CORROSION PREVENTION

It is generally
accepted that the marine
environment that combines
the effects of saline
seawater, salt laden air,
rain, dew, condensation,
localised high temperature
and the corrosive effects of
combustion gases is THE
MOST CORROSIVE of
naturally occurring
environments.
Corrosion of metal
Corrosion is the alteration and decomposition of metals or alloys by direct chemical attack or by
persistent electrochemical reactions. Corrosion can be classified as:

Chemical corrosion Electrochemical corrosion

Chemical Corrosion
This is the attack of metals by solutions of acids or alkaline which will chemically combine with
the metal to form entirely new products. The material can be considered as being dissolved in the
solution. Such attack is usually caused by spillage of liquids such as battery acids, galley refuse,
or in toilet areas.

Electrochemical Corrosion
This is the most common type of corrosion. It is caused by very small electrical currents flowing
between one metallic area to another. These electrical currents cause the material which is being
corroded to change to a completely different substance; for example, steel changes to rust.
Whether the corrosion takes place below the waterline, or above the waterline, the presence of
both oxygen and an electrolyte (i.e. a conducting solution) play an important part. Saltwater is a
liquid which encourages corrosion because it is an excellent conductor of electricity. Corrosion is
indicated by the presence of rust or wastage of a metal.
CORROSION PREVENTION
ALMOST
EVERYWHERE ON
BOARD
 CORROSION PREVENTION

Ships Wastewater Treatment Processes

Wastewater produced on board ships is required to be

treated before being discharged overboard into the sea.

The wastewater comes in the form of grey and black water

and their treatment can be carried out separately or by
using the same equipment to process both grey and black
wastewater.
Categories of Ships Wastewater
The two basic categories of wastewater are grey and black in
which there are several sources.

Grey Wastewater Sources

•Sinks – from galley sinks and sinks in crews cabins and
toilets
•Showers – from showers in crews accommodation
•Laundry – from washing clothes
Black Wastewater Source
•Sewage – from crews accommodation
•Medical – from ships hospital or infirmary
CORROSION PREVENTION

Loss of flexibility of a
material

Crevice corrosion
Crevice corrosion is a localised form of corrosive attack.
Crevice corrosion occurs at narrow openings or spaces
between two metal surfaces or between metals and non
metal surfaces. A concentration cell forms with the
crevice being depleted of oxygen. This differential
aeration between the crevice (micro environment) and
the external surface (bulk environment) gives the
crevice an anodic character.
Crevice corrosion
This type of rapid failure is
dangerous since it may jeopardize
the integrity of the ship structure.
 CORROSION PREVENTION
Uniform corrosion
Uniform or general corrosion is typified by the rusting of steel.

Marine environments cause an amount of corrosion on metal

surfaces exposed for extended periods of time.

Uniform or general corrosion

usually occurs in stagnant or low
flow seawater at a rate of
approximately 10 microns per year
on mild and low-alloy steels.
Uniform corrosion on these types of
steels is the most common form of
corrosive attack on ships.
Uniform corrosion
 CORROSION
DEFINITION:
Deterioration of a metal, due to
an electrochemical reaction with
its environment.

NATURE OF SOME METALS:

Most metals are unstable and have a tendency to return to their
natural state.
Such metals tend to react with their environment and produce
compounds.

E.g. Iron oxide or rust.

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CORROSION PREVENTION

Small Scratches in a Protective Paint Coating Can Lead to the Rapid

Corrosion of Iron
Pitting corrosion
Pitting corrosion is a form of extremely localised
corrosion that leads to the creation of small holes in
the metal. The driving power for pitting corrosion is
the lack of oxygen around a small area. This area
becomes anodic while the area with excess of
oxygen becomes cathodic; leading to very localised
galvanic corrosion.
This kind of corrosion is extremely insidious, as it causes little
loss of material with small effect on its surface, while it
damages the deep structures of the metal. Polished surfaces
display higher resistance to pitting.

The presence of chlorides, e.g. in sea water,

significantly worsens the conditions for formation
and growth of the pits through an auto catalytic
process. Stagnant water conditions favour pitting.
In case of, electrons flow away from the break in
the paint film towards the cathodic area,
corrosion occurs on the metal of anodic portion of the
cell. This process is known to mariners as “Pitting-
(Çürüme)”

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 The presence of chlorides, e.g. in sea water,
significantly makes worse the conditions for
formation and growth of the pits. Stagnant water
conditions favour pitting.

Only 34.4 g of 1 kg seawater is

salinity, this portion consists of 18.9 g
chloride, 10.5 g sodium, and others
 Galvanic Corrosion

Galvanic corrosion is an electro-

chemical process in which one
metal corrodes preferentially when
it is in contact with a different type
of metal or dissimilar metals and
both metals are in an electrolyte.

The electrolyte provides a means

for ion migration whereby metallic
ions can move from the anode to
the cathode.
 CORROSION PREVENTION
Microbiological corrosion
Microbial corrosion, or bacterial corrosion, is corrosion caused or promoted by micro-organisms and
can apply to both metals and non-metallic materials.

Erosion corrosion
Erosion corrosion is a degradation of material surface due to mechanical action, often by impinging
liquid; abrasion by particles suspended in fast flowing liquid or gas; bubbles or droplets;
cavitation, etc. Metal corrosion generally increases with increasing seawater (relative) velocity until it
reaches a critical velocity where the deterioration is much more rapid.

High temperature corrosion

High temperature or hot corrosion can occur in ships, primarily in the engine components, for
example, gas turbine engines.

Stress corrosion cracking

Stress corrosion cracking is a failure mechanism that is caused by environment, susceptible
material, and tensile/tension stress. Stress corrosion cracking is an insidious type of failure as it may
occur without an externally applied load or at loads significantly below yield stress.
 CORROSION PREVENTION

CORROSION SHOULD NOT

BE CONFUSED WITH
EROSION (aşınma), which
is the destruction of
material by the mechanical
movement of liquid or gas.

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 CORROSION PREVENTION
The corrosion process involves the movement of
electrons and an electrochemical reaction occurs. This
causes the main problems of corrosion on-
board ship.
There are two metals as
electrodes;

1. The anode : The one

which loses electrons.

2. The cathode : The one

which receives electrons.
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 CORROSION PREVENTION

Corrosion will not occur

unless both water and air
are present.

Thus, if we can exclude

one, we can prevent the
formation of corrosion
cells.

The most convenient

method the mariner has for
excluding both air and
water is paint.

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 CORROSION PREVENTION

BASIC COMPOSITION OF PAINT:

a. Pigment (boya/renk maddesi)

b. Binding agent or vehicle (birleştirici madde)
c. Solvent (çözücü)
d. Drying agent (possibly) (kurutucu madde)
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CATHODIC PROTECTION:
 All corrosion is basicly “galvanic”
mariners use the term of “galvanic corrosion”,
 But,
when dissimilar metals being located close to
another when both are in an electrolyte.
 Ignoblemetal, steel, is corroding while the noble
metal (gold, silver, platinium.. ) is protective.
(noble metal : asal metal,
ignoble metal : asal olmayan metaller )
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Preservation of Metals
There are two ways of preventing corrosion.

By providing a piece of material which will corrode in preference to the vessel.

Such a substance is usually found attached to the hull near the propeller or
attached inside a tank, in the form of a sacrificial anode. When two metals in
contact with each other result in one of the metals corroding, the metal which is
preserved is called more "Noble" than the metal that corrodes.
In such cases aluminium will corrode in preference to steel; steel will
corrode in preference to brass; brass will corrode in preference to stainless steel.
Different metals should not be used in close contact unless there is
good insulation between them; for example, it is bad practice to connect a
steel valve to an aluminium hull, without insulation. The aluminium may corrode
around the steel.

Lead, in contact with aluminium will cause rapid wasting of the aluminium.
For this reason, lead based paints must never be used on aluminium hulls. Lead
incidentally, is more noble than steel, but the problem is not nearly as noticeable.
 CORROSION PREVENTION
What Are the Noble Metals?
The noble metals are a group of metals that resist oxidation and corrosion in moist air. The noble metals are
not easily attacked by acids. They are the opposite of the base metals which more readily oxidize and
corrode.

•Noble Metal: a metal resistant to

Which Metals Are Noble Metals? corrosion and found uncombined
The following metals are considered in nature, eg, gold and silver.
noble metals
Noble metals are also known as
•Ruthenium
•Rhodium Cathodic Metals, or Protected
•Palladium Metals.
•Silver •Ignoble Metal: a metal that
•Osmium corrodes.
•Iridium •Ignoble metals are also known as
•Platinum
Anodic Metals, or Corroding
•Gold
•Titanium Metals.
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 CORROSION PREVENTION
The corrosion rates of metals are shown in tables which
are known as 'Galvanic Series': Table below considers
metals and alloys (alaşım) which are commonly used in
shipbuilding.

We use
these as a
sacrificial
anode on
underwater
part of hull

Gold, silver, platinium,

iridium.

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 CORROSION PREVENTION

Noble

Ignoble
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CORROSION PREVENTION

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 CORROSION PREVENTION

In sea water the corrosion data show that the commonly

used alloys can be collected into four groups

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 BIMETALLIC CORROSION
Any two different metals which are in electrical contact and are
bridged by an electrolyte are liable to BIMETALLIC CORROSION also
called GALVANIC CORROSION.

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 CORROSION PREVENTION
Areas liable to BIMETALLIC/GALVANIC CORROSION are:
1. Valve fittings in tanks.
2. Aluminum superstructures attached to steel decks.
3. Steel lifting hooks in aluminum lifeboats.
4. Openings in superstructures, such as portholes.
5. Inlets and outlets to tanks and to engine-room piping
systems.
6. Zinc and aluminium drainage channels.
7. Bolted joints.
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 SUMMARY

 Any metal in the series will be subjected to accelerated

corrosion when located in an near position to a more
noble metal.

 The underwater areas most likely to be affected by this

process are:
(a) the stern region due to the bronze (alloy) propeller
(b) the vicinity of engine room inlets and discharges
(c) valve fittings in tanks
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 WHAT TO DO FOR CORROSION PREVENTION?
 The most efficient system for combating underwater
corrosion is 'cathodic protection'. The basic principle of
this method is that the ship's structure is made cathodic,
i.e. the anodic (corrosion) reactions are suppressed by the
application of an opposing current and the ship is thereby
protected.

 Cathodic protection, which is only possible when metals

are immersed in an electrolyte, is provided by
-Sacrificial anodes

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Galvanic
corrosion. CATHODIC PROTECTION

The main area of

corrosion is
within the
electron flow line

Zinc+copper mixture

Bronze propeller: Consist of 10% of

zinc and 90% of copper consantrate.
(Pirinç)
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 Sacrificial Anodes

Zinc ANODES
Aluminium ANODES
Magnesium ANODES

WHY? MUST BE LESS OR MORE ‘NOBLE’

THAN THE THE HULL METAL 38
YOU MAY USE

Zinc ANODES WHAT TO DO

Aluminium ANODES
Magnesium ANODES FOR
CORROSION
PREVENTION?

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