CORROSION

Types of Corrosion

• Uniform Attack.
• Galvanic or Two-Metal Corrosion
• Crevice Corrosion
• Pitting
• Intergranular Corrosion.
Prevention of
Prevention of
Uniform
pitting
attack
Use paints or
Control pH,
metallic coatings
chloride
such as plating,
concentration and
galvanizing or
temperature.
anodizing.

Use thicker Cathodic protection

materials for and/or Anodic
corrosion Protection.
allowance.

Proper selection of
Use Corrosion
materials with
inhibitors or
known resistance to
modifying the
the service
environment.
environment.
Uniform corrosion is characterized by corrosive attack roceeding evenly over the entire surface area,
or a large fraction of the total area. General thinning takes place until failure. On the basis of tonnage
wasted, this is the most important form of corrosion.
However, uniform corrosion is relatively easily measured and predicted, making disastrous failures
relatively rare. In many cases, it is objectionable only from an appearance standpoint.

Uniform corrosion or general corrosion can be prevented through a number

of methods:

1. Use thicker materials for corrosion allowance.

2. Use paints or metallic coatings such as plating, galvanizing or anodizing.
3. Use Corrosion inhibitors or modifying the environment.
Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process in which one metal corrodes preferentially when it is in
electrical contact with another, in the presence of an electrolyte. A similar galvanic reaction is exploited in
primary cells to generate a useful electrical voltage to power portable devices.

Galvanic Corrosion Prevention

1. Select metals/alloys as close together as possible in the

galvanic series.
2. Avoid unfavorable area effect of a small anode and large
cathode.
3. Insulate dissimilar metals wherever practical.
4. Apply coatings with caution. ...
5. Avoid threaded joints for materials far apart in the galvanic
series.
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.

1. The best way to prevent corrosion under insulation is to take steps to ensure that insulation is
100% enclosed. Joints, terminations, and irregularities along the pipe must be meticulously
sealed and checked.

2. Still, even with the best quality control, moisture may still find its way past insulation. In other
words, there are almost no methods that can guarantee CUI prevention, but its ravaging effects
can be limited with superior insulation and scheduled coatings maintenance.
Pitting corrosion is a localized form of corrosion by which cavities or "holes" are produced in the material.
Pitting is considered to be more dangerous than uniform corrosion damage because it is more difficult to
detect, predict and design against. Corrosion products often cover the pits.

1. Pitting corrosion can be prevented through:

2. Proper selection of materials with known resistance to the service
environment.
3. Control pH, chloride concentration and temperature.
4. Cathodic protection and/or Anodic Protection.
Intergranular corrosion, also known as intergranular attack, is a form of corrosion where the boundaries of
crystallites of the material are more susceptible to corrosion than their insides

1. Intergranular corrosion can be prevented through:

2. Use low carbon (e.g. 304L, 316L) grade of stainless steels.
3. Use stabilized grades alloyed with titanium (for example
type 321) or niobium (for example type 347). Titanium and
niobium are strong carbide- formers. ...
4. Use post-weld heat treatment.

Intergranular corrosion can be prevented by selecting the right material, avoiding low-cost
equipment where the material is likely to have impurities and poor heat treatment, using low
carbon or stabilized grades if welding, or applying postweld heat treatments correctly.