Corrosion is a problem in petroleum refineries and chemical process plants. Key equipment, such as piping, valves, vessels, vessel internals, condensers, boilers, and heat exchangers, can be degraded by corrosion attack. Such attack can reduce equipment performance and reliability and, in extreme cases, lead to unexpected failures and shutdowns. Typically, indications of corrosion are found by means of inspections conducted during planned shutdowns and preventative maintenance. If corrosion has been unexpectedly severe, or if inspections have been infrequent, equipment damage can occur. Corrosion monitoring during operation can help minimize such damage by indicating when corrosion initiated, and by measuring the rate of corrosion damage. This information then can be used to alter operating conditions to reduce corrosion or to plan maintenance and repair work. This paper reviews the features, advantages, and disadvantages of both established and emerging technologies for corrosion monitoring. Established technologies include measuring environmental conditions, exposing material coupons, and using electrical resistance, linear-polarization resistance, and galvanic probes. Emerging technologies include the use of advanced electrochemical testing techniques and the application of specialized probes for stress-corrosion cracking and pitting corrosion. Examples that illustrate the use of both established and emerging corrosion monitoring technologies are presented and discussed.
[1]
R. Jasinski,et al.
Electrochemical Corrosion Probe for High Resistivity Hydrocarbon/Water Mixtures
,
1988
.
[2]
C F Britton,et al.
INTERNAL CORROSION MONITORING OF SUBSEA PIPELINES
,
1986
.
[3]
F. H. Stott,et al.
Electrochemical monitoring of high temperature corrosion processes
,
1985
.
[4]
N. G. Thompson,et al.
Relationship Between Conventional Pitting and Protection Potentials and a New, Unique Pitting Potential
,
1992
.
[5]
R. G. Asperger,et al.
Real-time electronic monitoring of a pitted and leaking gas gathering pipeline
,
1986
.
[6]
H. M. Hilliard,et al.
Corrosion monitoring in enhanced oil recovery systems
,
1984
.
[7]
J. L. Dawson,et al.
The measurement of localized corrosion using electrochemical noise
,
1981
.
[8]
C. L. Page,et al.
Relationship between electrochemical noise and corrosion rate of steel in salt contaminated concrete
,
1988
.
[9]
Joe H. Payer,et al.
Microsensors for Corrosion Control
,
1989
.
[10]
M. McKenzie,et al.
Use of weight loss coupons and electrical resistance probes in atmospheric corrosion tests
,
1985
.
[11]
R. C. Newman,et al.
Correlation of acoustic and electrochemical noise in the stress-corrosion cracking of α-brass
,
1983
.