Highlights
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Stagnancy of water inside the pipe.
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Excess of dissolved oxygen in the water causes the hydroxide(s) to oxidize further to produce final corrosion product, iron oxide.
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Due to gravity affect, the corrosion product produced by the oxygen attack fell down to the bottom surface of the pipe.
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The severe pitting attack at the top inner portion of the pipe was due to high oxygen corrosion while the bottom surface of the pipe suffered from under deposit corrosion problem.
Abstract
This paper presents the failure analysis of a fire water pipe line from a petrochemical industry. Leakages were noticed at the top portion of the pipeline. Severe deep pits were observed at the top inner surface and deposits found at the bottom inner surface of the pipe line. Visual inspection, microscopic examination, chemical and water analyses were employed in the present failure analysis. The analysis results showed that the failure occurred due to the severe oxygen corrosion attack at the top portion of the pipe while the bottom surface of the pipe suffered from under deposit corrosion. The fire water pipe line was made of low carbon steel.
Keywords
Fire water; Oxygen; Under deposit; Corrosion; Failure
1. Background and introduction
A portion of the leaking pipe from the fire water system was received as representative sample from a Petrochemical Industry. This failure was occurred first time after commissioning the pipe water line system about 25 years. Leaking was noticed on the top side of the pipe as shown by arrow (Fig. 2). The material of construction of the pipeline is carbon steel. The pipeline is operated only twice a week during the call fire under a batch flow rate. Potable water is used in this fire system.
There are two identical storage tanks, 56 P6 and 56 P7, with two main pumps. Jockey pump which is located close to 56 P6 tank, plays major roles of this system as maintaining the constant system pressure and a continuous circulation of the water inside the pipe. Schematic diagram of fire water line piping system is shown in Fig. 1 and it is representing the two tanks, pumps and location of the leakages. These leakages were located only in the area after the discharge of the pump as reference 56 P7 tank.