Department - Author 1

Materials Engineering Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BS in Materials Engineering

Date

6-2017

Primary Advisor

Trevor Harding

Abstract/Summary

This presentation contains an assessment of the best overall corrosion monitoring device, intrusive or non-intrusive, for use in the petrochemical industry. Corrosion in the petrochemical industry is a large issue because it causes a deterioration of pipe integrity in fuel processing systems. A reduction of pipe wall integrity due to corrosion could result in a leak or an explosion of fuel processing lines since those systems function at high pressures. The use of corrosion monitoring systems in the petrochemical industry helps to detect early signs of corrosion prior to failure so that proper maintenance can be performed to prevent catastrophe. To simulate those types of systems a test cell was designed to adequately fit two corrosion monitoring devices. Each device determines corrosion rate by measuring pipe wall thickness over time using ultrasonic technology or by measuring resistance across a degrading reference element. The corrosive medium used to corrode the inside of the test cell is glacial acetic acid (>99.7% purity). Measurements of pipe wall thickness were taken before and after testing and are used as a reference point to compare against each device’s measurement. Relative accuracy, response time, safety, and reliability are used as criteria for determining the best monitoring device. Overall, the Microcor ER probe proved to be the better of the two devices as determined by the criteria listed above and the time allowed for testing.

Standard Operating Procedure Corrosion Monitoring.docx (17 kB)
SOP for Handling of Acetic Acid and the Construction of a Static Fuel Monitoring Test Cell

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