CUI Degradation Mechanisms

Corrosion Under Insulation …

Prof.dr.ir. Walter Bogaerts

University of Leuven – Dept. Materials Engineering
& Technologica Group – European Technical Joint Venture
© 2019

Berlin, 13-14 June 2019

C.U.I. …

Corrosion Under Insulation

1. Introduction – What ? Importance …

2. Basic Mechanisms
3. How to Prevent Failure due to CUI ?
4. Mitigation Strategies – Some Innovation
5. Conclusions

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1. Introduction

CUI :
What, importance, consequences, …?

CUI

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◼ From mid ’50s till early 1970s:
little or no concern/problems about
C.U.I. (only external SCC of austenitic
stainless steels). Reason = often no
insulation if T < 150C (low cost of
energy)
◼ Insulation required for cold services &
personnel protection for T>ca.90 C
◼ Typical insulation types: mineral wool,
asbestos, cellular glass, etc..
◼ Protective coatings: painting of
insulated C-steel only if T<ca.90 C
(with little surface preparation)
◼ Early 1970s & later: major changes
due to oil crisis with soaring energy
prices, leading to increasing pressure
for energy savings and insulation
◼ Basic CUI process: How it occurs …
Some History …
◼ New insulation systems introduced, i.e.
organic insulating foams, such as
Formed in Place Polyurethane (FIPP);
often applied directly onto uncoated
steel
◼ Unexpectedly: massive failures with e.g.
FIPP after only few years service…
◼ CUI becoming widespread & increasing
attention for coating systems and other
mitigating measures in the 1980s and
1990s (& still continuing)!...
◼ Examples:
◼ NACE Symposium “Corrosion under Wet
Insulation” (1989);
◼ NACE Recommended Practice RP0198 (1998);
◼ Introduction of novel inspection/NDE
techniques and use of
Risk Based Inspection (RBI)
Video illustration
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 Some Examples …

Importance

Examples :
Some Industry Sectors …

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 Video illustration

◼ Examples : Asset Integrity Threat…

2. Basic Mechanisms

CUI :
How, mechanisms, …?
Factors affecting CUI …

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◼ If water can penetrate
and/or remain trapped under
insulation, insulated
metallic equipment and
piping in a certain
temperature range (typically
between 0 or -10 and
+120C, can easily be
attacked by Corrosion Under
Insulation (CUI).
Lab test illustration …
CUI Process
◼ Water can penetrate via:
◼ Openings in insulation cladding
(weather shielding);
◼ Leaks in steam tracing;
◼ Climate conditions;
◼ Local conditions or events (e.g.
firewater tests, spills, mist
overspray from cooling towers,
high-pressure cleaning, …)
◼ CUI is particularly aggressive
where (intermittent) operating
temperatures cause frequent
condensation and re-evaporation
of atmospheric moisture.
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 Basic Mechanisms

“Interplay” of 3 basic Corrosion

Reaction Processes/Mechanisms :

A. (Oxygen) Concentration Cell Corrosion

B. Crevice Corrosion Effects
C. Specific Corrosivity of (atmosphere &)
Insulation Material
➔ (Uneven) General Corrosion [of Carbon Steels]
➔ Stress Corrosion Cracking [of Stainless Steels]

A. Concentration cells

Concentration Cell Corrosion

• Concentration cell = galvanic
corrosion
• It occurs when two or more areas of
a metal surface are in contact with
different concentrations of the same
solution.

➔Incl. Crevice Corrosion: cf. infra !!

Note: also Temperature cells …

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 (Oxygen) Concentration cells

• (Under)Deposit Corrosion
• ‘Water’-line Corrosion

B. Crevice corrosion

Accelerated corrosion in a
narrow crevice between two
parts of a component,
...one of which is made from a
metal ...

© Prof. W. Bogaerts, 1999-2014

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 Mechanism …

“Occluded Cell” with localized

generation of acids & concentration
of aggressive species (e.g. Cl-);
leading to highly increased corrosion

© Prof. W. Bogaerts, 2018-2019

C. Corrosivity Insulation Materials

+ Concentrations of e.g. Cl-, S=, … !!!

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 Corrosion Result …

• General Corrosion
• Stress Corrosion Cracking
(SCC)

With ‘Pitting’ Corrosion ?...

& IGA !!? – Intergranular Attack

Locally Accelerated General

Corrosion

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 Case History

Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)

(Sudden) fracture of a
metal upon exposure to a
corrosive environment :
Intergranular ...
Transgranular ... [& Pitting…]

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Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (TGSCC)
e.g. on 300-series stainless steels

Mechanism …

Section of pipe under isolation / with no isolation

Source: H. Ahluwalia - MSR

Case History

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 Sometimes :
Intergranular Attack (IGA)

E.g. (older) mineral wools:

rockwool
glass wool ...

◼ Not only chlorides (Cl-),

but also sulfides: 25 up
to sometimes 150 ppm !

[& Pitting…]

3. How to Prevent CUI Failures ?

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 How to avoid ?...

Design: Investigate the Need …

INVESTIGATE THE NEED FOR INSULATION !

Avoid…
Source: Borealis

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 Corrosion Prevention …
The Corrosion Puzzle : break a link ➔ no corrosion !

CORROSION CORROSION

ANODE METALLIC ANODE METALLIC

PATH PATH

ELECTROLYTE CATHODE CATHODE

Avoiding CUI Problems

◼ Need to insulate?
◼ Tightness
◼ Coatings
◼ Insulation Material

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 Avoiding CUI Problems – Design

AVOID WATER INGRESS & WATER COLLECTION POINTS

◼ Keep ‘Insulation Weather Jackets’ tight !

• Correct installation ➔ follow-up quality !
• Maintain in good condition ➔ awareness !
• ➔ No stepping on insulation !
◼ If water enters, it should be able to come out
at low points
◼ Be aware of difference in insulation material
concerning humidity absorption (cf. infra)
◼ Vents and drains are problem connections over years
of operation
• Colder than mean stream ➔ CUI
• Ingress of water in the insulation, combined with often poor coating ➔ CUI
• Weak points if it comes to fatigue ➔ use special thick extended valves

Avoiding CUI Problems – Coating

SURFACE PROTECTION = LAST LINE OF DEFENCE !!

Source: Borealis

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 Avoiding CUI Problems –
Insulation Material

◼ Humidity absorption & retention:

e.g.
▪ Foam Glass
• Doesn’t absorb liquid
• Used if medium is flammable and could penetrate the insulation
▪ Rockwool
• Is absorbing liquid and the chloride (and sulfide) should
be limited to avoid SCC

◼ Release of (corrosive) species: acids, Cl-, S=,…

Existing Guidelines

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 Cathodic Protection Effect !
(ICI)

4. Mitigation Strategies – Future

Some Innovative Thinking, i.e.

about Monitoring & Inspection :
Electrochemical Monitoring Probes,
“Smart Paints” & Inspection, …?

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 NDT Techniques for
Detecting CUI

NDT Techniques for Detecting CUI

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 NDT Techniques for Detecting CUI

Some Novel Possibilities

for Monitoring …

◼ Build-in Monitoring Probes – Electrochemical

methods :
◼ EN (Electrochemical Noise)
◼ EFM (Electrochemical Frequency Modulation)
◼ “Smart Paints” & Inspection?

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 Novel Corrosivity Sensors

◼ Built-in Monitoring Probes

(electrochemical):
▪ EN (Electrochemical Noise)
▪ EFM (Electrochemical Frequency
Modulation) → ≈ EPRI Patent USA

• Autonomous detection of precise

corrosion rate parameters (ßa, ßc, Rp)
• Self-validating !

Smart Coatings and Paints

◼ Paints/coatings with
pH (or redox)
sensitive dyes
◼ & color change detection
by e.g. embedded glass-
fiber structures

Fe → Fe++ + 2e-
◼ Corrosion reactions = anodic
2H+ + 2e- → H2 + cathodic
2H2O + O2 + 4e- → 4OH-
◼ Cathodic reaction sites have
more alkaline conditions

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 5. Conclusions

Conclusions …

◼ CUI appears to be an ‘endemic’ problem in

many industries, i.e. in – aging – power and
chemical plants (CPI)
◼ Detailed inspection & condition assessment
= challenging task
◼ More careful design & construction = part of the
answer
◼ Novel monitoring tools could become a
significant help for the future …

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Conventional CUI Prevention

For questions …

walter.bogaerts @ kuleuven.be

Office: +32 16 321 222

Mobile: +32 475 607847

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