Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9.

Sp– 17 / 2017

APPLICATION OF LOW COST INHIBITORS TO REDUCE RATE OF

CORROSION IN RAIL PASSENGER COACHES
P V Senthil11, D Vijayaganapathy2, S Bhakiyaraja3
1
Professor, Mechanical Department, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha University,
Chennai, Tamilnadu, INDIA -602 105.
2,3
Associate Professor, Mechanical Department, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha University, Chennai,
Tamilnadu, INDIA -602 105.
drpvsenth@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Corrosion is a chemical phenomenon of oxidation of steel surfaces which results in loss of
section and therefore strength. Oxidation takes place only when steel surfaces are exposed to
atmosphere in the presence of moisture. Unless water is drained out quickly, no paints except
those that are based on epoxy resin could stand long under accumulation of water and dust as
eventually the film of paint would break down resulting in water seeping to the metal surface
and causing corrosion. In all metal integral coaches, steel surfaces are protected from coming
in contact with atmosphere by the application of an inhibitive zinc chromate red oxide primer.
Surfaces which are not finish painted have also been given 3/4 coats of bituminous
emulsion/solution which gives added protection to the steel surfaces by excluding moisture
along with primer. If due to some reason or other like the abrasive action of sand or other
particles the bitumen film breaks down, the inhibitive primer acts as a second line of defense.
Copper bearing steel (High Strength Low Alloy Steel) which has an inherent resistance to
atmospheric corrosion more than the ordinary mild steel. Our Research focus corrosion in
High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) Steel used in Passenger Coaches over Indian Railways
particularly the under frame area and its prevention with the usage of Grease and Hard
Paraffin combine coating.

Key words - corrosion, grease

1. INTRODUCTION
Corrosion can be viewed as a universal phenomenon, omnipresent and omnipotent. It is there
everywhere, air, water, soil and in every environment, we encounter. There is no single figure
for loss to the nation due to corrosion. It can be a minimum of 3.5% of the nation’s GDP.
Losses due to corrosion could be around Rs.2.0 lakh crores per annum in India. Corrosion
costs manifest in the form of premature deterioration or failure necessitating maintenance,
repairs and replacement of damaged parts. In the US, total direct cost of corrosion is

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1395

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

estimated at about 300 billion dollars per year; which is about 3.2% of domestic product.
Corrosion has a huge economic and environmental impact on all facets of national
infrastructure; from highways, bridges, buildings, oil and gas, chemical processing, water and
waste water treatment and virtually on all metallic objects in use. Other than material loss,
corrosion interferes with human safety, disrupts industrial operations and poses danger to
environment. Awareness to corrosion and adaptation of timely and appropriate control
measures hold the key in the abatement of corrosion failures.

Corrosion is a chemical phenomenon of oxidation of steel surfaces which results in loss

of section and therefore strength. Oxidation takes place only when steel surfaces are exposed
to atmosphere in the presence of moisture. Unless water is drained out quickly, no paints
except those that are based on epoxy resin could stand long under accumulation of water and
dust as eventually the film of paint would break down resulting in water seeping to the metal
surface and causing corrosion. In all metal integral coaches, steel surfaces are protected from
coming in contact with atmosphere by the application of an inhibitive zinc chromate red
oxide primer. Surfaces which are not finish painted have also been given 3/4 coats of
bituminous emulsion/solution which gives added protection to the steel surfaces by excluding
moisture along with primer. If due to some reason or other like the abrasive action of sand or
other particles the bitumen film breaks down, the inhibitive primer acts as a second line of
defense. Corrosion of steel surfaces starts only when both the bitumen and the primer suffer
from mechanical injuries. Copper bearing steel (High Strength Low Alloy Steel) which has
an inherent resistance to atmospheric corrosion - more than the ordinary mild steel.
Corrosion is an irreversible interfacial reaction of a material (metal, ceramic, and
polymer) with its environment which results in its consumption or dissolution into the
material of a component of the environment. Often, but not necessarily, corrosion results in
effects detrimental to the usage of the material considered. Exclusively physical or
mechanical processes such as melting and evaporation, abrasion or mechanical fracture are
not included in the term corrosion” With the knowledge of the role of various
microorganisms present in soil and water bodies, the definition for corrosion need be further
widened to include microbial-influenced factors.

2. METHODS AND PREPARATION

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1396

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

2.1 Corrosion Prevention

In virtually all situations, metal corrosion can be managed, slowed or even stopped by
using the proper techniques. Corrosion prevention can take a number of forms depending on
the circumstances of the metal being corroded. Corrosion prevention techniques can be
generally classified into 6 groups: Environmental Modifications, Metal Selection and Surface
Conditions, Cathodic Protection, Corrosion Inhibitors, Plating.
Table 1: Composition of High strength low alloy steel

Content Minimum Maximum

Percentage Percentage
C ----- 0.10
Mn 0.25 0.45
Si 0.28 0.72
Ni 0.20 0.47
Cu 0.30 0.60
Cr 0.35 0.60
S ----- 0.03
P 0.075 0.14

2.2 Loco Works

Major Railway systems need the support of workshops. The Perambur Workshop is the oldest
Mechanical Workshop in the Southern Railway system, was established by the erstwhile
Madras Railway Company in the year 1856 for the combined activity of overhauling steam
Locomotive, Carriage and Wagons. Subsequently workshops were established at
Tiruchirapalli and Mysore. Up to 1932, this was the Central Workshop for the maintenance of
Rolling Stock. Due to the increase in the fleet strength of Locomotives, Coaches and
Wagons, it was felt necessary to have a separate workshop for Steam locomotives. The twin
workshops were bifurcated in the year 1932. Loco Works was established exclusively for
Periodical Overhauling (POH) Steam Locomotives and Travelling Steam Cranes of Madras
and Southern Mahratta Railway. In the heydays of steam traction, this workshop was the
premier and most modern workshop among the Indian Railway Workshops overhauling
steam locomotives.

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1397

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

This is one of the composite workshops undertaking POH of Electric Locos, Diesel Shunting
Locos, Coaches, Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU) and Self Propelled Accident Relief
Trains (SPART). This workshop has also carved a niche for itself by successfully
manufacturing ICF and EMU bogies and Elastic Rail Clips. The role played by Loco Works
in production of Bio-Diesel (pilot plant) is unique.2007-2008 was Platinum Jubilee for Loco
Works, Ayanavaram. Total area of Loco Works is 2,16,833Sq.Mtrs and covered area is
57,876Sq.Mtrs. The present staff strength is around 2600. It is also housing the Material
Technology Centre of Southern Railway.

3. EXPERIMENTAL WORK

The experimental work in this research is to mitigate the corrosion of High Strength Low
Alloy Steel in passenger railway coaches. For that sample is prepared with dimensions of
50mm x 40mm x 8mm.Red oxide zinc chromate primer of dry film thickness 25 micron is
applied on the specimen and allowed to dry. Then following coating is applied to each
specimen. Grease coating of dry film thickness 20 microns is applied over it and it’s allowed
to dry. Hard paraffin coating of dry film thickness 20 microns is applied over it and it’s
allowed to dry. Combination of hard paraffin and grease of dry film thickness 20 microns is
applied over it and it’s allowed to dry.

These samples is immersed in water. Time period is varied by trial and error method to arrive
the corrosion rate which is found by the mathematical calculations equal to corrosion rate
arrived by statistical data. With this trial and error method, time period to achieve the
corrosion rate is found to be 2 weeks. After arriving the time period, remove the sample piece
from the water and clean it. Dry the sample with air jet and then remove the corroded portion
from the sample piece with the help of abraded sheet. Weight loss is found out by weighing
the sample piece in electronic weighing machine. Conclusion is arrived by taking readings
from various specimens.

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1398

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

3.1. Preparing, Cleaning& Evaluation of Test Specimen

To mark specimens used in corrosion tests with a unique designation during preparation.
Several techniques used depending on the type of specimen and test. Metallic specimens
maybe marked by stenciling. That is, imprinting the designation code into the metal surface
using hardened steel stencil stamps hit water hammer. The resulting imprint will be visible
even after substantial corrosion has occurred. Edge notching is especially applicable when
extensive corrosion and accumulation of corrosion products is anticipated. Long term
atmospheric tests and sea water immersion tests on steel alloys are examples where this
approach is applicable. When it is undesirable to deform the surface of specimens after
preparation procedures, for example, when testing coated surfaces, tags may be used for
specimen identification can be stamped on the tag.
It is important to ensure that neither the tag nor the wire will corrode or degrade in the test
environment. It is also important to be sure that there are no galvanic interactions between the
tag, wire and specimen. For more searching tests of either the metal or the environment,
standard surface finishes may be preferred. A suitable procedure might be, in an organic
solvent or hot alkaline cleaner. Pickle in an appropriate solution if oxides are present. Abrade
with slurry of an appropriate abrasive or with an abrasive paper. Rinse thoroughly. Hot air
dry. The clean, dry specimens should be measured and weighed.

3.2. Methods for Cleaning after Testing

Corrosion product removal procedures can be divided into three general categories.
i. Mechanical
ii. Chemical
iii. Electrolytic

An ideal procedure should remove only corrosion products and not result in removal of any
base metal. To determine the mass loss of the base metal when removing corrosion products,
replicate un-corroded control specimens should be cleaned by the same procedure being used
on the test specimen. By weighing the control specimen before and after cleaning, the extent
of metal loss resulting from cleaning can be utilized to correct the corrosion mass loss.

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1399

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

Table 2: Weight of specimen coated with Hard Paraffin

Amount of Duration
Specimen Weight Loss (Hours)
Water
(125 gms) (in gms)
(in ml)

168
A 400 0.78
168
B 400 0.77
168
C 400 0.75
168
D 400 0.78

3.3. Results and Discussion

This experiment is conducted using the below method. A solution is made by
heating50gms of Grease and Hard Paraffin. Liquid state of Grease and Hard Paraffin of dry
film thickness 20 microns is applied over it and it’s allowed to dry. These specimen are
immersed in 200ml of hard water. Time period is kept as 1 week’s pH value of the above
solution is varied and weight loss is measured. Weight loss is found to be0.5grams (0.4 %) at
pH value 6.9. This pH value and time period is retained and solution are varied to get the
percentage of corrosion. Such as Hard Paraffin coating, Grease coating, & combination of
both.

Figure1: Weight of specimen coated with Hard Paraffin

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1400

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

1.5
1

OFSPECIMEN…
0.5

WEIGHT
0

SPECIMENS

Figure 2: Weight of specimen coated with Grease of DFT 20 microns after testing
Table 3: Weight of specimen coated with Grease of 20 microns

Specimen Amount of Weight loss Duration

(125 gms) Water (in gms) (Hours)
(in ml) 168
A 400 1.02

B 400 0.98 168

C 400 1.06 168

D 400 1.31 168

Table 4: Weight of specimen coated with Combination of Hard Paraffin & Grease of 20 microns
Specimen Amount of Weight Duration
(125 gms) Water loss (Hours)
A 400 0.52 168
B 400 0.53 168
C 400 0.57 168
D 400 0.53 168

0.7
0.5
WEIGHT OFSPECIMEN

0.3
AFTER TESTING

0.1

SPECIMENS

Figure 3: Weight of specimen coated with Combination of Hard Paraffin & Grease of 20 microns after
testing

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1401

 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

Table 5: Total test results of the Specimen coated with DFT of (Existing method, Hard Paraffin, Grease,
& Combination of Hard Paraffin & Grease) of 20 microns.

Weight Percent Duration

Coating Loss age of (Hours)
(in weight
Existing 168
1.0 0.8
method
Hard 168
0.7 0.6
Paraffin
Grease 0.1 0.8 168
coating
Combinati
on of Hard 168
0.5 0.4
Paraffin &
Grease
coating

Figure 4: Total of test results of the Specimen coated with DFT of (Existing method, Hard Paraffin,
Grease, & Combination Hard Paraffin & Grease) of 20 microns.

4. CONCLUSION
By applying combination of Grease and Hard Paraffin, corrosion rate is minimized. As per
Indian Railway Manual, total dry film thickness of Epoxy zinc chromate primer and PU paint
should be minimum to avoid paint crack. The experiment shows that better results can be
obtained by applying one coat of Red Oxide Zinc Chromate primer of DFT 25 microns, two
coats of Synthetic enamel paint of DFT 20 microns and one coating of combination of grease
JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1402
 Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems Vol. 9. Sp– 17 / 2017

and hard paraffin of DFT 20 microns. The corrosion rate obtained with this coating is 0.4%
which is less compared to 0.8 % (corrosion rate obtained in existing method used by
railways).

REFERENCES
1. Andrews AI. Porcelain enamel. 2nd ed. Champaign (IL): The Garrard Press
(1961).
2. Bijayani Panda, Balasubramaniam R and Gopal Dwivedi. On the corrosion
behaviour of novel high carbon rail steels in simulated cyclic wet – dry salt fog
conditions, Corros.sci.50,(1684-1692),(2008).
3. Y.Y, Tzeng H J T, Wei L I, Shih H C. Mechanical properties and corrosion resistance
of Low alloy steels in atmospheric conditions containing chloride, Materials science
and Engineering A 398, 47- 59 (2005).
4. Choi Y S, Shim J J , Kim J G. Effects of Cr Cu, Ni and Ca on the corrosion behavior
of low carbon steel in synthetic tap water, J. Alloys Compd. 391 162–169 (2005).
5. Cleland J H, Morgan P G, Failure of vitreous enameled coatings PII: S1350-6307(96)
00017, pp.149-155(1996).
6. Inouye K ,IchimuraK,KanekoK,Ishikawa T. The effect of copper (II) on the formation
of c-FeOOH, Corros. Sci. 16 (1976) 507–517.
7. JiaGuo, Shanwuyang, Chengjia Shang, Ying Wang, Xinlai He. Influence of carbon
content and micro structure on corrosion behavior of low alloy steels in a Cl-
containing environment, Corros.sci51, 242-251(2008).
8. Kuchinski FA. Corrosion resistant thick films by enamelling. In: Wachtman JB,
Haber RA, editors. Ceramic films and coatings. Park Ridge (NJ): Noyes Publications.
pp. 77–130 (1993).
9. Misawa T, AsamiK, Hashimoto K,Shimodaira S. The mechanism of atmospheric
rusting and the protective amorphous rust on low alloy steel, Corros. Sci. 14 (1974)
279–289.
10. Scrinzi E, Rossi S. The aesthetic and functional properties of enamel coatings on
steel, Materials and Design 31,4138-4146 (2010).

JARDCS Special Issue On Engineering and Informatics 1403