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Corrosion Under Insulation: A JPCL Eresource
Corrosion Under Insulation: A JPCL Eresource
jpcl
PAINTSQUARE.COM JOURNAL OF PROTECTIVE COATINGS & LININGS
A JPCL eResource
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CORROSION UNDER INSULATION
Copyright 2005 by
Technology Publishing Company
2100 Wharton Street, Suite 310
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Sponsored by
Contents
iv Introduction
6 When Undercover Agents are Tested to the Limit: Coatings in Action (CIA)
and Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) at High Temperature
By Mike ODonoghue, Ph.D., Vijay Datta, MS, Adrian Andrews, Ph.D.,
and Sean Adlem, International Paint LLC; Linda G. S. Gray, MSc, Coating Consultant;
Tara Chahl and Nicole de Varennes, CET, RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd.;
and Bill Johnson, AScT, Acuren Group Inc.
Introduction
This eBook features articles from the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings (JPCL)
about corrosion under insulation and includes topics such as understanding the
basics, preventing CUI with thermal-spray metal coatings and more. All information
about the articles is based on the original dates of publication of these materials in
JPCL. Please visit www.paintsquare.com for more articles on these and other topics.
U
sing thermal-spray metal coating on carbon steel
to prevent corrosion is a process that has been
around for most of a century. Under its traditional
Thermal-Spray Metal Coating
and more familiar name of metalizing, ther-
mal-spray coating has prevented corrosion on
New Use for a Traditional Process
carbon steel lock gates, dam components and similar large
marine-environment structures since the early 1900s.
Today, thermal-spray coating is applied by arc spray or mal-spray coating, arc spray is preferred for large, relatively
flame spray; flame spray is the older, more traditional applica- smooth surfaces such as tank roofs or exteriors of large
tion method, and in appearance seems similar to braz- process vessels (Fig. 1). Smaller and more intricate surfaces,
ing, although in fact, the thermal spray coating process and such as small-diameter piping, valves and flanges, are done
the protective film it produces are closer to a liquid-applied with flame spray. Where a project is large enough, both pro-
coating system. Arc-spray application of thermal-spray metal cesses are used to benefit from the advantages of each.
coatings was a shop-bound process until the 1990s, when
portable arc-spray equipment was developed and introduced Metal Types
into field maintenance coating procedures. A wide variety of metals can be used for thermal spray
For refining and petrochemical projects using ther- coating; the author has watched bronze thermal spray being
tages offsetting the restrictions from the SSPC/AWS/NACE Despite thermal-spray metal coatings nearly a century of
standard. Unlike a contractor, who is bidding the time and successful service on exposed steel in coastal, marine and
materials his crews will actually use, the specification engi- similar severe environments, the longest properly recorded,
neer or maintenance manager is also intimately concerned properly monitored CUI service for TSA on U.S. refineries or
with the out-of-service time required to replace a CUI coating chemical plants that the author can find records for is just
system on a vessel or pipe run. To him or her, out of ser- short of 15 years. But after that service time, the applied TSA
vice means out of production. No production equals no coating is in excellent shape and looks to be good for another
income for the affected unit and possibly other units ten or fifteen years, approaching the corrosion control
upstream or downstream in the same train, which cannot managers dream of the CUI coating system having the same
operate when the affected unit is down. expected service life as the unit itself.
Scaffolding, tenting, removal of jacketing and insulation,
surface preparation, and replacement of insulation and jack- About the Author
eting are identical whether using thermal spray or liquid coat- Peter Bock is executive vice president of Advanced Poly-
ings, but where liquid coating application takes three days merics Inc. in Hooksett, New Hampshire. He is an Air Force
if drying time between coats is included, thermal spray is a veteran and holds degrees from Tulane University and the
one-day operation. The corrosion control manager at a major University of Northern Colorado. Bock has 37 years of sales,
Gulf Coast refinery estimated that a 15- or 17-story contact management and technical service
process tower such as the ones shown in Figure 1, generates experience in oilfield and petrochem-
a million dollars in revenue per day of operation. Saving two ical heavy-duty coatings in the United
days of downtime by applying thermal spray instead of liquid States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela,
coating will save the owner $2 million which (the corrosion Indonesia and Taiwan.
control manager estimated) is much more than the added He has experience with on- and off-
cost of thermal spray instead of liquid coating. shore production, drilling and workover
The second savings is length of service life. From a con- rigs, shipyard work, natural gas and
tractors viewpoint, the cost of a project is the cost of time LNG, pipelines, terminals, refineries and
and materials his crews and inspectors will require to com- chemical plants. Bock is a specialist in
plete a project. From the corrosion control managers point elevated temperature systems, corrosion under insulation
of view, the true cost of a project is the contractors invoice and chemical passivation.
plus the cost of out-of-service time, divided by the number He is a former president of NACE New Orleans Section and of
of years of service life expected from the corrosion-control the Houston Coating Society. Bock is a NACE-certified coating
project. inspector and has presented papers and symposia at many na-
Major U.S. oil company corrosion-control specifications tional, regional and local coatings and corrosion control events.
rate thermal-spray aluminum in CUI service as an expect- JPCL
ed service life of 20, 30, and in one specification, 40 years
without replacement or major repair. These same specifica-
tions rate the best liquid-applied coating systems as having
expected service life of 8-to-15 years. From this perspective,
the price of thermal-spray coating goes from being much
more expensive than liquid-applied coatings to being much
less expensive, since it is expected to last much longer.
CANT STAND THE HEAT: and Inspection Ltd.; and Bill Johnson, AScT
Acuren Group Inc.
Fig. 1: Pipe sample schematic Fig. 2: Experimental set-up (Left to Right: TSA,
Figures courtesy of the authors Coating #1, Coating #2, and TMIC)
claims made for engineered coatings touted to possess ultra- that are more aggressive than those typical of CUI problems.
high-heat resistance to 400 C and simultaneous anticorrosion The tests also continue earlier accelerated laboratory investiga-
properties, and to evaluate the coatings suitability for cyclic tions of the CUI cyclic performance of new generation coatings.
CUI use.
The inspiration for Operation High Heat stemmed in part COLLATERAL DAMAGE
from facility owners requests to the authors to identify promis- Corrosion under insulation (CUI) and its high associated costs
ing new pipe and process vessel coatings that could be used in have been the subject of considerable attention by facility own-
cyclic (rather than continuous) temperature CUI environments ers for several decades. CUI processes themselves are gener-
4 6 8 10
ally well understood.1,2 For CUI to occur, the usual actors must halt and may cause a catastrophe. Pipe maintenance repair
be in play: oxygen (a strong corrodent), water, a contaminant costs from CUI alone have been reported to be 40-60% of a re-
salt (the corrosive), a metallic pathway, and a suitable tempera- finerys maintenance budget.6 Ancillary costs can be significant
ture range. According to NACE SP0198, the critical corrosion from lost production, chemical spills, environmental cleanup,
temperature ranges that a high heat coating must withstand are and health and safety implications.
-4 C to 175 C for carbon steel, and 50 C to 175 C for stainless Without the CUI countermeasures of judiciously selected
steel.3 materials, be they protective jacketing, thermal insulation, or
Typically, the most potentially menacing CUI environment specialty coatings, bare carbon steel pipe and vessels inevita-
for thermally insulated carbon steel piping spools will occur be- bly corrode undetected in water saturated-insulation. When the
tween 60 C and 120 C. Factors such as dissolved oxygen, cor- steel fails, the consequences can ultimately be dire.
rosive salts in the water or insulation, the type of insulation, and
isothermal conditions or thermal cycling will be important. Rain COUNTERMEASURES TO CUI
leaking through damaged cladding and porous insulation can Thermal Spray Aluminum (TSA)
lead to moisture at the carbon steel-insulation interface. So too For over 30 years, a single coat application of ~10 mils of TSA
can condensation at that interface after a rapid cooling stage in has had an excellent track record of protecting carbon steel
the process cycle. When the system cools and if an absorbent against atmospheric corrosion in many environments.7,8
insulation like calcium silicate is used, moisture will be retained.
Therefore, insulation materials like expanded perlite or aerogels
tend to be favored.
A carefully designed facility and the use of high quality insu-
lation materials and protective jacketing (e.g., aluminum clad-
ding, multi-laminate tapes, and glass fiber lagging cloths) are
important CUI deterrence strategies to prevent water reaching
insulated carbon steel pipes.4 But as noted, if mechanical
damage occurs, water can reach hot pipes, where evaporation
results in deposition of soluble salts. A continued water supply
and repetitive thermal cycles will concentrate the salts, raising
the boiling point of the water. In an open system, as water nears
its boiling point, the solubility of dissolved oxygen will plummet.
However, in a closed CUI environment, water entering the insu-
lation is continually replenishing oxygen to the steel-insulation
interface. The net result is that CUI rates of 1.5 to 3.0 mm per
year can occur, some 20 times greater than rates due to atmo-
spheric corrosion alone.5
A clandestine and unpredictable enemy, CUI normally goes
undetected until the damage is significant. Without warning,
Fig. 4: Overview of all samples after CUI cyclic testing
perforation of carbon steel can bring operations to a grinding
Fig. 5: Average rusting (left) and cracking (right) in the coatings after CUI cyclic testing
12.0
Log Z Impedance at 0.1 Hz
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
Pre test
Pre test
Pre test
Pre test
100 C
200 C
300 C
400 C
100 C
200 C
300 C
400 C
100 C
200 C
300 C
400 C
100 C
200 C
300 C
400 C
0
TSA #1 #2 TMIC
Fig. 6: EIS results of tested and untested CUI pipes
Fig. 9: After cyclic immersion in salt solution with dry outaverage cracking
Fig. 10: After cyclic immersion in salt solution with dry outaverage flaking
repeated five days a week, for six weeks, for a total of 30 cycles.
After 30 cycles, the insulation was removed from the pipes and
the coating performance evaluated.
Fig. 29: Preparation of TSA weld joints Fig. 30: TMIC applied to protect Fig. 31: Inspection of TMIC after 1 year in service
TSA weld joints showing no coating breakdown or rusting
The pipe samples remained in the oven over the weekend. a slight dulling elsewhere. Adhesion of the TMIC to the steel
Three cycles of immersion and dry heat were conducted each substrate and the TSA in the overlap area was excellent (Table
week for 6 weeks, with visual inspections at 2-week intervals. 2) with cohesive separation only occurring during the prying
action.
CIA RECONNAISSANCE: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 4 shows the appearance of the coated pipe samples Coating #1 (Modified Silicone Copolymer) in Action
after CUI cyclic testing, and Fig. 5 graphically shows the degree CUI Cyclic Testing
of rusting and cracking. Table 2 and Fig. 6, respectively, give Coating #1 deteriorated significantly more than TSA (Figs. 4 and
the adhesion and EIS results. Duplicate coated pipe samples 13). Moderate to severe rusting (ISO 4628-3 Ri 2 and Ri 3, Fig.
performed almost identically. Figure 7 shows the coated pipe 5) was observed above 250 C. Below 250 C, a small amount of
samples after subsequent cyclic salt immersion and heat, and pinpoint rusting occurred, with no rusting below 190 C. Most
Figs. 8 to 10, respectively, show the degree of rusting, cracking of the rusting was associated with cracking of the coating. The
and flaking. cracking consisted of crescent shaped cracks above 390 C
(ISO 4628-4, Rating 2, Sigmoid), randomly orientated cracks
TSA in Action between 390 and 250 C (ISO 4628-4 Rating 4 and 5, NP) and
CUI Cyclic Testing progressively fewer cracks below 250 C, with no cracks below
The main effect of the CUI conditions was rusting in the hottest 210 C. A small ring of coating around the pipe circumference
zone of the pipe (390 C to 445 C), presumably from corrosion of at about 400 C was relatively crack-free. The coating did not
the steel substrate by sodium chloride solution that had pene- blister or flake, and it darkened slightly above 250 C.
trated the porous TSA coating. The degree of rusting was Ri 2 Coating #1 retained relatively good adhesion (Table 2).
(ISO 4628-2), or rusting over about 0.50% of the affected area. Above 200 C, adhesion dropped from a pre-test rating of 10 to
The TSA did not blister, flake, or crack. Except for rusting, the ratings of 7 and 8.
only visible changes were a slight loss of metallic luster above Coating #1 (pre-test) initially had a relatively high impedance,
250 C and patches of a thin white deposit, which was presum- Log Z = 10.4, indicative of excellent barrier properties. Exposure
ably residues of salt, insulation or aluminum oxide formation to CUI cyclic testing caused the impedance to drop by several
(Figs. 4 and 11). Log Z units at 200 C and higher, consistent with cracking and
The TSA retained excellent adhesion to the steel substrate physical breakdown in the coating. The impedance at 400 C
(Table 2), and no coating could be removed by prying with a (Log Z=7.3) was measurably higher because the coating was
stout knife. relatively free of cracks in this area.
The TSA (pre-test) initially had very low impedance, Log Z =
2.6, consistent with the metallic nature of the coating. Exposure CUI Immersion in Salt Solution
to CUI conditions resulted in a small increase in impedance that Subsequent exposure to cyclic salt immersion and dry heat
is attributed to the formation of oxides and/or insoluble salts. resulted in further deterioration of Coating #1. The degree of
They add electrical resistance to the metallic coating by filling rusting increased significantly above 190 C, with rusting now
the pores of the coating. extending below 190 C into areas previously rust-free. The
extent of cracking above 210 C also increased significantly, re-
Cyclic Immersion in Salt Solution and Dry Heat sulting in large areas of flaking where previously there had been
Subsequent exposure to cyclic salt immersion and dry heat none. The flaking was accompanied by large rusty patches of
produced little change in the TSA. It showed no significant exposed substrate. The coating darkened and became severely
increase in rusting and did not blister, flake or crack. Visually the dulled by rust above 250 C. It became moderately dulled and
TSA became more dulled and yellowed, but this appeared to be yellowed by the rust in the saline solution in the 190 C to 250 C
staining as a result of salt and rust deposits that accumulated in region.
the immersion solution.
Coating #2 (Inorganic Polymer with MIO) in Action
TMIC Repair Patch on TSA in Action CUI Cyclic Testing
CUI Cyclic Testing Coating #2 deteriorated considerably more than Coating #1.
No deterioration or rusting was observed on the TMIC repair Severe rusting (ISO 4628-3 Ratings 1 to 3) occurred above 290
patch (Figs. 4 and 12) except for a longitudinal, hairline crack C, and above 335 C, the coating looked swollen from corrosion
in the TMIC/TSA overlap area from 335 to 445 C. The crack product formation under the coating. Blistering, patches of
contained no rust, indicating it did not penetrate to the steel severe flaking and severe cracking occurred above 390 C. The
substrate. The TMIC patch showed a slight to moderate loss blisters were 2 to 4 mm in diameter (ISO 4628-2, size 4, den-
of metallic luster and general dulling above 245 C, with only sity 2) and occurred over half of the pipe circumference. The
flaking had a rating 1 to 5 (ISO 4628-5) and included two large served below 335 C. One quadrant of the pipe above 390 C
flakes ( 2.5 x 5 cm and 1.5 x 2 cm) that revealed a heavily rusted developed mild flaking associated with pinpoint rusting. The
substrate. The cracking was longitudinal (ISO 4628-4, Rating flaking occurred cohesively and did not extend to the substrate.
3), with some cracks continuing into areas of the pipe at lower The coating below 335 C remained free of flaking. A few hairline
temperature down to 335 C (Figs. 4 and 14). cracks developed around half of the pipe circumference above
The degree of deterioration below 390 C progressively 390 C. The coating became duller with more staining as testing
decreased, until no deterioration was visible below 250 C. The progressed, where staining was presumably from salt and rust
area of the coating above 190 C darkened moderately, whereas in the immersion solution.
the area below 190 C lightened. Patches of a white deposit,
presumably of salt or insulation, were present over the surface. Corrosion Rate of Steel under
The coating completely lost adhesion above 335 C (Table 2, CUI Cyclic Testing Conditions
ASTM D6677, Rating 0) and could be lifted from the substrate in Uncoated steel pipe was subjected to the same CUI cyclic test
large chips. Below 335 C, the adhesion improved, with excellent as the four coatings. The steel pipe was covered with a thick
adhesion retained below 250 C (Ratings 8 and 9). layer of loose, red/black corrosion products at the end of the
Coating #2 (pre-test) initially had a relatively high impedance, test (Fig. 16). The corrosion products were noticeably thinner
Log Z = 10.4, indicative of excellent barrier properties. Exposure and more adherent over the middle third of the pipe (160 C to
to CUI conditions produced little change in impedance at 100 C 250 C).
and 200 C, suggesting no deterioration had occurred. However The corrosion products were removed by glass bead blast-
at 300 C and 400 C the impedance dropped significantly, con- ing (Fig. 17) to better determine the metal loss and the nature of
sistent with the visible coating degradation. the corrosion. Between 285 C and 445 C, the steel surface had
a high density of very small pits, 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm in diameter.
TMIC in Action The pits appeared to be deep, but were too small in diameter to
CUI Cyclic Testing accurately measure with a pit gauge. From 190 C to 285 C, large
TMIC performed generally as well as the TSA (Figs. 4 and 15). pits 2 to 10 mm in diameter were visible, with depths of 0.5 mm
A ring of light rust and pinpoints of rust occurred from 335 C to 1.25 mm (mechanical pit gauge measurement). The 95 C to
to 445 C (ISO 4628-3 Ri 0 and Ri 1). However, the rust stain was 190 C area of the pipe showed a mixture of both types of pitting
easily removed by lightly abrading the coating surface, indi- but at much lower density.
cating the rust did not originate from the steel substrate, but Based on the deepest pit (1.25 mm) after 6 weeks of CUI
instead from transfer of corrosion products from the uncoated cyclic testing, the pit corrosion rate was calculated as 10.8 mm/
end of the steel pipe. The TMIC had no blistering, flaking, or year. At this corrosion rate, perforation of the 5-mm pipe wall
cracking. A slight loss of luster and general dulling occurred would occur in approximately 4.3 months.
above 190 C.
Adhesion to the substrate was excellent at 200 C and above, Post Cia Reconnaissance: Microstructure, Porosity, Composition
with no adhesive or cohesive separation observed during the Our Mission Impossible hero is shaken. Our hero finds that a
prying action (Table 2). At 100 C, small (1 to 2 mm) chips could friend can be foe after all, and conversely foe can inexplicably
be pried cohesively from the pipe surface. The observations become friend. What was believed to be true is revealed to be
suggest that exposure to temperatures above 100 C improved false. What was once obvious and accepted is now in doubt.
the adhesion and toughness of the TMIC. The tables have turned, a compromise reached, but what will be
The impedance of TMIC initially (pre-test) was Log Z=7.0. Ex- done with the secret data? Will the face of the future ultimately
posure to CUI conditions at 100 C, 200 C, and 300 C produced change?
a significant increase in impedance to Log Z=9.3 to 9.7. Expo- As did our hero, we too rely on computer science, high-tech
sure to higher temperature reduced the permeability of the gadgetry to reveal and confirm our findings. Let us see where
coating by completing the curing and cross-linking processes our investigations have led.
of the polymeric structure of the coating that had been applied To complete the picture of how the four coatings reacted to
at ambient temperature. The high impedance was consistent the effect of heat, the microstructure and porosity of the coatings
with the visually excellent condition of the coating. At 400 C, the were examined at high magnification using optical microscopy,
impedance dropped to Log Z=3.3, close to the values observed scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray mapping, and EDXA.
for TSA.
General Observations
Cyclic Immersion in Salt Solution Optical microscopy was first employed with the intention of
Pinpoint rusting increased somewhat in size and density above estimating porosity based upon visual comparison to CSA
335 C, with no rusting or any other type of degradation ob- Z245.20 (Canadian Standards Association). Early optical photo-
micrographs suggested there was porosity in the liquid-applied #1 would not be expected to present such a tortuous path for
coatings, in some instances similar to that in TSA. the ingress of water, oxygen, and deleterious salts compared
SEM was then used to afford a more quantitative value for to TMIC. It is noteworthy that at 400 C, the primer is cohesively
porosity within the coating based on the cross section sur- stressed and shears, leaving a thin film of Coating #1 adhered
face areas. This worked well for TSA and for Coating #1, where to the carbon steel substrate (Fig. 23).
virtually no porosity was seen. However, it did not work well for
TMIC because virtually all the dark areas in the TMICs optical Coating #2 in Action
and SEM images were subsequently shown not resulting from The microstructure of Coating #2 was similar to Coating #1, but
porosity. This led next to taking higher magnification images. appeared to be simpler, with the larger particles dominating the
Through the use of a fluorescent green epoxy mounting me- morphology (Fig. 24). The coating retained good adhesion to
dium, and polishing the samples, the dark areas of TMIC at all the substrate with no corrosion products visible at the sub-
temperatures were shown to be back reflection of pigment. In strate. At 300 C, the onset of an intra-coat cohesive fracture line
contrast, the dark areas seen in the images of Coating #2 were was discerned, where the MIO pigment in the primer was seen
spaces arising from coating breakdown (not true porosity) when at the primer surface. By 400 C, the coating had lost integrity
the temperature increased beyond 200 C. and fractured, which allowed the ingress of the hot salt solution
Selected areas near the coating-steel interface were exam- to reach the carbon steel substrate. The resulting oxidation was
ined at high magnification using X-ray mapping techniques. confirmed by the SEM images and EDXA on the carbon steel
Each coating cross-section was analyzed using EDXA at various substrate, where iron, oxygen (likely iron oxide), and chloride
locations in the coating matrix. ions were detected.
The cracks were filled with epoxy during sample preparation,
TSA in Action helping to keep the coating sample intact during preparation
Inspection of the photomicrographs and SEM images showed (Fig. 25). These cracks served as a pathway for oxidation and
that the porosity of the TSA according to the analysis from the corrosion on the substrate. Based on the space within the coat-
Image Pro Plus software was approximately 12 to 20% (Fig. 18). ing filled with fluorescent green epoxy, at 400 C, the apparent
This range is typical for TSA. As expected there was no evi- porosity of Coating #2 was about 9% (Fig. 26).
dence of structural changes in the TSA between 100 C and 400
C. The images also indicated excellent adhesion between the TMIC in Action
TSA and the abrasive blast cleaned steel substrate, in agree- The SEM images showed that there was virtually no porosity
ment with the knife adhesion tests previously discussed (ASTM in TMIC (less than 1%) and the coating microstructure did not
D6677 adhesion Rating 10). appear to change as the temperature increased from 100 C to
400 C. With no cracking or disbonding, the microstructure of
TSA with TMIC Patch in Action TMIC remained essentially unchanged over the full temperature
The integrity of the TMIC coating that was applied as a re- range, as was also observed for TSA (Figs. 27 and 28).
pair patch to TSA did not appear to change as the exposure At 400 C, the TMIC microstructure was found to be fully
temperature increased from 200 C to 400 C. Figures 19 and 20 intact with no evidence of degradation of the matrix (Fig. 28).
show, respectively, SEM and optical images of the repair system The coating morphology consisted of a dense array of leafing
at 400 C and the unbroken and tortuous path of the aluminum aluminum platelets in a silicon-based resin system. Interestingly,
flake platelets. Figure 21 shows the X-ray map and distribution TMIC had been applied at a lower film thickness than any other
of the main elements in the TMIC sample exposed to 400 C, coating under test, and there was no evidence of separation or
namely silicon, aluminum, and carbon (titanium, although vital to opening between the platelets. This may be in part due to the
the efficiency of TMIC, was below the detection limit). It is inter- overlapping and interweaving nature of the aluminum platelets,
esting to see the widespread distribution of carbon from carbon thereby providing additional tensile strength in the circumferen-
compounds that will have been thermally decomposed.19 tial orientation. The aluminum flake may potentially further im-
prove coating integrity and performance at high temperatures
Coating #1 in Action by producing a reduced thermal differential or insulating effect
As shown in Fig. 22, the coating was dense, and showed less across the coating from better heat transfer characteristics.
than 1% porosity over the full test temperature range. The
interface between the two coats during application was not visi- General Discussion of the CIA
ble. The coating structure consisted of the polymer matrix with Previous work by the authors17 showed that TMIC technology
entrained fillers and pigments with a wide variety of shapes and was an excellent proposition for high heat and under-insulation
sizes (rods, plates, blocks, irregular fractured shapes). The mor- service, and would make a perfect complementary product
phology, distribution, and volume of the solid phases in Coating strategy for TSA. It was argued that TMIC could be used to
repair and extend the life of TSA. In the present work, not only performance of TMIC in actual service conditions, success
did TMIC perform almost as well as TSA in a stand-alone mode which could reasonably be anticipated based upon Operation
at 7-8 mils DFT, but it was virtually unaffected as a repair patch High Heat.
to TSA even at temperatures up to 400 C. More work needs
to be undertaken, however, because of a hair line crack that FranceTMIC Protection of TSA Field Joints
developed at the transition between the TMIC and TSA at tem- In 2007, in a refinery in France, some piping that was coated
peratures close to 400 C. More importantly, TMIC was shown with TSA was overlapped with TMIC technology on the welded
to have heat resistance and corrosion resistance properties far field joints. Given that welded joints are particularly suscepti-
superior to the other high-heat coatings investigated. ble to corrosion, TMIC technology was chosen for its barrier
As a CIA agent, TMIC ranked #1 among the liquid-applied properties and high heat protection up to 400 C. Interestingly,
coatings by a considerable margin. Its barrier properties based a traditional thin film silicone aluminum had not met the facility
on the CUI experiments (including cyclic immersion and EIS owners expectations and was subsequently replaced with a
studies) revealed superior performance. Examination of the TMIC coating (Figs. 29 and 30).
TMIC microstructure using optical microscopy, SEM, and X-ray Because of heat stresses created during welding, the welds
mapping all confirmed that TMIC performs as a flexible coating are areas most at risk from corrosion. TMIC was applied on-site
in the CUI range of 60 C to 120 C, and at elevated temperatures by roller and without involving hot work to protect field joints
up to 400 C. In addition TMIC had superior post-test adhesion with TSA.
than either Coating #1 or Coating #2. It was particularly inter-
esting to note that EIS confirmed what is known about TMIC Texas Gas Dryer Unit
technology in that the inorganic polymer does not achieve full Gas dryer units in a Texas refinery with a history of rapid deteri-
cross-linking until heated beyond 100 C. oration of coatings under insulation were selected for the first
Aside from the successful applications in the field, these industrial field trial of TMIC technology. The dryer units cycle
studies strongly indicate that the specification of TMIC tech- between -20 and 230 C over a 4- to 5-day cycle. Previously,
nology for facility owners in the industrial, marine and offshore several different polymeric coating technologies had been
sectors could be a step forward for CUI mitigation, particularly used to protect the dryers, and, in all cases, the coatings had
if ultra high (>200 C) cyclic environments are involved. Depend- failed within 6 to 12 months of service. Because of the lack of
ing on the temperature, the application of the CIA agent TMIC success with other coatings, and the inability to apply TSA to
should reduce the number of costly CUI inspections, cut the the on-site structures, the refinery decided to try TMIC to solve
cost of pipe maintenance, lower life cycle costs, and markedly the CUI problem.
assist risk management practice. In 2004, the TMIC coating was applied to the dryers.
Because of site safety and operational limitations, abrasive
Case Histories blasting was not possible, so the surface preparation consisted
Going Undercover with a TMIC Agent of SSPC-SP 2 and SP 3, hand and power tool cleaning, followed
Our hero has prevailed! All his strivings, sacrifices, and tra- by two coats of the TMIC coating for a total DFT of 8-10 mils.
vails have been worth it. His has been a fact-finding journey One year later, the dryer units were inspected, showing no
of discovery into labyrinths of intrigue; a secret operation into rusting or coating degradation (Fig. 31). At present, the dryers
untrammelled territory. The covert agent list was in safe hands have operated for over 6 years without any indications of CUI.
once again; the lives of many were saved; the balance of power
was assured, and our hero is ready to tackle the next assign- CIA CONCLUSIONS
ment. TSA
We too, have been on a journey of discovery, albeit more of a TSA and TMIC both had similar performance and were the best
technical kind with our own undercover agents. As you can see of the four coatings during the CUI cyclic test runs. The majority
our travels inside the world of coatings under insulation have of visible rusting was limited to the 390 C to 445 C section of
been no less stimulating, no less revealing. And we too, are the pipe. No blistering, flaking, or cracking was observed on the
ready for the next exciting assignment in the realm of protective coating on either of the CUI test runs. However, minute pin-
coatings. points of rust could be observed from 140 C to 390 C after CUI
No matter how well it is designed, a laboratory simulation of cyclic testing.
a service environment will only approximate, or serve to indi- During the cyclic immersion-heat testing, TSA performed
cate, what might be expected to happen in real life conditions. the best, showing no signs of blistering, cracking, or flaking.
Accelerated performance will never fully reflect how a CIA agent While pinpoints of rust were visible from 135 C to 445 C along
will perform in real life service with all the attendant variables. the pipe in some instances, they were minuscule, few in number,
That said, the following case histories outline the successful and appeared to have little effect on the surrounding coating.
Sean Adlem is the Sales Manager, Linda G. S. Gray, MSc, is a Senior Ma-
Alberta Region Protective Coatings, terials Special- ist for RAE Engineer-
International Paint LLC. Sean has ing and Inspection Ltd. and has over
over 20 years of experience in the 20 years of experience with industrial
protective coatings industry. coatings.
By Mike ODonoghue, Ph.D., Vijay Datta, MS, Adrian Andrews, Ph.D., Editors Note: This article is the second part of a
and Sean Adlem, International Paint LLC; Linda G. S. Gray, MSc, series on corrosion under insulation. The first part,
Coating Consultant; Tara Chahl and Nicole de Varennes, CET, When Undercover Agents Can't Stand the Heat:
RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd.; and Bill Johnson, AScT, Coatings in Action and the Netherworld of Corrosion
Acuren Group Inc. Under Insulation, appeared in the February 2012
JPCL. This article is based on a presentation given at
SSPC 2013, the annual conference of SSPC: The So-
F
ciety for Protective Coatings, held Jan. 1417, 2013,
in San Antonio, TX. It is available in the conference
Proceedings (sspc.org).
or industrial, marine, and offshore facility owners, the
cost consequences of corrosion under insulation
(CUI) can be intolerable in terms of lost production,
chemical spills, environmental cleanup, and health C to 445 C.2, 3 The temperature span was intended to ensure
and safety implications. Hence, it is very important to that the coated pipe test pieces were exposed to the NACE
implement carefully designed CUI mitigation strategies. RP01985 critical corrosion temperature range (4 C to 175 C
Specialty coatings can be excellent tools for CUI mitigation for carbon steel; 50 C to 175 C for stainless steel) and higher.
strategies.1 The authors showed in previous laboratory inves- Interestingly, an anomalous finding from the earlier work was
tigations using a CUI cyclic test, that coated carbon steel pipe that corrosion on wet and insulated bare steel pipe appeared to
insulated with Cal-Sil (calcium silicate) saturated with a 1% NaCl occur at temperatures higher than those known for the corro-
(sodium chloride) salt solution performed best with either ther- sion of dry carbon steel.5, 6 This suggested that temperatures,
mal spray aluminum (TSA) or a spray-applied titanium modified measured by thermocouples on bare steel pipe encased in dry
inorganic copolymer (TMIC).2,3 The raison detre for the use of insulation, which were used to indicate temperatures of coated
calcium silicate as an insulation material was because it readily steel pipe encased in wet insulation, were incorrect and needed
absorbs and wicks moisture and can hold about 2040 times its to be checked to provide greater accuracy. These new tem-
weight in water,4 thus representing a worst-case scenario. perature measurements were carried out as part of this new CUI
The cyclic temperature range used in the earlier work was 95 study.
Table 1a: Distance along Carbon Steel Pipe and Corresponding Temperature
Distance from
Bottom (mm) 050 50100 100150 150200 200250 250300 300350 350400 400450 450500 500550 550600
Approx. Wet
Temp Range
(C) 560515 515400 400375 375285 285265 265207 207190 190160 160118 18899 9987 8772
Approx. Dry
Temp Range
(C) 540465 465415 415391 391300 300280 280260 260240 240235 235200 200180 180150 150100
Table 1b: Distance along Stainless Steel Pipe and Corresponding Temperature
Distance from
Bottom (mm) 050 50100 100150 150200 200250 250300 300350 350400 400450 450500 500550 550600
Approx. Wet
Temp Range
(C) 600536 536460 460365 365305 305250 250120 120112 112102 10298 9895 9592 9277
Approx. Dry
Temp Range
(C) 600520 520450 450370 370325 325275 275195 195180 180170 170150 150125 125110 11095
TEMPERATURE PROFILE OF PIPE SURFACE: DAY 1 TEMPERATURE PROFILE OF PIPE SURFACE: DAY 3
Fig. 4a: Day 1 of CUI cyclic testing with hydration Fig. 4b: Day 3 of CUI cyclic testing with hydration
can be found in Appendix I, Figures 1a to 1e, available in full at This was consistent with the observation of steaming (water
paintsquare.com. vapor release) from the top of the pipe during the initial hours of
Each figure shows the temperature profile of the pipe as heating.
a function of distance from the hot end (on the hot plate) at
various time intervals during the daily heating cycle. Zero hours Temperature Profiles: Day 1
refers to the start of the day where 1 liter of 1% NaCl solution The pipe temperature increased rapidly as the heating cycle
was poured into the insulation and into the pipe (at ambient was applied. Over the 8-hour duration, the temperature profile
temperature), immediately before the pipe was placed on the curves tend toward the shape and values of that recorded for
cold hot plate (which was then turned on.) Temperature profile the dry pipe (Fig. 4a). The deviation from the dry curve is mini-
curves were obtained at various intervals for the following 8 mal at the high temperature end (bottom) of the pipe, presum-
hours, after which the pipe was removed from the hot plate, ably because the insulation is still dry, or has dried out from the
another liter of 1% NaCl was poured into the insulation, and the heating. The deviation from the dry curve at the low tempera-
pipe left overnight. ture end (top) of the pipe is considerably larger, presumably due
to the loss of heat into the moisture present in the insulation.
Weight Change of the Pipe
The initial mass of the pipe with dry insulation was estimated to Temperature Profiles: Days 25 and Days 610
be 3.2 kg (7 lbs) made up of 2.7 kg (6 lbs) for the pipe and 0.45 The temperature profile progressively changed from days 1
kg (1 lb) for the insulation. through 5, after which little further change was observed.
After the first 5 days of cyclic wetting and heating, the pipe The temperature profile at the high temperature end of the
plus insulation had a mass of 13.4 kg (29.4 lbs), an increase pipe was rather erratic from days 2 to 4, especially at the begin-
of 10.2 kg (22.4 lbs). Over the 5 days, 10 liters of 1% NaCl had ning of the heating cycle (Figure 4b). The behavior, consisting of
been added to the insulation. Therefore, very little water evapo- high and low temperature variations along the length of the pipe
rated from the insulation during the first five days. was attributed to random dry and wet spots in the insulation.
After ten days, the pipe plus insulation had a mass of 14.0 kg The erratic behavior stopped at day 5, presumably because the
(30.8 lbs), indicating that the pipe had reached a steady state. insulation became fully saturated with brine (Fig. 4c).
The insulation was presumably fully saturated, and the water The temperature of the pipe after 8 hours progressively
loss by evaporative boiling was roughly equal to the amount of decreased from days 2 to 5, particularly at the high temperature
brine introduced. end of the pipe. After day 5, the portion of the pipe from 100
The rate of evaporation was presumably matched with the mm to 275 mm appeared to reach a limit of 100 C after 4 hours
rate at which brine was introduced into the insulation at 5 days. of heating. The heat supplied to the pipe resulted in evaporative
conditions are shown in Figs. 8 and 9 (p. 42). coating chips (5 mm to 20 mm in length) occurred from the
pipes surface from 0 mm (600 C) to 100 mm (460 C). The TMIC
Carbon Steel Pipe disbonded adhesively and cohesively even though one coat
Small rust pinpoints (ISO 4628-3 Rating 1) (Fig. 7, p. 42) oc- was applied.
curred over the 100 C to 215 C temperature range. Also, a small The adhesion to the substrate of the TMIC was very good
amount of rust stains were evident on the pipe exposed to the (Table 2, p. 40). A very small amount of coating chips (13 mm in
450 C to 560 C temperature range (0 mm to 100 mm). The rust length) cohesively and adhesively disbonded over the 75 C to
stains from the 450 C to 560 C range were easily removed by 175 C temperature range area when pried with a stout knife. A
lightly abrading the coating surface, indicating the rust did not slight loss of luster and dulling of TMIC was most pronounced in
originate from the steel substrate, but presumably came from the 320 C to 460 C temperature range.
corrosion at the end of the steel pipe.
The adhesion of Coating A to the steel substrate was excel- General Discussion
lent (Table 2). Virtually no coating could be removed by prying Part A: Temperature Profile Studies
with a stout knife except for a few tiny coating chips (~1 mm in on Bare Steel Pipes
length), which disbonded cohesively at the region of the pipe When the insulation was dry, the temperature gradually de-
exposed to 240 C. Coating A showed no visible signs of blis- creased from the hot end of the pipe to the cold end; when the
tering, flaking, or cracking. Excluding rusting, Coating A had no insulation was water saturated, the temperature did not change
other visible changes except for moderate dulling above 375 C. gradually, but instead was arrested at 100 C between 100 mm
and 300 mm from the hot end. The arrest was speculated to
Stainless Steel Pipe result from evaporative boiling of water from water saturated in-
There was no evidence of rusting (ISO 4628-3 Rating 0), (Fig. 7, sulation, which did not dry out during the heat cycle in this area.
p. 42) or blistering (ISO 4628-2) of Coating A along the entire Measurements of temperature through the thickness of the
length of the pipe. However, cracking (ISO 4628-4) and flaking insulation suggested that the insulation became water satu-
of large coating chips (5 mm to 20 mm in length) occurred from rated at the top of the pipe after about 2 days, and towards
the pipes surface from 0 mm (600 C) to 100 mm (460 C). With the bottom of the pipe after 5 days. After water saturation, the
the exception of the flaking, the adhesion of Coating A to the temperature within the insulation was similar to the pipe surface
steel substrate was excellent (Table 2), and no coating could be temperature, and no significant temperature gradient occurred
removed by prying with a stout knife. across the insulation.
High rates of corrosion of bare steel pipe would be expected
TMIC In Action over most of the pipe where the insulation remained wet and
Detailed pictures of TMIC after exposure to CUI in cyclic test the temperature was 100 C.
conditions are shown in Figs. 10 and 11 (p. 44). The results indicated the temperatures to which the CUI
coatings were subjected were considerably lower than predict-
Carbon Steel Pipe ed from the temperature measurement profile on the pipe with
No rusting occurred along the length of the pipe other than a dry insulation.
small amount of rust stain over the 450 C to 560 C temperature In the authors previous studies of the CUI cyclic testing
range. The rust stains were easily removed by lightly abrading performance of TSA, a TMIC coating, and two inorganic silicone
the coating surface, indicating that the rust presumably came polymer coatings, a temperature range of 95 C to 445 C was
from corrosion at the end of the steel pipe. cited for the test pipes.
The TMIC showed no evidence of any blistering, flaking, Differences of coating performance were generally observed
or cracking. The adhesion to the substrate of TMIC was very at the reported ranges of 210190 C, 245210 C, 285245 C,
good (Table 2). A very small amount of coating chips (12 mm 335285 C, 390335 C, and 445390 C. The best of the four
in length) disbonded cohesively and adhesively over the 75 C coatings during the CUI cyclic test runs were TSA and TMIC.
to 240 C temperature range when the coating was pried with a Furthermore, both were markedly superior in performance to
stout knife. Coating #1 and Coating #2 in that study. To reiterate, Coating #2
A slight loss of luster and moderate dulling of TMIC was most in the previous study is Coating A in the present study.
pronounced in the 450 C to 500 C temperature range. Also in the earlier work, corrosion was evidenced on bare
steel pipe subjected to the same CUI conditions as coated
Stainless Steel Pipe pipes. In that case, a high density of small pits were seen at a
There was no evidence of rusting (ISO 4628-3 Rating 0, Fig. 7), reported temperature of 445285 C, large pits at 285190 C,
or blistering (ISO 4628-2) of TMIC along the entire length of and both small and large pits at 19095 C.
the pipe. However, cracking (ISO 4628-4) and flaking of large First and foremost, this new work shows that the introduc-
tion of brine into the insulation significantly reduces the pipe property is achieved by the tenacious surface oxide layer that
surface temperature and insulating properties. In particular, if is formed due to the alloying of chromium and nickel. This layer
the saturation is sufficient that dry-out cannot occur, the steel may be damaged in the presence of chloride solutions, result-
pipe surface remains wetted by NaCl brine at elevated tempera- ing in pitting attack.
ture, a condition producing high rates of corrosion. The earlier Type 304 stainless steels may be susceptible to sensitization
reported temperatures were lower in reality. This explains why at temperatures from 550 C to 800 C. At this temperature range,
corrosion on bare steel apparently seemed to occur on carbon chromium may migrate to austenite grain boundaries, result-
steel at temperatures higher than expected according to the re- ing in a thin zone of chromium depletion adjacent to the grain
ceived wisdom.5, 6 Table 3 (p. 42) shows the temperature range boundaries. This chromium-depleted zone is susceptible to
corrections based on the current investigations. intergranular stress corrosion cracking in aggressive environ-
Notwithstanding the temperature corrections in Table 3, it is ments, including chloride solutions.
important to note that the ranking of coating performance of In general, the coefficient of thermal expansion for stainless
the four coatings remains unchanged. Applied to carbon steel steel is 17.3 x 10-6 cm/cm C from 0 C (32 F) to 600 C (1,113 F).
pipes, and under repetitive cyclic thermal conditions, other than For a 25 cm length of pipe, the total linear expansion expected
TSA, the TMIC coating rated to ca 400 C provided the best from room temperature to 600 C is 0.26 cm in length. This will
thermal resistance and corrosion resistance in the critical CUI remain more linear from room temperature due to the austenitic
temperature range of -4 C to 175 C.2, 3 matrix present.
at lower temperatures.2, 3 Coating A performed better than it de Varennes, N., Gray, L.G.S., Lachat, D., and Johnson, B.,
did in previous studies at lower temperatures.2, 3 When Undercover Agents Cant Stand the Heat: The CIA
At the time of writing, the authors CUI research is continu- and the Netherworld of Corrosion Under Insulation, SSPC
ing. Shorter carbon steel and stainless steel pipes have been 2012. The International Protective Coatings Conference and
coated with TMIC and Coating A and are being subjected to the Exhibition. New Orleans, LA, February 2012.
same CUI test regimen as presented here. The dimensions of 4. ODonoghue, M., Datta, V.J., From Trauma to Transcendence:
the pipes are 6 cm in diameter and 30 cm in length with a 5 mm Corrosion Under Insulation, NACE North Western
thick wall. The results of that work will be presented at a later Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Feb. 1518, 2010.
date together with any optical microscopy and SEM investiga- 5. NACE Standard RP0198-2004, Control of Corrosion Under
tions. Thermal Insulation and Fireproofing Materials A Systems
Approach, NACE International, Houston, TX, 2004.
Conclusions 6. Chustz, K., Personal Communication. March 2012.
One coat of TMIC and a two-coat system of Coating A showed
similar performance under the applied CUI test conditions on About the Authors
both carbon and stainless steel pipes. On carbon steel pipes, Mike ODonoghue, Ph.D., is the Director of Engineering and
TMIC was marginally better in that there was no evidence of Technical Services for International Paint LLC. He has more
blistering, rusting, cracking, flaking, or adhesion loss, whereas than 30 years of experience in the protective coatings
Coating A exhibited some pinhole rusting over the 100 C to 215 industry.
C temperature range. Vijay Datta, MS, is the Director of Industrial Maintenance for
When TMIC and Coating A were exposed to higher tempera- International Paint LLC. He has more than 40 years of
tures on carbon and stainless steel pipes, there appeared to be experience in the marine and protective coatings industry.
more compositional changes in stainless steel than in carbon Adrian Andrews is the Technology Development Manager,
steel at higher temperatures. This resulted in both coatings International Paint LLC. He has more than 30 years of
disbonding when applied to stainless steel. experience in the protective coatings industry.
The undercover agent TMIC performed as well as it did in Sean Adlem is the Sales Manager, Alberta Region Protective
previous studies at lower temperatures. The undercover agent Coatings, International Paint LLC. Sean has over 20 years of
Coating A performed better than it did in previous studies at experience in the protective coatings industry.
lower temperatures. Linda G. S. Gray, MSc, is a Senior Materials Specialist for RAE
The temperatures to which the CUI coatings were subjected Engineering and Inspection Ltd. and has over 20 years of
were considerably lower than initially predicted from a tem- experience with industrial coatings.
perature measurement profile on pipe with dry conditions. The Tara Chahl, CET, is a Chemical Technologist for RAE Engineer-
introduction of water and or brine into the insulation material ing and Inspection Ltd. She has three years of experience in
significantly reduces the pipe surface temperature and insulat- industrial coatings.
ing characteristics. Nicole de Varennes is Coatings Laboratory
The insulation type also plays a role in determining the corro- Manager for RAE Engineering and Inspection Ltd. She has 8
sion resistance and performance of CUI coatings and therefore years of experience in various aspects of industrial coatings.
any prediction of coating lifetimes from short term aggressive Bill Johnson, AScT, is the Manager of Laboratory Services
testing methodologies is difficult. (Although accepted as true, with Acuren Group Inc., in Richmond, BC. Bill has 20 years of ex-
this is not a conclusion of this study.) perience in materials testing, failure analysis, scanning electron
The overall performance of a CUI coating is most likely insu- microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. JPCL
lation-type specific. Further work is underway to evaluate these
coatings under a range of insulation types.
References
1. Goldie, B., Kapsanis K., Corrosion Under Insulation: Basics
and Resources for Understanding, JPCL, July 2009, p. 34.
2. ODonoghue, M., Datta, V.J., Andrews, A., Giardina, M.,
de Varennes, N., Gray, L.G.S., Lachat, D., and Johnson, B.,
When Undercover Agents Cant Stand the Heat:
Coatings in Action (CIA) and the Netherworld of Corrosion
Under Insulation, JPCL, February 2012, pp. 2443.
3. ODonoghue, M., Datta, V.J., Andrews, A., Giardina, M.,
The No Big Bang Theory Fig. 1a: (Left) Vertical process vessel after complete reblast and
An Introduction To Risk-Based recoat with thermal spray aluminum. Thermal spray is used under
insulation on large, flat, easy-to-access surfaces.
Fig. 1b: (Right) Vertical process vessel coated with thermal spray
Inspection Systems for Mitigating CUI in aluminum after insulation and cladding have been replaced, and
before removal of scaffolding.
Process Equipment and Piping Photos courtesy of The Dow Chemical Company,
St. Charles Operations, Hahnville, LA 70057
S
teelwork at all levels of industry in the United States this article. Our news media regularly report big bangsfires,
is corroding despite our best efforts to stop it.1 Un- explosions, chemical spills, toxic releases and other similar
expected atmospheric corrosion damage (including events. Many of these are caused by CUI.
corrosion under insulationCUI) causes tens of CUI is as likely to be found on the boiler feed lines in a local
billions of dollars in losses annually from unantici- hospital or food processing plant as in a coal-fired electrical
pated shutdowns of equipment; loss of production; unplanned generating plant or a major petrochemical facility, where hot
maintenance; unexpected cleanup costs; and, in more severe process equipment and pipeline are common. The larger and
cases, damage to adjacent equipment, injuries to operating more complex a manufacturing facility is, the more likely it is
personnel or surrounding residents, toxic chemical releases, to suffer from CUI and unexpected atmospheric corrosion
environmental damage, and other long-term effects. Moreover, damage. In addition, the larger and more complex a plant is, the
this unexpected corrosion damage affects everything from the more likely it is that a corrosion-related failure during operation
largest and most sophisticated refineries down to small local will have major consequences. Chemical and petrochemical
waterworks and sewage plants. While the damage can take plants can be quite complex, and the damage to them (and the
many forms, one of the most challenging is CUI, the focus of surrounding area) from CUI can be quite severe because CUI is
Fig. 2a: Sphere being abrasive blasted prior to recoating Fig. 2b: Newly applied epoxy primer and stripe coats on the sphere.
and re-insulation. Maximum operating temperatures are low Each step of the coating application process is closely inspected
enough that an epoxy system can be used. before the next step is allowed to start.
usually well under way before it is detected. Unfortunately, it is vessel becomes unsafe. If corrosion continues, cracking, leak-
often detected after it has caused significant damage. Finding age, or catastrophic failure during operation becomes more and
CUI before the damage occurs is challenging. This article de- more likely.
scribes using risk-based inspection (RBI) to detect and mitigate Until the 1970s, carbon steel under insulation for elevated
CUI in chemical and petrochemical process equipment and temperature service was often left unpainted. It was thought
pipeline before severe damage is done. The article also illus- that the high operating temperatures would keep the steel from
trates a successful in-house CUI-RBI program in Figs. 1a and rusting, and there were no effective paints for high tempera-
1b; Figs. 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d; and Fig. 3. tures. There were two major problems with this concept.
1. Nothing stays hot forevermost elevated temperature
CUI: The Back Story equipment actually cycles hot-cold fairly frequently. Even
Most oil refining and petrochemical manufacturing processes equipment that runs hot almost continuously is cooled down
are simply advanced forms of cookingcrude oil or intermedi- for maintenance turnarounds and corrodes during those cool
ate chemicals are cooked, heated under specific conditions or times if not protected.
in specific temperature and pressure environments, to produce 2. CUI is normally invisible. The insulation and cladding hide the
more desirable end products. Process vessels and piping are steel, and even if it was properly painted with a temperature-re-
usually insulated to conserve process heat and reduce the fuel sistant coating, there is usually no quick and inexpensive way to
required, to reduce process temperature variations, to stabilize check that the coating is protecting the steel. To make matters
stored intermediates or end products, and to protect workers worse, most cladding leaks, and most insulation holds water to
from exposure to hot equipment. Insulation is normally covered some degree, so the steel under insulation is exposed to a se-
with unpainted aluminum or stainless steel sheet metal clad- vere immersion corrosion environment whenever it is operating
ding to protect the fragile insulation. below the boiling point of water.
It is this sheet metal cladding over insulated piping and Today, there are effective coating systems available for ele-
vessels that gives a refinery or chemical plants process units vated temperature CUI service, but problems 1 and 2 continue.2
a shiny, misleading good-to-go appearance. But dont be Corrosion under insulation tends to be invisible, and no coating
fooledbeneath that shiny exterior cladding and the insulation system gives 100% protection for tens of years under such
it covers, there usually beats a hidden heart of rusty steel. And severe conditions.
in many cases, no one has any idea of how rusty the steel really The cost of removing cladding and insulation is time con-
is. Once corrosion eats into the steel, wall thickness is lost, and suming and very expensive; replacing cladding and insulation
the vessel or pipe is no longer capable of resisting the tempera- is even more expensive. Most insulated equipment receives
ture and pressure it was originally rated for. Normally, there is only periodic spot checks of tiny areas during normal operation.
a corrosion allowance of extra thickness in the steel. When Most of the steel under insulation is not seen for the expected
the thickness of corrosion exceeds this allowance, the pipe or life of the coating system or the expected life of the uncoated
Fig. 2d: After work is complete and scaffolding has been removed, the newly recoated, insulated
and clad sphere is seen at the left of the picture in the plants sphere tank area
Evaluation is required for every location. For the exploration Environment both in the immediate area and in general
and production division of our model company, location is Reputation of the owner or parent company, locally and
defined as the smallest individual unit assessed, down to each worldwide
production platform offshore or each flow station onshore. For Severity of consequences is rated from ZeroNo injuries,
a refinery or petrochemical plant, a location may be defined as no damage, no environmental or reputation effectto Five
one production unit within a larger plant, or even one special- Multiple fatalities, massive damage to the facility, and a huge
ized portion of the plant (such as raw materials storage and long-term impact on the environment and on the companys
handling). reputation.
A simplified typical Risk Assessment Evaluation Chart (Table A Serious effect, Three on the consequences scale, would
1) examines possible consequences of an unexpected event be an event that produces many days of absence from work for
and their effect on the following. affected employees, or that results in long-term disabilities; a
Neighbors: People, buildings, and land in the area of the release of large amounts of crude oil or of any reportable quan-
affected plant tity of a hazardous chemical; an event that triggers an environ-
Equipment in the plant itself mental fine; an event that incurs very high repair and mitigation
of dollars per square foot or dollars per linear foot of pipe per results, match them against expected results based on the
year of the RBI program. Remaining service life of an older unit, initial RBI survey, and decide on an appropriate course of action.
expected upgrades or replacement, and the part one unit plays In simplified form, the recurrent RBI survey can have four
in the overall operation of the plant all need to be evaluated possible results for a particular unit or piece of equipment.
against the risk evaluation for that particular unit. Less corrosion is found than was expected. This result is
Once data is collected, the proposed RBI program needs to noted in the survey. If the result is found to repeat in the next
be prioritized, based on highest possible event consequences, scheduled survey of this unit, the unit or piece of equipment
age and replacement cost of equipment, turnaround schedules, may be re-evaluated for lower risk or less frequent inspection.
and the ability to incorporate the RBI program into existing in- Some owners also use such a finding to re-evaluate related
spection procedures (if any exist). Because there is not enough equipment, working on the sound theory that if one unit or
budget for 100% frequent inspection of all insulated areas, a piece of equipment is rusting less than expected, something
priority ranking program is set up, with the riskiest vessels, else related to the equipment may be acting as an anode and
piping, and equipment receiving the most frequent and most rusting more than expected.
thorough spot inspections, and lower-risk equipment being Corrosion is as expected. The survey is submitted and repeat-
inspected less often, or with less of the insulation and cladding ed as scheduled.
actually removed as part of the scheduled inspection. Low- A small increase in corrosion is noted over expectation.
est-risk or no-risk equipment may receive only the minimum Additional portions of the unit are inspected at the same time
required electronic wall thickness tests annually. Some critical to confirm the increase in corrosion. For CUI work, inspecting
refinery areas may require 100% removal of cladding and insu- additional portions means removing additional small areas of
lation and 100% visual inspection. cladding and insulation. The unit or area is marked, and the next
A key factor in the frequency of visual inspections is the scheduled re-inspection will determine whether unscheduled
equipment owners confidence in the CUI coating systems used corrosion-preventive maintenance may be necessary.
on equipment included in the CUI RBI program. Where quality A large or unexpected increase in corrosion is noted. Addition-
surface preparation, a suitable proven coating system, good al portions of the unit are inspected at the same time to confirm
application, and thorough inspection have been done on equip- the increase in corrosion, and plant personnel are brought in to
ment under insulation, the number of inspection spots may try to determine a cause. Budget and scheduling are rearranged
be reduced to areas of known breakdown, and the inspection to give priority to corrosion-preventive maintenance on this
intervals may be extended. Table 2 shows a major global pet- unit or piece of equipment. The recurrent survey schedule is
rochemical companys confidence level for length of service rearranged to closely monitor this problem until corrosion-pre-
life of coatings under insulation, where operating temperatures ventive maintenance is done, and then afterward to determine
never exceed the maximum service temperature of the applied whether the maintenance resolved the problem.
coating system.5 RBI programs for plants with large amounts of insulated
piping and equipment require additional input during the initial
Continuing the RBI Program set-up of the program to assure that the spots selected for
After the base plant (or unit) RBI survey has been done, and recurrent survey are actually representative of the worst case
the risks and hazards have been agreed upon, quantified, and areas of each unit or piece of equipment. The first few recurrent
ranked by plant personnel, then the actual annual (or otherwise surveys done by a contract inspection or survey firm may actu-
recurrent) field surveys can be done by an outside survey firm ally include additional, redundant spot inspection points, which
that has experienced, qualified inspectors, and follows the base can be phased out later if survey results are as expected. Where
survey. Many existing RBI programs actually combine electronic electronic testing or thermal imaging produces reliable results
non-destructive testing (NDT) with insulation and cladding re- and matches destructive spot testing over several recurrent
moval and visual inspection of selected small areas. Both parts survey cycles, the destructive testing spots may be reduced,
of the survey may be done by the same firm, or NDT can be thereby reducing the overall survey costs without affecting
done by a specialist, and the results can be verified by a paint reliability.
inspection company. Figures 1-3 that accompany this article show an in-house
The findings of these recurrent surveys are summarized RBI program in action at a petrochemical plant in South Louisi-
in electronic format, incorporating electronic testing results, ana. The facility is an older plant, but equipment is meticulously
digital photographs, and the field contract inspectors eyeball maintained, and a very thorough RBI program is in place. Sec-
on the steel evaluations. The plants corrosion engineer or tions of insulated piping, vessels, and equipment are inspected
maintenance manager now can examine the corrosion state of annually on a rotating basis, with a typical section being re-in-
his facility on a computer monitor in his or her office, at his or spected every three years on average. The plant uses a combi-
her convenience. Management personnel can review the survey nation of organic coatings and thermal spray aluminum for CUI
work; annual survey results tend to confirm the plants RBI base substantial initial investment of time and effort, and a multi-year
surveys and the service life expectations for the systems used. continuing commitment, the relative security, peace of mind,
Confidence is high that the CUI-RBI program is working as it and confidence in the plant corrosion state offer a positive re-
should. turn on investment even before factoring in the cost savings of
A Houston-area industrial gas facility, which produces vari- not having an unexpected event that might shut down the plant,
ous gases by cryogenically refrigerating air and then separating pollute the neighborhood, and irreparably injure the companys
its components, has an entirely different approach to RBI for the reputation.
companys piping for transfer, storage, and loading. The facility
doesnt do any RBI. Analysis of maintenance and operating References
records on these low-temperature piping systems in the plant 1. George F. Hays, P. E., Now is the Time, White Paper, World
has shown that failures are always due to cracking of piping in Corrosion Organization, Houston, TX, corrosion.org, 2007.
cyclic service from cryogenic to ambient temperatures. A failed 2. Control of Corrosion Under Thermal Insulation and
pipe is quickly discovered through unexpected pressure loss; Fireproofing Materials, a Systems Approach, NACE SP
the insulation and cladding over the pipe act as an effective 0198- 2010, NACE International, Houston, TX, nace.org, 2010.
containment over the ruptured pipe; and the only loss is of the 3. Corrosion Under insulation and Fireproofing, Currently
product in the pipe, which, as a gas component of air, is inher- circulating draft of API RP583, First Edition, First Ballot,
ently non-polluting. American Petroleum Institute, Washington, DC, api.org, 2012.
The plant has been designed to allow effective isolation of 4. Keith E. McKinney, Fred J. M. Busch, Andre Blaauw, Andrea M.
failed pipe run sections, so when such a failure occurs, the af- Etheridge, Development of Risk Assessment and
fected pipe run is shut in, insulation and cladding are removed, Inspection Strategies For External Corrosion Management,
and the failed pipe section is replaced. Loss of product and loss Paper No. 05557, NACE Corrosion 2005, NACE International,
of productivity are minimal. The plant runs several parallel air Houston, TX, nace.org, 2005.
separation trains, so the downtime required to replace a frac- 5. William C. McRae and Nalton Thompson, CUI Project
tured length of pipe in the transfer, storage, and loading piping Development, Bring on the Heat 2013, NACE International,
produces only a small reduction in plant output and does not Houston, TX, nace.org, 2013.
require other shutdowns. Corporate management has deter-
mined that for these portions of the plant, this policy of neglect Peter Bock is Inspection Sales Manager for Capital Inspectors,
presents low enough risk and is more cost effective than an The Woodlands, TX. He is an Air Force veteran and has degrees
intense RBI program. from Tulane and the University of Northern Colorado. Bock has
36 years of experience with sales, management, and techni-
Conclusion cal service in oilfield and petrochemical
Unfortunately, a great deal of corrosion-mitigation plant main- heavy-duty coatings in the U.S., Canada,
tenance, both for CUI and for atmospheric corrosion damage, Mexico, Venezuela, Indonesia, and Taiwan.
is done reactively, rather than proactively. There is an Oh Sh** He has experience with on- and offshore
moment that comes in almost every unscheduled CUI inspec- production, drilling and workover rigs, ship-
tion. Thats when the plant corrosion engineer or maintenance yard work, natural gas and LNG, pipelines,
manager looks at the large area of newly exposed corroding terminals, refineries, and chemical plants.
steel where insulation and cladding were removed after serious He is a specialist in elevated temperature
corrosion was seen in a smaller exposed area, and the engineer systems and CUI mitigation.
says Oh Sh**. Fixing this is going to take my entire maintenance The author gives special thanks for the photographs to Mr.
budget for the year. Lawrence Joe Bordelon, Senior Coatings & Linings Technol-
For these plants, CUI repair work is scheduled and done ogist, Site SME/Technical Support/Paint Operations, Global
only after a serious problem is unexpectedly found. This work Paint/ Linings TRN Member, The Dow Chemical Company, St.
often involves unscheduled shutdowns; loss of production; Charles Operations. JPCL
manufacturing bottlenecks or backlogs; and, occasionally, even
fires, explosions, or toxic product releases. This maintenance
process is unnecessarily costly and can be easily improved.
Improvement requires only a small increase in budgets and no
long-term increase in plant personnel, using RBI with an initial
survey by plant personnel and recurrent inspections by outside
contract inspectors or surveyors.
Although commitment to a CUI-RBI program requires a
O
occurs at such a rate that application of a protective barrier in
the form of a coating system significantly extends the life of
ver the past 25 years or so, problems with cor- exposed piping, vessels, and equipment. The environment cre-
rosion under thermal insulation (CUI) have been ated when a steel surface is encased under thermal insulation
recognized by the chemical and petrochemical is often more conducive to corrosion, resulting in significantly
industries, leading to the need for effective higher corrosion rates, than an analogous uninsulated surface.
corrosion protection for piping, vessels, and Corrosion under insulation is of particular concern because
equipment encased in thermal insulation. The first part of this many insulating materials trap and hold moisture against the
article briefly reviews how the environment for CUI is created. steel so that insulated surfaces are subject to a wetted envi-
The review also explains how piping, vessels, and equipment are ronment for greater lengths of time than uninsulated surfaces,
typically insulated and notes the historical circumstances that which more readily dry out. Many surfaces are insulated to
contributed to CUI. The second part of the article describes retain heat, so the time in the wetted environment is also at an
two recently published consensus documents about CUI and elevated temperature, resulting in an increased corrosion rate.
reports on three recent studies on CUI. Because the progressive corrosion of insulated surfaces is not
The article is not intended to be a comprehensive discussion readily observed, and therefore not allowing for regular mainte-
of CUI. Previous articles have addressed in varying detail many nance when corrosion is minor, CUI often proceeds unnoticed
issues associated with CUI, including approaches to preventing until consequences are severe.
it, performance of various coatings under insulation, and when
coatings are needed under insulation (see examples, Referenc- The Insulation System
es 18). An upcoming article will address the issue of deciding Insulation is typically applied to piping, vessels, and equipment
when to coat before insulating, taking into account more than in the petrochemical industry to maintain process tempera-
the operating conditions. tures. (In some facilities, insulation is also used to protect
personnel from hot surfaces, but this topic is beyond the scope temperatures up to approximately 220 C (425 F). Mitigating CUI
of this article.) Thermal insulation materials are generally porous became the subject of a NACE International guideline, pub-
materials (capable of absorbing moisture), including mineral lished over a decade ago and updated in 2004 (Recommended
wool, foam glass, aerogels, and polymeric foams. Insulation Practice RP0198, The Control of Corrosion Under Thermal
is clad or jacketed to prevent physical damage. Insulating and Insulation and Fireproofing Materials - A Systems Approach).
cladding materials are selected based on performance versus
cost. The insulation system (insulation and cladding) must per- The Problem Persists
form so that its cost at an effective thickness is more than off- Despite advances in understanding the corrosive nature of the
set by the savings resulting from maintaining process tempera- environment associated with an insulated structure and the
tures. The economics do not allow for systems with insulating kinds of coatings that can withstand the exposure, the problem
materials that are highly impermeable to moisture ingress and persists, as evidenced by the issuance in 2007 of an ASTM
with cladding that is moisture tight. Additionally, damage to the guide to laboratory tests for CUI; by the publication of a 176-
external cladding on the insulation can be caused at installation, page guidance document on CUI from the European Federation
over time as personnel walk on the insulation or drop heavy of Corrosion (EFC); and by some of the types of research into
objects, or through deterioration with time. Therefore, most protection against CUI.
thermal insulation systems are subject to moisture ingress, and
CUI is a possibility. ASTM Issues CUI Lab Testing Guide
Common external sources of moisture are humidity, fog, From ASTM Subcommittee G01.11 on Electrochemical Mea-
rain, testing of fire safety deluge systems, and washing down of surements in Corrosion Testing came the 2007 consensus
equipment and facilities. Salt and chemical contamination from document, ASTM G189, Standard Guide for Laboratory Simula-
industrial pollution and coastal proximity can also be present in tion of Corrosion under Insulation. As noted in the Scope, the
the water, further increasing its corrosivity to carbon and stain- Guide addresses laboratory simulation of general and localized
less steels. CUI. It calls for test specimens to be insulated sections cut from
pipe and exposed to a corrosive environment that includes
A Historical Note on CUI elevated temperature. Described in the standard are a testing
Up until the 1970s, CUI was not generally a problem. Economics apparatus for CUI exposure, specimen preparation, procedures
at that time were such that piping, vessels, and equipment were for simulating temperatures, as well as wet and dry conditions
not insulated unless the operating temperature was above 150 of a CUI environment. While the guide is intended mainly to help
C (302 F). Insulated steel surfaces that were 150 C or higher establish acceptable approaches to simulating CUI on carbon
much of the time remained dry, so significant amounts of corro- steel or low alloy steel for pipe, the Scope states that the test
sion did not occur. procedures might be useful for assessing other metals, an-
The oil shortage of the 1970s changed industrial insulation ti-corrosion materials on pipeline, and other aspects of CUI, as
practices. Escalating energy prices changed the economics long as the samples are suitable for the test apparatus.
such that efforts to retain heat in processes operating be-
low 150 C were now beneficial. At these lower temperatures, EFC Guideline
insulated surfaces were wetted more often and subject to The EFC Working Parties WP13 and WP15 issued Corrosion
corrosion. Coating systems that had been used successfully on under Insulation (CUI) Guidelines: (EFC 55) in March 2008. Edit-
uninsulated surfaces were subsequently used under insulation. ed by Stefan Winnik of ExxonMobil Chemical and published by
These systems performed poorly in the hot, wetted environ- Woodhead Publishing, the volume represents the work not only
ment created under thermal insulation below 150 C; problems of the working parties but also of major European oil refining,
with CUI started to emerge; and their significance increased. petrochemical, and offshore companies that collaborated with
The fact that a hot aqueous environment was present under WP13 and WP15.
the insulation (due to water penetration, as described above) The volume covers everything from economics to materials,
was not originally appreciated. The conventional atmospher- practices, inspection, testing, and more. Among the chapters
ic coating systems of the day could not protect adequately are the following.
against corrosion in what are essentially immersion conditions. Economic consideration
Corrosion under insulation continued unobserved until the steel Ownership and responsibility
was so seriously damaged that it became evident by leaks or The risk-based inspection (RBI) methodology for CUI
structural failure. Inspection activities/strategy
These problems led to the use of immersion-grade coating NDE/NDT screening techniques for CUI
systems capable of providing effective corrosion protection in Recommended best practice to mitigate CUI
a hot, wetted environment and resisting maximum operating A wealth of appendices to the document amplify topics such