PRINCIPLES OF MATERIAL CORROSION HMIE 514

AND MATERIALS AND CONTAINMENT 112

ASSIGNMENT 2 SEM. 1 2020

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

1. Laboratory corrosion tests on three alloys in an industrial waste solution show the
following results:
Material Density of Material (g/cm2) Weight Loss (gmd) Pitting Factor
A 2.7 30 1
B 9.0 42 2

Calculate maximum penetration in millimeters for each material at the end of one year.
[4]

2. Copper bar of 300 - cm2 total exposed area coupled to an iron bar 50 - cm2area is immersed
in seawater. What minimum current must be applied to the couple in order to avoid corrosion
of both iron and copper? (Corrosion rate of uncoupled iron in seawater is 0.13 mm/y). (Find
the densities of the metal from literature)
[4]

3. Water entering a steel pipeline at the rate of 40 liters/min contains 5.50 Ml O 2 per liter (25
°C, 1 atm).Water leaving the pipe contains 0.15 mL O 2 per liter. Assuming that all
corrosion is concentrated at a heated section 30 m 2 in area forming Fe 2O3, what is the
corrosion rate in gmd? [Density of Fe is 7.87g/cm 3]
[4]

4. For each of the following examples state the failure mechanism and state how you would mitigate
the problem.
i) Boiler Tube Failure: Horizontal 5 cm diameter carbon steel tubes suffered localized corrosion to
perforation at the point where the tubes fitted into the tube sheet. The tubes contained hot
 gaseous combustion products and the outside of the tubes, where the corrosion started was in
contact with hot water. The water was deaerated prior to entering the boiler. The regular
operator had been on sick leave for an extended period of six months prior to the failure.
ii) Product Transport Pipe Failure
A 304 stainless steel pipe failed after 8 years of service transporting a chloride-containing product.
Steam tracing was placed directly adjacent to the pipe and under the pipe insulation. The flow of
product was intermittent and standing product occurred in the pipe frequently. The flow rate of steam
was not controlled and was either on or off. The pipe failed due to the formation of cracks on the
inside of the pipe that were in close proximity to the steam tracing.
iii) Outdoor Pipe Failure
A carbon steel pipe used in an outdoor chemical plant and insulated with fiberglass suffered
corrosion in the form of pits on the surface of the metal. Laboratory tests showed that when
the fiberglass was leached with distilled water the solution formed was alkaline and capable
of producing a passive film on the surface of the metal. The pipe was located 50 km from a
coal-burning power plant and 3 km from the ocean.
iv) Sulphuric Acid Heating Pipe: A 5 cm diameter lead pipe swelled and burst open after
several weeks of use as a heating pipe in a sulphuric concentrator. The inside of the pipe
o
contained flue gas at 80 C with sulphuric acid on the outside of the pipe.