Chapter 27 - Corrosion prevention and control of chemical processing equipment

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the major methods for preventing and controlling chemical process equipment corrosion. It describes the way to identify the more common forms of chemical processing equipment corrosion, and the way to effectively communicate with corrosion professionals in those instances when a consultant is needed for solving a processing equipment corrosion problem. The chapter categorizes corrosion into two types: uniform or general corrosion and localized corrosion. It reviews the difference between general and localized corrosion, and the way each type can be recognized. It estimates processing equipment service lifetime from corrosion rate data and recognizes the different types of corrosion that can degrade process equipment performance and equipment service lifetime. The chapter describes the way corrosion resistant materials can be selected for chemical processing equipment. It further discusses the prevention and control of corrosion through corrosion testing. It deals with two types of electrochemical tests: direct current polarization methods and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.