Procter & Gamble Co.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION

Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 1 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

GENERAL
This construction specification explains the general Procter & Gamble requirements for cleaning and passivation of Austenitic Stainless
Steel (i.e. 300 series such as 304, 304L, 316, 316L, etc.) Duplex (i.e. 2205, 2101, 2507) and Super Austenitic Stainless Steel (i.e.
AL6XN, etc.) piping and equipment for the removal of free iron and other foreign material. This specification addresses requirements
for self performance by P&G as well as for contractors and sub-contractors performing the work. The main objective is to assure the
passivated product has maximum corrosion resistance.

Reasons to passivate include but are not limited to :

A. To prevent product contamination by minimizing iron pickup, for example:

1. Pyrithione and Piroctone Olamine discoloration in shampoos
2. Decreased available oxygen in Hydrogen Peroxide
3. USP water requirements
B. To maximize service life by making Stainless Steel (SS) equipment more robust and resistant to corrosion.
C. To improve corrosion resistance that may have been compromised by the fabrication process (i.e. mild iron contamination,
welding, etc.)
Please see Appendix 1 for more information regarding the need for passivation.

DEFINITIONS
A. For purposes of this specification,
1. Passivation is the application of an acid or acid mix for the purpose of improving the corrosion resistance of the
stainless steel. The corrosion resistance is improved by the acid or acid mix preferentially consuming iron, leaving
behind a chromium enriched surface. This surface will then form a more robust and more uniform chromium oxide
layer. Allowable acids for passivation are Citric and Nitric acids. Chelating agents may be added based on the
procedure. No appreciable thinning of the metal surface occurs from a proper passivation, nor does it remove dark
heat tints, scales or oxide films. Passivation is performed with liquid unless on a small localized area such as a weld for
pipe repair.

2. Pickling is the application of an aggressive acid mix, normally Nitric Hydrofluoric acid, for the purpose of removing a
damaged metal surface. This may have been damages by excessive heat tint, embedded carbon steel contamination
or other improper handling or processing. Pickling will thin the metal surface and remove oxide films and scales.

B. NOTES
1. Pickling is rarely recommended due to its indiscriminate and aggressive nature. Contact Welding and Materials
Engineering to help determine how beneficial passivation will be, when pickling may be required, and for more
detailed information on passivating and pickling in general.
2. The first step in proper material selection and fabrication is to always use recommended materials of construction per
Materials Engineering (Chemical Service Materials Recommendation – CSMR via pts.pg.com or Corrosion Testing
Report). Visit me.pg.com to find the latest Corrosion Testing Request Form, and for contact info. No amount of surface
conditioning such as passivation can correct for selection of the wrong material of construction.

SAFETY
If processes are being performed on P&G sites, work with local HSE experts for risk assessments, appropriate PPE, and
chemical disposal.

Conform to all requirements of Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA, or other National, State or local safety requirement s as
applicable.
Conform to P&G’s general and site-specific HS&E guidelines, and chemical manufacturer’s requirements for safety an d handling of
chemicals.
 Procter & Gamble Co. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION
Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 2 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

EXECUTION
A. General considerations
There are many watchouts provided in ASME / ASTM references (noted in “additional resources”). Review these documents
for more details. The following items are highlighted here based on P&G’s experience:
1. Cleaning and passivation shall be conducted in sequence with little or no delay between each process.
2. Deionized water shall be used as the working fluid. Untreated “city” water or “tap” water must not be used without
specific approval of P&G Corporate Materials Engineering.
3. Any materials in the systems to be passivated that are not compatible with the chemicals to be used shall be removed or
isolated from the system. This shall include, but not be limited to, valves, gaskets, fittings and instrumentation (see item
5).
4. Materials including testing blanks, gaskets, bolts, hoses, etc. used in isolating segments of systems shall be compatible
with the passivation chemicals (see item 5).
5. Certain metals, including titanium, nickel based alloys (Nickel, Hastelloy, Monel, Inconel), and chromium coated metals,
should not be passivated with stainless steels. These alloys may be attacked by the acids and generally do not contain
enough free iron to cause contamination.
6. When in doubt, test the procedure on a smaller scale to confirm effects on thickness, surface finish, appearance, and most
importantly on chromium/iron ratio.
7. Each acid or mix has an intended purpose; use the least aggressive to achieve your purpose and minimize risks to
people, materials of construction, and chemical disposal.
PROCEDURE
1. Preparation
▪ Verify chemical compatibility of all components in the system with the proposed passivation solution. This must
include all gaskets and instrumentation that are in contact with any of the cleaning or passivation fluids.
▪ Remove or isolate equipment, instrument and in-line components that are not compatible with the cleaning or
passivation fluids.
▪ Verify that a hydrostatic pressure test has been completed per the applicable code, standard or specification
before commencing with cleaning and passivation.
1. Cleaning
• Metal surfaces must be clean for passivation or pickling solutions to be effective. Perform alkaline detergent
wash to clean grease and other foreign materials from the surfaces in the system.
• Circulate detergent solution through entire system unti l verified clean by existing plant procedures. Cleaning
parameters should be 5%-10% NaOH for 2 hours at 100°-160°F are recommended. If outside this range,
consult P&G Materials Engineering group for guidance.
• Drain detergent solution from system.
• Rinse system as specified below.
2. Rinse
• Passivation and pickling solutions can have their effectiveness compromised if detergents or other high pH
solutions are not fully removed. After passivation or pickling, proper rinsing insures removal of these solutions
to prevent equipment damage and en sure personnel safety.
• After each cleaning or passivation process, a DI water rinse shall be used to flush the system.

• Do not let system dry between steps to prevent staining or physical damage.
Procter & Gamble Co. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION
Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 3 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

• The rinse will continue until the effluent pH and conductivity is within 0.1 of the influent pH and 1 µS/cm of the
influent conductivity. Flush all drains and “dead legs” in the system individually.
3. Passivation
Either Citric of Nitric acid may be used for passivation however it is strongly recommended to use citri c acid. Citric
produces better results and safer and easier to d ispose of.
• For Citric Acid Passivation
a) Citric acid 5 % by weight or Citrisurf 3050 per manufacturers recommendations
b) May add chelating agents as determined by contractor if included in procedure (see ASTM A380 Table
A2.1)
c) Velocity of solution should not be less than 5 feet per second
d) Circulate solution for the following minimum duration]
• 140°F (60ºC) – 4 hours
• Do not exceed 160°F (71ºC)
e) Citric acid gels and sprays may only be used for localized hand passivation, i.e., CitriSurf 2210. Follow
manufacturer’s directions for proper use. Localized passivation is limited to areas within 4 inches of a
weld and general surface areas less than 1 ft2. Gels and sprays are intended for small repairs and
under no circumstances are to be the passivation method for an entire tank, pressure vessel, hopper,
etc.
f) The rinse will continue until the effluent pH and conductivity is within 0.1 of the i nfluent pH and 1 µS/cm of
the influent conductivity. Flush all drains and “dead legs” in the system individually.

• For Nitric Acid Passivation

a) Nitric Acid 20% by volume

b) Velocity of solution should not be less than 5 feet per second
c) Circulate solution for the following duration: - Where did these times come from?
• 120°F (49ºC) – 2 hours
• Do not exceed 140°F (60ºC)
• Drain passivation solution from system.

• Rinse system with DI water as outlined in item #2 above.

4. Rinse
• After passivation or pickling, proper rinsing ensures removal of these solutions to prevent equipment damage
and ensure personnel safety.
• After each cleaning or passivation process, a DI water rinse shall be used to flush the system.
• Do not let system dry between steps to prevent staining or physical damage.

• The rinse will continue until the effluent pH and conductivity is within 0.1 of the influent pH and 1 µS/cm of the
influent conductivity. Flush all drains and “dead legs” in the system individually.
5. Drying
Surfaces must be exposed to air for a period of at least 12 hours to allow formation of the passive chromium oxide layer .
If necessary for drying, blow out with clean nitrogen.
 Procter & Gamble Co. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION
Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 4 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

QUALITY CONTROL
A. Conform to the latest editions of common industry standards as applicable
1. ASME BPE Nonmandatory Appendix E – Passivation Procedure Qualification
2. ASTM A380 – Standard Practice for Cleaning , Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel Parts, Equipment, and
Systems
3. ASTM A967 – Standard Specification for Chemical Passivation Treatments for Stainless Steel Parts
B. Record and document procedure and test results , including periodic ph readings during passivation, proper chromium/iron
ratio improvement and/or other approved quality measures

TESTING
A. Test for Passivation Effectiveness
There are many ways to test for an effective passivation treatment provided in ASME / ASTM references (noted above).
Review these documents for more details. The following are preferred based on P&G’s experience:
1. Chromium/Iron Ratio Test with test spool pieces analyzed post-passivation
a. Need to have at least 2 samples with identical metallurgical conditions (metal – exact heat numbers preferred ,
surface finish, previous exposure conditions) – 1 to analyze as a base condition, and 1 to put inline to receive
passivation treatment and then be analyzed post-passivation (this can be as simple as cutting a pipe in half)
b. Preferred test methods include AES, ESCA/XPS, and GD-OES (see ASME BPE Nonmandatory Appendix E)
2. Ferroxyl Test per ASME BPE Nonmandatory Appendix E and manufacturer’s instructions
3. Follow Qualified Passivation Procedure
There is no need for additional passivation effectiveness testing when following a procedure qualified per ASME BPE
Nonmandatory Appendix E.

WASTE DISPOSAL
A. All acid solutions must be neutralized prior to disposal. Remove acid from the system before neutralizing to avoid possible
contamination. Determine the acceptable pH discharge range and discharge levels with respect to heavy metal content before
passivation. Measure the pH and heavy metals content of the passivation solution.
B. Disposal of waste materials shall conform to all local, state and federal laws.
C. Disposal of waste materials shall conform to P&G’s general and site-specific HS&E guidelines; consult chemical
manufacturer’s requirements for safety and handling of chemicals.

VENDORS
The following vendors have been used by P&G in the past with good experience:
Cal-Chem UltraClean Electropolish Allegheny Surface Technologies
www.cal-chem.com http://www.ultracleanep.com www.abccorporate.com

Astro Pak HydroChem

www.astropak.com www.hydrochem.com
 Procter & Gamble Co. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION
Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 5 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
1. ASME BPE, 2019, Nonmandatory Appendix E, Passivation Procedure Qualification
2. ASTM A967, 2013, Standard Specification for Chemical Passivation Treatments for Stainless Steel Parts
3. ASTM A380, 2013, Standard Practice for Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel Parts, Equipment, and
Systems
4. ASM Handbook, 10th Edition, Volume 5: Surface Engineering, 1994
5. ASM Handbook, 10th Edition, Volume 13B: Corrosion: Materials, 2005
6. ASM Handbook, 10th Edition, Volume 13C: Corrosion: Environments and Industries, 2006
7. ASM Metals Handbook, 9th Edition, Volume 5: Surface Cleaning, Finishing, and Coating, 1982
Procter & Gamble Co. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION
Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 6 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

APPENDIX 1
Do you need to passivate, or pickle? Here are the factors that should be considered:
1. Likelihood of failure: Contact Corporate welding & Materials Engineering to see how aggressive the raw material, intermediate
or finished product was to the selected materials of construction (MOC). For example, if testing indicated that the selected
MOC barely passed, then passivation is more critical.
2. Consequence of failure: If the system is one of multiples (i.e. one of 8 filler lines) or the loss of use would not impact the plant
significantly, then passivation is less critical. If the system in critical to plant operations (i.e. the RO water system), then
passivation is clearly critical.
3. See table below for additional factors.
4. Always contact Corporate Welding and Materials Engineering with questions.
Procter & Gamble Co. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATION
Engineering Practice Passivation of Stainless Steel Systems Revised:
------: ------
Non- Discretionary PCP-160 1/21/21
For P&G Use Only
Owner: Jim Hammer Page: 7 of 7
GENERAL DESIGN For use in all Global Business Units N.A.: X
PRACTICE Global: X

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING TO PASSIVATE

Carbon Steel Contamination
More Likely to Require Passivation Less Likely to Require Passivation
• Audits & Inspections showed problems • Audits & Inspections showed no
• No Audits or inspections done problems
• Carbon Steel control procedures non- • Excellent Carbon Steel control
existent or not effective procedures and effectively used
• Material Handling procedures and • Excellent Material Handling procedures
methods not used or ineffective and methods used

Welded Fabrication
More Likely to Require Passivation Less Likely to Require Passivation

• Audits & Inspections showed with weld • Audits & Inspections showed no weld
color compliance color compliance problems
• No Audits or inspections done • Excellent inert gas purging procedures
• Inert gas purging procedures non- and effectively used
existent or not effective • Excellent Material Handling procedures
• Material Handling procedures and and methods used
methods not used or ineffective

Corrosiveness of Service Liquid

More Likely to Require Passivation Less Likely to Require Passivation
• Metal of construction is the least • Most metals shown as recommended
corrosion resistant alloy to be by CSMR and alloy of construction is at
recommended on CSMR least one alloy more corrosion resistant
than the minimum.

Criticality of Equipment
More Likely to Require Passivation Less Likely to Require Passivation
Equipment is sole provider of that service at site Equipment is one of several (i.e. 1 of 8 filler
(such as RO water system) and loss of it would lines) and plant operations could continue at a
devastate plant operations. reasonable productivity level with the loss of one
unit