API 571

CORROSION & DAMAGE

MECHANISME
 DAMAGE MECHANISME
 Roughly 4-5% of the API 510 exam question will be on API 571
Damage Mechanism. We will go in detail in this course.

API 571 Looks at the damage mechanisms in this way

• Description.
• Affected material.
• Critical factors.
• Affected unit or equipment.
• Appearance/morphology of damage.
• Prevention/mitigation.
• Inspection and monitoring.
• Related mechanism.
• References.
 TEMPER EMBRITTLEMENT
• The cause: Prolonged exposure to temperatures in the
range 343-593 °C (650-1100OF).
• Effect: A reduction in toughness (impact strength) during
start-up and shutdown (rather than continued operations
at temperature) leading to brittle fracture
 BRITTLE FRACTURE
• Caused by hydro-
testing /operating below
charpy impact test
transition temperature
• Brittle fracture is the
sudden rapid fracture
under stress (residual or
applied) where the
material exhibits little or
no evidence of ductility or Failure!
plastic deformation.
 THERMAL FATIGUE
• Thermal fatigue is the result of cyclic stresses (frequency)
and temperature variations.
• Variations of more than about 93oC (200OF) can cause
thermal fatigue.
• Cracks propagate transverse to the stress and tend to be
dagger-shaped, generally wide
and oxide filled (caused by the
oxidising effect of the temperature
variations).
 Erosion/Erosion-Corrosion
Erosion:
• The mechanical removal of the surface material a result of
movement between or impact from liquids, solids, gasses or a
combination thereof.
Erosion-corrosion:
• Corrosion contributes to the erosion by removing the protective
films/scale exposing the underlying metal surface to further
corrosion.
• The presence of both erosion and corrosion significantly increase
the rate of corrosion.
• Tube-bends are particularly susceptible / high fluid velocities
cause scouring.
 Mechanical Fatigue
• Fatigue cracking frequently results in unanticipated
failures, that occur when a component is exposed
to cyclical stresses caused by mechanical loadings
or thermal cycling for an extended period.
Appearance or morphology of Common around stress
damage concentrations:

• Mechanical fatigue failure is • Changes of section

• Keyways
identifiable by ‘clam shell’ • Rough Welds
fingerprint that has concentric • Thread nothces
rings called ‘beach marks’.
 Atmospheric Corrosion
• Corrosion that occurs from moisture associated with
atmospheric conditions. Marine environments and moist
polluted industrial environments with airborne contaminants
are most severe.
• Marine environments can be very corrosive (20 mpy) as are
industrial environments that contain acids or sulfur compounds
that can form acids (5-10 mpy).
• Inland locations exposed to a moderate amount of precipitation
or humidity are considered moderately corrosive environments
(~1-3 mpy).
• Dry rural environments usually have very low corrosion rates (<1
mpy).
 Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)
• CUI is a result of water trapped under
insulation or fireproofing (PFP).
• All Low carbon steel pipework
operating continually at 4 – 120OC.0
• Low Carbon steel pipework operating
at > 120OC ( intermittent service).
• Austenitic Stainless steel at 65-205OC
• Deluge testing and releases in internal dry modules can
initiate CUI.
• Chloride contamination from water or lagging results in more
degradation.
• Marine environment and high humidity also results in high
degradation rates.
 Cooling Water Corrosion
Cooling water corrosion may be localised or general widespread corrosion,
it affects water-cooled heat exchangers and cooling towers in all industries.
The majority of materials are affected, all grades of stainless steel, Carbon
steel and etc. (Ref API 517 4.3.4).
Prevention:
a) An increase in outlet or process inlet temperature can increase
corrosion and fouling.
b) The control of temperature, flow rates, chemical treatment is vital in
controlling cooling water corrosion.
c) Corrosion rates of carbon steel increase when oxygen levels are
elevated.
d) Increasing cooling water velocity to above 3fps (m/s) prevents fouling
and prevent dead spots/stagnant areas resulting in less corrosion.
Boiler Water Condensate Corrosion
Boiler water condensate corrosion is an exclusive corrosion
mechanism of boiler systems and condensate piping, this type of
corrosion affects:
a. Carbon steel.
b. A number of low alloy steels and 300 series SS.
c. Copper based alloys.
The corrosion is a product of dissolved gases oxygen and carbon
dioxide which affects boiler feed water and the condensate return
pipework.
 Dissolved oxygen results in pitting-type damage.
 Pits can sometimes be hidden.
 Under ‘tubercles’ (oxide caps).
 Caustic Corrosion
• Localized corrosion due to the concentration of caustic or alkaline salts
that usually occurs under evaporative or high heat transfer conditions.
• Major contributing factors are the presence of caustic (NaOH or KOH).
• Typically characterized by localized metal loss which may appear as
grooves in a boiler tube or locally thinned areas

under insulating deposits

• Exposure to high solution strength
caustic can result in general
corrosion of carbon steel above
175°F (79°C) and very high corrosion
rates above 200°F (93°C)
 Sulfidation
• Sulfidation is a high temperature corrosion mechanism which
affects carbon and alloy steels and is a reaction with sulphur
compounds and high temperature.
• Corrosion is most often in the form of uniform thinning but can
also occur as localized corrosion or high velocity erosion-corrosion
damage
• Sulphur Compounds
Sulfidation • High Temperatures (> 260oC)
• Carbon and Alloy Steels
The main culprit is H2S, which is formed by the degradation of sulphur
compounds at high temperature
Affecting units like crude plant, cokers, hydroprocessor units, fired heaters, &
etc, where high sulphur and high temperature is likely
 Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking
(Cl-SCC)
• A frequent corrosion mechanism, an amalgamation of
chloride environment, tensile stress and temperature.
• Predominant in 300 series austenitic stainless steel and
a number of nickel base alloys.
• Residual stresses caused by during manufacturing/
welding are few of the known stress factors.
• Cracking is customarily above a temperature
of 60°C (140°F) and above pH 2.
• Appearance: Cracks have many branches
and a crazes cracked and spiders web
appearance.
 Corrosion Fatigue
• Corrosion fatigue is a form of degradation that affects all metals and
alloys. Fatigue cracking frequently results in failures, that occur
when a component is exposed to cyclical loading and corrosion , a
pit or notch on the surface often instigates cracking.
• Typically Fatigue cracks initiate on the surface at notches or stress
raisers:
 Grinding marks.
 Pits.
 Notches.
 Changes in sections.

Unlike mechanical fatigue, corrosion fatigue has no UTS endurance

limit.
 Caustic Stress Corrosion Cracking (Caustic
Embrittlement)
• Surface-initiated cracks that effects equipment and piping exposed to
caustics. Both caustic soda (NaOH) and caustic potash (KOH) have
susceptibility
• The probability and severity of cracking are amplified with an increase
in temperature and caustic concentration.
• Low caustic concentration 50 - 100 ppm have been known to cause
cracking.
• Generaly found in H2S removal units, acid neutralisation units,
equipment and piping that handle caustics. Cracking characteristically
propagates parallel to the weld, however it can also effect the weld
HAZ and weld metal deposit.
• Cracking is often described as a spider web of small cracks, Initiate or
interconnect with weld flaws.
 Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) Corrosion
• Hydrochloric acid (aqueous HCl) causes both general and localized
corrosion and is very aggressive to most common materials
• Most often associated with dew point corrosion in which vapors
of water [H2O] + HCl condense from the overhead stream of a
distillation, fractionation or stripping tower. The first water
droplets that condense can be highly acidic (low pH)
• Carbon steel and low alloy steels are subject to excessive
corrosion when exposed to any concentration of HCl acid that
produces at pH below about 4.5
• Hydrogen chloride is normally not corrosive in dry process
streams, but becomes very corrosive where water is available to
form hydrochloric acid
 Sour Water Corrosion (Acidic)
• Corrosion of steel due to acidic sour water containing H2S at
a pH between 4.5 and 7.0. Carbon dioxide (CO2) may also be
present.
• Sour waters containing significant amounts of ammonia,
chlorides or cyanides may significantly affect pH but are
outside the scope of this section.
• The presence of air or oxidants may increase the corrosion
and usually produces pitting or underdeposit attacks
• Corrosion damage from acidic sour water is typically general
thinning. However, localized corrosion or localized
underdeposit attack can occur, especially if oxygen is
present.
 Amine Stress Corrosion Cracking
• Cracking of steels under the combined action of tensile stress and
corrosion in aqueous alkanolamine systems.
• It is most often found at or adjacent to non-PWHT’d carbon steel
weldments or in highly cold worked parts.
• Amine cracking is most often associated with lean amine services.
• The pure alkanolamine does not
cause cracking.
• Cracking typically develops parallel
to the weld and there may be
parallel cracks. In weld metal, the
cracks are either transverse or
longitudinal with the weld.
Wet H2S Damage (Blistering/HIC/SOHIC/SCC)

Hydrogen H2 molecules diffuse to grain

boundaries and open up the
Blistering structure to cause a blister

Hydrogen Induced Adjacent H2 blisters

Cracking (HIC) form into cracks with a
stepped appearance
4 types of WET H2S
DAMAGE
Stress Oriented Stacked H2 cracks driven by
Hydrogen Induced local stresses (i.e. residual
Cracking (SOHIC) stresses in the HAZ)

All result in blistering or SCC in areas of local high

cracking of low carbon Sulphide Stress hardness. Caused by
and low alloy steels Corrosion Cracking absorption of hydrogen
(SCC) atoms resulting from sulphur
corrosion
 High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA)

At high temperature,
H2 reacts with carbon
in the steel forming
CH4

The loss of carbides

weakens the steel

Fissures start to
form and propagate
in cracks