Corrosion of metal components of hydraulic structures

Abstract

1. The nature and intensity of corrosion depends on the corrosive activity of the water in the reservoirs, whose indices are the temperature and the chemical composition, which are specific for each body of water and vary throughout the year. 2. On the basis of the investigations, a systematization of the water in reservoirs of electric plants as corrosive media was developed. This systematization permits using the data from the investigations as analogues for approximate prediction of the corrosion rate for metal components of hydraulic structures being designed or operated. 3. The investigations established a tendency toward a decrease in the rate of uniform corrosion of metal components of hydraulic structures which remain for a long time in fresh water, down to a value which is constant for each reservoir and does not exceed 0.04–0.05 g/m2·h (0.05 mm/yr). 4. An analysis of the corrosion behavior of steel in contact with fresh water indicated that for metal components of hydraulic structures pit corrosion is the most hazardous type. In addition to direct destructive action on the metal surfaces, it causes increased energy losses.