Corrosion in Surface Water

 Corrosion is the primary concern of plants operating on surface waters.

 The corrosivity of the water varies inversely with the levels of temporary calcium
hardness in the waters.
 Aggravating the situation may be poor control of chlorine feed, depression of the pH
by alum feed, or inadequate control of post-clarifier neutralization.
 It is difficult to establish an acceptable corrosion rate on mild steel.
 For waters with 50 mg/L of temporary calcium hardness, zinc/polyphosphate
programs can consistently provide corrosion rates of less than 5 mpy on 30-day
coupons.
 For waters with 20 mg/L of temporary calcium hardness, 10 mpy corrosion rates may
be considered good results.
 Corrosion rates of 15 mpy or greater will pose serious operating problems if the
system contains a considerable amount of mild steel.

Corrosion in Well Water

 Well waters, on the other hand, are generally higher in hardness and alkalinity and
have low corrosion potential.
 The presence of H2S, which can lead to corrosion problems, can be best eliminated
by continuous gaseous chlorination of the well water.

Corrosion Inhibitors

 Because of the massive volumes of water to be treated, economics restricts the

choice of corrosion inhibitors to be considered.
 Three chemical families are used as once-through inhibitors: silicates, phosphates,
and zinc.

Silicates

 Silicates are used in low-hardness waters to provide a protective film on the metal
surface.
 The film is not very durable and can be easily removed by turbulence or high water
velocity.

Phosphates

 Phosphates are used in medium-hardness waters to provide a more durable

protective film on the metal surface.
 The film is resistant to turbulence and high water velocity.
 Zinc

 Zinc is used in high-hardness waters to provide a very durable protective film on the
metal surface.
 The film is resistant to turbulence, high water velocity, and oxidizing conditions.

Conclusion

The choice of corrosion inhibitor depends on the specific water chemistry and the
desired corrosion rate. In general, silicates are used for low-hardness waters,
phosphates are used for medium-hardness waters, and zinc is used for high-
hardness waters.