MARCH 21, 2015

DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION AND

PITTING CORROSION CASE STUDY
MODULE CODE; ENG3010DL| MODULE NAME: CORROSION ANALYSIS | ASSIGNMENT NO: AS1

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA

STUDENT NUMBER 15404622

CONTENT CONTENT WORD PAGE

NUMBER COUNT NUMBER

INTRODUCTION 1 142 2

DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION 2 631 2

PITTING CORROSION 3 732 5

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION AND 4 235 8

PITTING CORROSION

CONCLUSIONS 5 174 8

REFERENCES 6 - 8

LOCATION:

Unithai dock yard at Laem Chabang port in southwest of Thailand. Average temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius
throughout the year and relative humidity is about 75%.
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1. INTRODUCTION:

Since discovery of metals and alloys, whenever they are associated with marine
environment for transportation or oil production or other operations, seawater has played a
lead role in deterioration of their components in many different ways, either components
having a direct contact to seawater, forming Sodium Chloride (NaCl) or producing moist air.

This case study was carried out in a dock yard where Equipments, dock itself and other
infrastructure in the vicinity of sea and old ships are often docked for repair. Two form of
corrosion were identified and investigated. These case studies includes:

a. Dissimilar metal corrosion found at dockside electric panel board made of austenitic
stainless steel sheets joined using carbon steel screws and carbon steel lock hanger.

b. Pitting corrosion found in submerged portions of 30 year old ship used for Floating
Production and Storage Offloading (FPSO).

2. DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION:

During the safety survey at quay wall, I have observed corrosion on lock hangers (picture 1
below) and screws (picture 2 below) of electric panel boards was heavily corroded. When I
inspected closely, I have found that the lock hanger and screws was made of carbon steel
(CS) grade 2 where the electrical panel board was made austenitic stainless steel (SS) 304.
Throughout the inspection, 8 panel board was inspected and all screws and lock hanger has
exhibit similar condition.

Other areas in electric panel was inspected for corrosion but no corrosion was found other
than the areas where carbon steel components was connected to panel sheet.

This case was identified as Dissimilar Metal (Galvanic) Corrosion because the reason that
corrosion was occurred due to the coupling of two metal which has wide difference in free
corrosion potential in Galvanic series, CS screws and lock hanger has more negative
potential then board frame and large differences in area ratio where cathode (SS) ratio is
much greater than area of screws/hanger.

FREE CORROSION POTENTIAL (REF. 1, CHAP. 05)

MATERIAL FREE CORROSION POTENTIAL AT 25 C
Caron steel / Mild steel 0.7
Stainless steel 0.1

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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Picture 1 Picture 2

Corrosion in CS screw
Stainless frame hanger

Corrosion in CS lock hanger

Due to difference in relative potential of both metal and without any barrier between lock
hanger/screws and board frames the electric connection was made. Galvanic action begins
in presence of electrolyte (moist air from sea water near the quay wall). CS with higher
negative potential subject to yield anodic action or oxidization (active metal) and polarize
through positive where SS with less negative relative potential start to work as cathode or
reduction agent and polarize towards the negative potential. Diagram A illustrate the
corrosion mechanism occurred during the connection between CS and SS.
Chemical reaction happening during corrosion process
FeFe2 + 2e
O2+2H2O+4e4OH
4Fe(OH)2+O2Fe2O3 H2O+2H2O
Small Anode

Sea salt (NaCl) acting as electrolyte

LARGE CATHODIC SURFACE

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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CS suffered with corrosion excessively also due to small anodic surface area in comparing
with large surface area of SS resulted in producing large amount of galvanic current which
depends on the rate of diffusion of dissolved oxygen to the cathode, also severity was higher
due to presences of chloride ions in electrolyte generated higher electrical conductivity. As
being novel metal in galvanic series, SS board frames did not suffered from corrosion due it
chromium percentage (18%) which forms oxide surface layer hence passivate and improve
corrosion resistance.

Prevention of Dissimilar Metal Corrosion:

Although there are many methods of dissimilar metal corrosion prevention, I will identify the
prevention method particularly related to above electric board frame case.

a. First of all, if stainless steel or other corrosion resistance material such as nickel,
chromium or titanium (material which free corrosion potential in close to SS in
galvanic series) screws and lock hanger could be used, the corrosion may not occur.

b. If the screws and locker coated/painted, it could prevent corrosion for extended
period of time. The dissimilar metal can be prevented by using proper primer,
undercoat and topcoat.

c. If the electrical potential connection could be disconnected using of non-electric

conductive material such as plastic or rubber gasket and bushes between
screws/lock hanger (anode) and board frame (cathode), it could extend the life of
these components. Applying plastic gasket or bushes could also help to reduce
electrolyte bridging.

d. Improved design could be used to fabricate the electric boards where no screws and
or lock hanger required.

e. Environment factor such as installation of electrical boards could be at humidity

controlled area and at covered area where these boards protected from sea and
rainy water.

f. Alternatively, vapor phase inhibitors (VPI) could be used to protect steel screws and
lock hanger.

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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3. PITTING CORROSION:

A FPSO was docked at yard for hot work repairing, painting work and 5 years classification
survey purposes. Inspection of hull submerged portions including bottom plates found pitting
corrosion. Picture 3 & picture 4 indicating the location of pits on hull structure and picture 5
exhibiting the surface condition. After performing Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM)
from inside the ship found that some pitting was deep up to 10mm in hull thickness 25-
40mm. The width/diameter of pits was up to 10-15 millimeter at some specific location.
Investigation has suggested that this FPSO was standby in deep sea for 5 years before
arriving in yard.

Picture 3: Ships FWD: Orange indicates pitting depth 5 mm where light green indicating depth <5mm

Picture 4: Ships AFT: Orange indicates pitting depth 5 mm where light green indicating depth <5mm

The case identified as Pitting Corrosion because uniform composition material (ABS Grade
EH36 carbon steel), there was major reduction in thickness area where wide, shallow
and elliptical type* (types referred from reference 3) of pits had formed highly localized

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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corrosion and because there was not uniformly reduction in thickness on other areas.
Sufficient electrolyte was available in the form of seawater and concentration cell
generated when no turbulence as FPSO was standby at one place and movement was very
rare.

* Other pit types are unknown because no metallographic or other technique was used to
assess the type of pit. Types are referred above are based on ultrasonic thickness
measurement and direct technique visual inspection.

The pitting may be initiated due to befouling, inhomogeneity in material or grain boundary
inclusion, other reason of the pits initiation could be that tiny impurities in steel plates of hull.
At these impurity sites, in the presence of chloride ions, the oxygen depilation taking place.
Due to less availability of oxygen and stagnancy (no turbulence of water) the concentration
cell may be produced. Potential difference being increased at concentration cell (small
anode) and other surface area (large cathode).

As potential difference has been produced, more and more positive ferrite ions will be
dissolved in water at pitting area. This region starts to act as electropositive, once the
presence of positive increases, negative chlorine ions dissolves and hydrolyze the solution
at pits region which is detrimental to passive layer. Propagation (autocatalytic effect) will be
begin, the passive layer will be damage and pits depth and size continuously increase.

If FPSO stays continuously in similar environment (in seawater), after an extended period of
time, the leakage at pits sites (shown in picture 5 below) may arises due to autocatalytic
effect.

Smooth surface no pitting

Circles indicating deep pitting sites

Picture 5

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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Below diagram illustrate the mechanism and formation of pitting corrosion under seawater electrolyte condition.

Pit surface forming anodic sites

Surface near pit acting as Cathode

Due to stagnancy at pit, oxygen ion

Cl Fe+2
concentration depletion occurred. No
FPSO Carbon Steel Hull uniform distribution of oxygen, reduction
2e Cl
Fe+2 in oxygen in pitting sites generating the
concentration cell. Potential
difference will be produced between
OH-
anode and cathode and at small
anode, more positive ions will be
O2 dissolved from pitting site.

Prevention of Pitting Corrosion:

In the FPSO case presented above, the pitting could be prevented if the proper method has
been used at right time. Some of those pitting corrosion prevention method, particularly
related to above case, I will identify below.

a. The pitting in FPSO could be avoided if the strong passive layer or coating applied at
hulls outer surface before the pitting initiated.

b. If the stagnancy prevention is managed and turbulence of water is continuous, the

oxygen depletion may not occur at pits site which could have eliminated the
generation of concentration cell so as the pitting.

c. Additional sacrificial zinc or aluminum anodes could have installed at hull surface
which may extend the anodic area and reduce anode-cathode differential potential.

d. Electrochemical noise measurement technique could be used during earlier hull

survey to detect the pitting.

e. The hot rolled steel material could be used rather than using cold rolled steel. As cold
rolled steel has bright smooth surface and produced without mill scale.

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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f. There are other methods which is not practicable to hull structure are: use of pit
resistance alloy.

g. Impressed current non consumable anode electrode technique (ICCP) could be used
to prevent the formation of pitting.

4. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISIMILAR METAL CORROSION AND PITTING

CORROSION:
All through there are many fundamental similarities in both pitting and dissimilar metal
corrosion forming mechanism such as necessities of anode and cathode sites must be
available to generate potential difference, accessibility of highly conductive electrolyte
accelerates the corrosion rate in both types, both degrades the engineering materials,
and their elimination or prevention mechanism is almost the same. But there are
difference in the nature of both type of corrosion. Following are the major constituent that
separate from each other.

- Dissimilar metal corrosion mostly occur at joining/connections of two metals which

has wide potential difference. However pitting corrosion can be produced in a
metal at localized regions.

- Pitting forms by generation of concentration cells due to oxygen depletion by

stagnancy and has autocatalytic effects (self-propagation) where dissimilar metal
corrosion formation occurs due to galvanic coupling and its corrosion rate based
on potential difference of metals in galvanic series.

- Pitting corrosion forms at localized sites and tend to increase through thickness
of the materials whereas galvanic corrosion spreads wide rather penetrating deep
into thickness.

- Pitting in most cases is not apparent at early stage of their development on the
other hand, dissimilar metal corrosion spots appears soon after its occurrence.

- Pits generally grow through gravity at horizontally placed parts whereas this may
not be applicable in the case of dissimilar metal corrosion.

5. CONCLUSIONS

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622

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In this course work, two metallic corrosion type was identified at marine environment dock
yard. Both pitting corrosion in CS and dissimilar metal (CS&SS) corrosion generation
mechanism was discussed briefly and illustrated diagrammatically. The dissimilar metal
corrosion case was less sever in terms of safety quality and financial loss but the pitting
corrosion case was higher in severity where pitting penetration was at greater extent due to
their self-propagation effect and it could cause an accident which in turn could cause peoples
life and huge financial loss. Their possible prevention and occurrence method was identified
and was recommended to yards responsible authorities.

In the case of pitting corrosion, ultrasonic thickness measurement and visual inspection was
performed and all pits were identified. Pitting excavation and repair procedure was used to
carry out the repair work. Magnetic particle testing and ultrasonic testing with carried out to
recheck all the welded areas. After 4 month of docking of FPSO, it was sailed successfully
with class surveyor approval.

The Dissimilar metal corrosion case yet to rectify.

6. REFERENCES:
6.1 CORROSION FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (SECOND EDITION) K.
TRETHEWEY & J CHAMBERLAIN
6.2 ND-TEL: NATIONAL PROGRAMME ON TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED LEARNING.

- MOD-01 LEC-23: Forms of Corrosion

- MOD-01 LEC-24: Galvanic Corrosion

- MOD-01 LEC-26: Crevice Corrosion and Pitting Corrosion

- MOD-01 LEC-27: Pitting Corrosion

6.3 Standard Guide for Examination and Evaluation of Pitting Corrosion1

STUDENT NAME: PRADEEP KUMAR SHARMA STUDENT NUMBER: 15404622