Advanced models for erosion corrosion and its mitigation

Abstract

AbstractErosion corrosion, i.e., flow‐induced localized corrosion (FILC) is initiated when flow dynamic forces surpass the fracture energy of protective layers or scales on metals. With a new model the maximum interaction energies between flowing media and solid walls can be quantified in terms of “freak” energy densities created during singular events (freak events) of perpendicular impacts by near‐wall microturbulence elements. The freak energy densities are in the megaPascal range and match well in the order of magnitude with fracture energies of protective layers and can be estimated from Wavelet diagnostics of electrochemical current noise measured at microelectrodes under mass transport controlled conditions. This solves the problem that wall shear stresses, generally used to quantify critical flow intensities for FILC initiation, range several orders of magnitude (Pa range) below the fracture energies of protective layers. The new advanced model allows for the first time to quantify the maximum fluid dynamic forces exerted on solid walls under different turbulent and disturbed flow conditions (one‐phase liquid flow on jet impinged surfaces and on coupons in rotated cages, surfaces impacted by slug flow and gas‐pulsed impinging jets). Drag reducing additives were shown to reduce freak energy densities to values significantly below fracture energies of protective layers and hence inhibit initiation of FILC. The onset of FILC can be monitored online with the newly developed CoulCount method, an easy‐to‐use, non‐invasive diagnostic tool which evaluates electrochemical current noise between jet impinged electrode pairs made from the metals to be tested.