Pipeline Corrosion Protection Methods

Posted by & filed under Pipe Corrosion.

Corrosion is a terribly annoying byproduct of metal pipelines. A recent study found that the global cost of corrosion to float somewhere around $2.5 trillion, which makes pipeline corrosion protection methods critical.

That’s nearly 3.4% of our planet’s global GDP.

If you own a factory or plant that houses pipelines and other metalworks, you probably already know what a cursed affliction corrosion can be. But if you’re trying to make your profit margins as wide as possible, you need to try your best to win in this battle against mother nature.

Below, we’ll detail 3 pipeline corrosion protection methods you can use to protect your hardware.

1. Cathodic Protection

Cathodic methods of corrosion protection are by far the most complicated, but it’s very effective. Cathodic protection works by creating an electrical current around the pipe using anodes and cathodes. Simply put, this system repels corrosive molecules away from the pipe.

In a sacrificial cathodic protection system, the cathodes begin to corrode instead of the more important metal pipes.

This method protects against galvanic corrosion. Galvanic corrosion happens when two metals are placed closely together in a corrosive environment – i.e. salty seawater or wet soil.

2. Metal Selection

In addition to cathodic protection, you can also select metals and other materials that are less susceptible to corrosion when creating your pipelines. No metal is truly immune to corrosion. What once came from the ground will have to return in death, but some are better than others.

Materials such as stainless steels, plastics, and special alloys can greatly extend the life cycle of a pipeline. Nickel, stell, or titanium alloys are particularly good at preventing corrosion. This is especially true when coupled with a different protection method like cathodic protection.

It’s also important to monitor the surface of the materials once you’ve put them to use. Cracks, chips, and fissures from general wear-and-tear in the pipeline can rapidly increase the rate of corrosion.

3. Environmental Modification

Since it takes two to tango when it comes to corrosion, you can also try to change the other end of the equation: the environment itself.

Corrosion occurs when the metals of your pipeline come into contact with the corrosive liquids and gasses in its environment. So you can also reduce corrosion by trying to get rid of or reduce the corrosive elements in your environment.

You can do this simply by limiting the metal’s contact with rain and other water by shielding it with some form of insulation, thus changing its environment.

You can also use different methods to reduce the amount of sulfur, oxygen, phosphorous, or chlorine in the soil or water the pipe is submerged in.

Need Help With Your Pipeline Corrosion Protection Methods?

Hopefully, this brief rundown of pipeline corrosion protection methods has given some ideas on how to limit the rate of corrosion at your factory or plant.

If you’d like material assistance in further preventing corrosion, you might want to check out our products. We make padding you can apply to your pipeline with a simple peel-back adhesive that will guard your pipes against corrosion.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1.  Supercritical CO2 Extraction Machine

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *