Corrosion and pipe wear have been studied for more than 150 years in the science real. It occurs when a material (mostly metal) or its properties deteriorate when they react with the environment. Pipe corrosion costs the US economy over nine billion dollars a year. Around the globe, the world Corrosion Organization estimates that 3% of the world’s GDP is spent on corrosion. This is a huge problem, especially for industries and oil companies who must use a lot of pipes in their daily operation.
Currently, there are over two million miles of oil and gas pipelines in the United States alone. These pipelines are crucial because US citizens rely on them to get their daily supply of energy and power, a vital tool for a healthy economy. These energy lifelines sustain the economy, but they have been made terribly vulnerable by corrosion problem.
Causes of Pipeline Corrosion
Pipeline bursts and spills are a significant cause of the negative perspective the industry has gained. Besides unavoidable natural disasters, one of the major reasons of pipe failure is corrosion. Another major problem is that most pipelines are old having being installed before 1960. Because of lack of awareness during that time, the long-term issues affecting piping were not factored in which left many pipes without protection from the environment.
Innovation has come with solutions to this pipe wear, such as installing a pipe wear pad. The water chemical makeup is also a contributing factor to eroding pipes since oxygen naturally degrades metals which gradually convert into rust. The hotter the water in your pipes is, the higher the corrosion rate. The pH of the water, especially in copper piping systems, is likely to cause pipe erosion by harming the protective barrier of the pipe. Sudden changes in water velocity can also lead to corrosion because of the turbulence caused during the shift.
How to Improve Piping Regulations
Pipeline regulations have been increased and so have advancements in pipeline manufacture and protection, which is a significant step towards reducing pope wear and the spills they cause. Technology has been instrumental in manufacturing of pipes with the reduced aging process. As time goes, older pipes are either being replaced with the newer, more reliable ones or being improved with high-tech wear pads. Although newer pipes are less likely to cause spills, it does not mean that they are not susceptible, which means you will need to install wear pads to strengthen them as well.
There are many inspection companies you can contact to inspect your pipes. The demand for pipe inspection is high, but there are not enough companies to do the inspection. This is probably because the younger generation has low interest in the industry.
Effects of Corrosion
The cost of corrosion is expensive. It directly impacts the health of employees and those who frequent your commercial building. For example, people are likely to consume water in high levels of toxic metal such as lead and copper, which can lead to acute health issues. Corrode water also hurts the efficiency of your water heater and is a known cause of premature failure. It also causes premature failure in plumbing systems and fixtures which will need repair from time to time. In severe cases, it causes odor and stains fixtures.
How to Prevent Corrosion
You can prevent corrosion by selecting the right metal type, using protective coating, taking care of environmental measures, using corrosion inhibitors, design modification, and sacrificial coatings.
Pipe wear is a problem whose solution has not been found, at least not yet, but you can take measures to reduce the effects and prevent corrosion.