

Insulation

Coating
HEATING COOLING

Steel

Coating must provide excellent corrosion protection to insulated steelwork which

experiences thermal cycling conditions
Corrosion at Elevated Temperatures
• For corrosion to occur three key elements
MUST be present Air

• Water is not present in equipment where

continuous operating temperatures above
248F exist

• However, during shut down or cyclic

temperature operations, rapid cooling can Corrosion
lead to condensation, & subsequent
corrosion problems

• Repeated cycling increases both corrosion Water Steel

rates, and potential for failure of coating
systems
CUI Dynamics
Moisture
Under
Insulation
Project
Budget Soluble Chlorides

CUI

Inspection Cyclic
Temperatures

Maintenance
Requirements
CUI Coating Solutions - Balancing…

Anticorrosive
Properties

Thermal
Resistance

(Cartoon Figs Courtesy Hexion)

Metallic, Organic and Inorganic Solutions to CUI?
CUI Solutions - Thermal Spray Aluminum
• Flame spray, arc spray, plasma spray
techniques
• Aluminum Spray Alloy 1100 or 1350
• SSPC-SP5/NACE 1/Sa3 (3-4 mils)
• Temp Resistance to ca 595C
Coating • Life cycle costs are low
Compressed Air
Atomising Cap • Process slow, installation costs are relatively
Air
high vs coating spray application, DFT
Nozzle
Wire issues, needs to form oxides
• Galvanic protection – sacrificial system
Oxygen
Fuel Gas Spray stream of
• Susceptible to corrosion by wet salts above
Mixture molten atomised 80C
particles
• Porosity
Substrate
• Seal coat or no-sealer coat?
CUI Solutions – Transcendence Road
Temperature Higher bond strengths of
Inorganic Si-O bond (452 KJ mol-1)
vs Organic C-C bond (350 KJ mol-1 )
confers thermal stability

650C Inorganic -
Inorganic copolymer, TMIC
600C Inorganic –
Conventional Thin Film Silicones, TSA
400C
Inorganic - Zinc Silicates

220C Organic - Phenolic/ Novolac Epoxy

125C Organic – Epoxy

Technology
The Zinc Silicate Question
(photo courtesy Peter Bock)
 NACE SP 0198-2010
SP0 198-2010 Typical Protective Coating Systems for Carbon Steels Under Thermal
Insulation and Fireproofing – Courtesy Art MacKinnon, PPG Hi-Temp Coatings
Temperature Surface Surface Profile, Prime Coat,
System Number Finish Coat, µm (mil) (D)
Range (A)(B) Preparation µm (mil) (c) µm (mil) (D)

CS-1, CS-2, CS-3  Epoxy, Fusion Bonded Epoxy, Epoxy Phenolic minus 110° to 302°F [minus 45° to 150°C]

Epoxy novolac or 
-45° to 205°C NACE No. 2 /  Epoxy novolac or silicone hybrid, 
CS-4 50-75 (2-3) silicone hybrid, 100-200 
(-50 to 400°F) SSPC-SP 10 100-200 (4-8)
(4-8)

Optional: Sealer with either a thinned epoxy-
TSA, 250-375 (10-15) 
-45° to 595°C NACE No. 1 / based or silicone coating (depending on 
CS-5 50-100 (2-4) with minimum of 99% 
(-50 to 1100°F) SSPC-SP 515 maximum service temperature) at 
aluminum
approximately 40 (1.5) thickness

Inorganic coplymer or 
-45° to 650°C NACE No. 2 / coatings with an inert  Inorganic coplymer or coatings with an inert 
CS-6 40-65 (1.5-2.5)
(-50 to 1200°F) SSPC-SP 10 multipolymeric matrix,  multipolymeric matrix, 100-150 (4-6)
100-150 (4-6)

CS-7 Petroleum wax primer; ambient to 140°F [60°C]

 Shop primers and topcoats for inorganic zinc (IOZ)  minus 110° to 750°F [minus 45° to 400°C]
CS-8
 Novolac, phenolic, inorganic copolymer and inert polymeric matrix
Coatings for CUI Mitigation
Epoxy Phenolic
Silicone Acrylic TMIC Silicone IMMP

High Temperature Heat Resistant Cold High Temperature

Binder: Epoxy Phenolic
Silicone Acrylic Spray Aluminum Silicone
IMMP

Ambient up to
Temperature Ambient up to Ambient up to
392F; intermittent -321F up to 1200F -321F up to 1202F
Ranges: surges up to 446F
500F 1004F

2-coats x 1.6 mils DFT 2-coats x 4 mils DFT 3-coats x 1 mil DFT 2-coats x 4 mils DFT
Typical 2-coats x 4-6 mils
Systems: DFT 1-coat x 1.6 mils DFT 2-coats x 1-1.5 mils
over IOZ 500F 1-coat x 8 mils DFT DFT 1-coat x 8 mils DFT
over OZ 300F over IOZ

Under Yes No Yes No Yes

Insulation:

Carbon Carbon Carbon Carbon Carbon

Substrate:
Stainless Stainless Stainless Stainless Stainless

IMMP = Inert Multipolymeric Matrix Paint

TMIC = Titanium Modified Inorganic Copolymer
Epoxy Phenolic and Novolacs
(CS-4; - 45C to 205C, -50F to 400F)

Barrier Protection - Epoxy Phenolic coatings perform well in high temperature

aggressive environments because of their very densely cross linked nature

Crosslink
Typical Cross-linked
Epoxy
+ Polyamine
Epoxy

Crosslink
Densely Cross-linked
+
Epoxy
Polyamine
Phenolic
Epoxy Phenolic
Barrier Protection Playing Field
(CS-6; - 45C to 650C, - 50F to 1200F) Examples:

• Carboline Thermaline 4001

• Dampney Thurmalox 225HD

• Hempel Versiline 56990

• International Interbond UPC 1202

• Jotun Jotatemp 650

• PPG Hi-Temp 1027

• Sherwin Williams Heat-Flex Hi –Temp 1200

MIO Pigmented IMMP for CUI Mitigation

SEM Image after 4000C

200X Magnification

MIO Platelets

Barrier Protection
Aluminum Flake Pigmented TMIC for CUI Mitigation

SEM Image after 4000C

1000X Magnification

Interlacing aluminum platelets, intact

Barrier Protection
CUI Coatings - More Balancing
Damage own to metal “Bruising” effect only
Harder Coating Softer Coating

Marine & Protective Coatings 25

International Paints Cyclic Pipe Tests
Courtesy O’Donoghue and Datta, International Paint

CCCPT
CUI Cyclic Corrosion Pipe Test
CUI Cyclic Pipe Tests
Courtesy O’Donoghue and Datta, International Paint`

100C Diameter = 6 cm
Length = 60 cm

1 litre 1% NaCl twice/day

600C 8 hours
Naturally
cooled
Temperature °C

16 hours
Heated to Repeated
600C x 30

600C

Time
cyclic temperatures to mimic end user processes
Monitoring / Verifying the Coating Temperature

CCCPT
procedure run
with
temperature
probes to
measure
temperatures
across the pipe
TSA and IMMP & TMIC Coatings on Carbon Steel

TMIC

IMMP

IMMP

TSA
Coatings on Carbon Steel up to 560C

IMMP

TMIC

70C-100C 100C-165C 165C-215C 215C-300C 300C-450C 450C-560C

PPG CUI Chamber Test (2008-Present)
Courtesy Dik Betzig PPG Hi-Temp Coatings

Testing method approved:

Shell Oil 2008, Aramco 2010
Method B 350F (177C) 5% NaCl

Temperature Control Ambient to

Method B 5% NaCl solution
250C
CUI Chamber Test Cell
Courtesy Dik Betzig PPG Hi-Temp Coatings

Before
Test

After 6 Weeks Front View

After 6 Weeks Bottom View

Track Record
Cyclic Service Conditions: 260C to 40C
Case History France
Case History France
Case History Texas
Case History Texas
Publications

“When Undercover Agents are Tested to the Limit: Coatings in Action (CIA)
and Corrosion Under Insulation”
JPCL, May 2014 SSPC Presidential Lecture Series Award in 2013

“When Undercover Agents Can’t Stand the Heat: Coatings in Action (CIA) and
the Netherworld of Corrosion Under Insulation”
JPCL, February 2012 Outstanding Publication of the Year Award in 2013

“From Trauma to Transcendence: Corrosion Under Insulation”

NACE, Northern Area Western Conference, 2010

 
Thank You - Questions?

Vijay Datta, MS  

 vijay.datta@akzonobel.com 

 
Dr. Mike O'Donoghue
mike.odonoghue@akzonobel.com

www.akzonobel.com/protective