ENGINEERING CORROSION PROTECTION AT HUB POWER STATION

TARIQ AZIZ NACE LEVEL 2

Corrosion at Hub Power Station

LOCATION OF HUB POWER STATION

Wind
Direction

Corrosion at Hub Power Station

A HISTORY OF CORROSION AT HUB
POWER STATION
The Station is a windswept coastal location with a saline laden atmosphere, where
the ambient temperature is normally above 30c and the relative humidity is
normally between 60% and 85%. Due to this aggressive environment, the Station is
suffering from accelerated corrosion which is further compounded by deficiencies
in original design and construction quality.
These conditions have resulted in the premature failure of coatings on materials
within the plant and in particular on the west side of the complex that is exposed to
prevailing winds, which are causing erosion of the protective coating systems. This
phenomenon is also causing a large amount of premature concrete foundation
failures within the plant.
It is expected that corrosion prevention work will cost a minimum of US$ 2m p.a.
for the remaining life of the Project and presents valuable lessons for business
developers in the Region.
Currently, Hub O&M has a full time corrosion team and led by a Corrosion
Manager.

Corrosion at Hub Power Station

CORROSION
WHAT - Gradual destruction of a metal or alloy by chemical or
electrochemical reaction.

WHY - Metals are in an unstable state.

HOW - Electrons travel from a negative area (anode) of the metal to a

positive area (cathode) through an external conductive intermediate
(electrolyte) and then returns to the anode through the metal itself to
complete the corrosion cell.

DEFINATION - Corrosion is the deterioration of a material, usually a

metal, because of a reaction with its environment.
This definition is very broad and recognizes that
materials other than steel, such as concrete, wood, and
plastics, deteriorate or corrode
ELEMENTS OF CORROSION CELL

1. Anode

2. Cathode

3. Metallic pathway (or external

conductor)

4. Electrolyte
TYPES OF CORROSION

Uniform Intergranular Galvanic

Crevice Pitting Hydrogen damage

Stress Corrosion Corrosion fatigue Hydrogen

Induced Cracking

Fretting , Erosion and Cavitation

ENVIRONMENTS AND CORROSION

Chemical/marine (offshore oil rigs and ships)

Chemical/high-humidity (coastal oil refinery)

Marine/high-humidity (splash zone platform piping)

Chemical/low-humidity (inland oil refinery)

Rural/low-humidity (inland rural railroad bridge)

CLASSIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTS
Atmospheric Corrosivity and special corrosion stresses
influence the durability of the structures corrosion
protection painting and the planning of paint work in
an important way.

Pursuant to ISO 12944-2, atmospheric corrosivity is

divided into six categories:

In addition there are corrosivity classes for steel in

waters and soil:
CLASSIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTS
Corrosivity Corrosivity of Examples of typical environments (informative)
class the environment Outdoors Indoors
C1 Very Low - Heated premises with dry air and
insignificant amounts of pollutants, e g
offices, shops, schools, hotels.
C2 Low Atmospheres with low Unheated premises with variable
pollutant levels. temperature and humidity. Low frequency
Rural areas. of condensation and small amounts of air
pollutants, e g sports halls, storage spaces
C3 Moderate Atmospheres with some Premises with moderate humidity levels
amount of salt or with and some amount of air pollutants from
moderate pollutant levels. production processes, e g breweries,
Urban areas and slightly dairies, laundries
industrialized areas. Areas
with some coastal effect.
C4 High Atmospheres with moderate Premises with high humidity levels and
salt levels or with marked air large amounts of air pollutants from
pollutant levels. Industrial and production processes e g chemical
coastal areas. industries, swimming halls, shipyards.
C5-I Very High Industrial areas with high Premises with nearly constant
(Industrial) relative humidity and condensation and large amounts of air
aggressive atmosphere. pollutants.
C5-M Very High Coastal and offshore areas Premises with nearly constant
(Marine) with high levels of salt. condensation and large amounts of air
pollutants.
CLASSIFICATION FOR STEEL IN WATERS AND
SOIL
Corrosivity Environment / Surrounding Examples
Class medium
Im1 Fresh water Hydroelectric power
plants
Im2 Seawater and brackish water Harbor structures

Im3 Soil Buried tanks,

pipelines
THE EFFECTS OF CORROSION
Safety:
Corroded structures may be unsafe in a variety of ways, bridges and buildings that
must support the weight of extreme loading are obvious examples. Corrosion cannot be
allowed in the food and beverage industry, where metal corrosion products would
contaminate the products. Coatings and linings are often used to protect process vessels
and metal food containers.

Cost:
The cost of repainting and repairing rusted steel usually far outweighs the initial cost of
protecting a surface against corrosion.

Appearance:
Peeling coatings and rusting steel are an eyesore in any environment. For many
engineers or facility owners, appearance is a major reason for painting their structures.
CORROSION CONTROL
Design
Materials Selection
Galvanic Series
Inhibitors (Seawater at 25C)
Magnesium Most Active
Zinc
Materials Selection Aluminum
Mild Steel
Cast Iron
Copper
Cathodic Protection Stainless Steel
Silver
Gold
Protective Coatings Platinum Least Active

Alteration of the Environment

 GALVANIZING
Zinc is commonly used for corrosion protection of steel surfaces (i.e. galvanisation). The
properties of zinc differ in many respects from those of steel. The differences must be taken into
consideration in surface preparation, in choosing the paint system and the structure being
coated. Painting is not recommended for galvanised structures intended for immersion.

Before mechanically coarsening the galvanised surface, which is recommendable in many cases
and also immediately prior to coating, all contaminants and water-soluble salts hampering
surface preparation and paint work must be first removed from the surface using oil and grease
removal methods; see ISO 12944-4. The type of cleaner should be selected according to how it
may react with a specific coating. The coating manufacturer should be consulted. The surface
should be completely dry before painting.

Based on the weathered state of the galvanizing, the appropriate method should be used:

- Newly galvanised steel-plate structures (less than 48h after galvanizing) and partially
weathered galvanised structures (between 48h and 2 years) are sweep blast-cleaned lightly
so that the entire surface becomes dull, SSPC SP-7 standard may be followed. It is critical to
ensure that the process does not remove measurable zinc. Suitable abrasives are aluminium
or magnesium silicates for example.
- For preparation of surfaces fully dimmed by oxidation (between 8 months and 2 years after
galvanizing), warm water low pressure wash is sufficient.
PROTECTIVE COATINGS
Coatings provide protection to steel by one or a combination of three mechanisms yielding
the following three coating types:

Sacrificial coatings
which are rich in zinc. whenever a scratch or other damage occurs to the zinc exposed to the
steel, the zinc acts as a sacrificial anode and corrodes to protect the steel surface.

Barrier coatings:
which keep moisture away from the steel surface. This removes one of the elements of the
corrosion cycle, the electrolyte, thus preventing corrosion.

Inhibitive coatings:
These coatings are actively assist in the control of corrosion by using pigments that can
provide an inhibitive effect (similar to corrosion inhibitors).These pigments react with the
absorbed moisture in the coating and then react with the steel to passivate it and thus
decrease its corrosive characteristics The protection given to steel by protective coatings can
be greatly influenced by discontinuities (pores, scratches, pinholes) in the coating film.
Coating thickness
Electrolyte present (if any) at the discontinuity
Presence of adherent mill scale on substrate
BARRIER COATINGS

Protection by preventing water, oxygen and

electrolyte from coming in contact with the
metal substrate.
INHIBITIVE COATINGS
STOP

Contain chemicals which hinder the

corrosion process. They react with the
cathode, anode or other components
(oxygen, electrolyte, acid).
SACRIFICIAL COATINGS

Provide galvanic protection. They corrode

(sacrifice) in preference to the substrate,
providing electrons which reverses the
corrosion cell and transforms anodes to
cathodes.
ADDITIVES
These materials called additives, may be added to
coatings, for several reasons:

Adjust consistency
Improve film build
Make it conductive (for use on concrete)
SOLVENT SAFETY
Solvent safety is a concerned with two types of
hazards:

Fire

Health.
FIRE HAZARDSFLASH POINT
The flash point of a solvent is the lowest temperature at which enough vapor
will be present above the liquid to be ignited by an ignition source, such as a
flame. In addition to open flames, sources of ignition can include static electric
sparks, sparks from nails in shoes, sparks from grinding operations, lit cigarettes,
and many others. The lower the flash point, the greater the amount of vapor
that will be released from the liquid and the greater the risk of vapor ignition.
Important Safety Terms:

Fire Hazards
LEL = lower explosive limit
UEL = upper explosive limit

It could be said that the lower the flash point of a solvent, the more highly
flammable the solvent. The lower explosive limit (LEL) is the lowest concentration
of solvent vapor in air that can be ignited. The upper explosive limit (UEL) is the
highest concentration of solvent in air that can be ignited.
HEALTH HAZARDS
While some solvents are more immediately and directly hazardous to your health
than others, all solvents present a health hazard and should be handled
accordingly. Approved respirators and protective clothing should be used at all
times but particularly when handling solvents or when working in enclosed areas.
NIOSH provides recommendations for equipment and practices required for safe
working.] Some terms you may hear when solvent safety is discussed include:
TLVthreshold limit value: A concentration of airborne gases or fumes that can
be inhaled for a period of time by workers, according to the applicable safety
regulations (e.g., OSHA regulations in the United States).
TWA/TLVtime weighted average/threshold limit value: average
concentration of airborne gases or fumes for a stated working period, such as an
8- hour day or 40-hour week.
STEL/TLVshort-term exposure limit/ threshold limit value: Maximum
concentration of airborne gases or fumes to which workers can be exposed
regardless of the period of time.
IMPORTANT NOTE: All solvents should be handled with care. Solvents should be
stored in accordance with local and federal regulations.
THE INGREDIENTS & CLASSIFICATION OF COATINGS
Coating Definition
Coatings are clear or pigmented film-forming materials that protect the surface
to which they are applied from the effects of the environment.

Coating terms commonly used include:

Pigment
Binder
Solvent
Curing mechanism
Coating system

Coating Components
Conventional coatings consist of two major components:

Pigment
Vehicle
PIGMENTS
A pigment is a discrete particulate solid used to impart
specific protective or decorative qualities to the coating.
Pigments do not dissolve in the coating; they remain solid,
individual particles, whether in the liquid coating or the
solid film.
The term pigment may also be used to describe inert fillers,
such as chalk, talc, or mica, which are used to modify the
film properties. In addition to the added bulk in the film,
fillers may be used to adjust such properties as gloss,
density or pigment volume concentration (PVC).
FUNCTIONS OF PIGMENTS
Pigments are added to coatings to:
Provide rust-inhibiting characteristics
Decrease the permeability of the film
Hide the surface (opacity)
Provide color
Protect film from effects of ultraviolet light and weather
Provide mechanical reinforcement for the coating film
Perform other functions, including:
Self-cleaning and controlled chalking
Gloss controldecrease gloss and increase adhesion (bond) or tooth of subsequent coats
Assist in drying the coating binder
Provide certain desired finishes, such as metallic luster or various glosses
Increase body consistency so that thicker films may be applied
Provide galvanic properties and allow sacrificial protection
Improve inter-coat adhesion (increased pigment size may also improve adhesion to existing
coatings)
VEHICLE
The vehicle is the liquid base of the coating consisting of
solvent, binder, and any required liquid additives. The
word binder generally refers to the resin or resin blend
that provides the film-forming portion. Binder and pigment
compose the dried coating film. Most coatings are named
after the film-forming resin (binder).
TYPES OF COATINGS BY RESIN

1. ACRYLICS (Latex)
2. ALKYDS
3. EPOXIES
A. COAL TAR EPOXIES
B. EPOXY MASTICS
4. ZINC RICH
A. ORGANIC
B. INORGANIC
5. POLYURETHANES
INORGANIC ZINC RICH (IOZ)
Solvent borne self-curing inorganic zinc rich ethyl silicate.
Used as a primer for steel, primarily in the fabrication shop.

ADVANTAGES: Excellent abrasion, heat and severe

Environment resistance. Fast-drying. Can be used without
a topcoat. Applied properly can last more than 15 years.

DISADVANTAGES: Requires a very clean, blasted surface;

user unfriendly; difficult to topcoat (porous); high initial
cost.
EPOXIES
Two-component thermosetting materials
which cure chemically. Consist of a base
and a curing agent (catalyst).

ADVANTAGES: Bond well to properly cleaned steel and

concrete, very durable in most environments. Excellent
barrier coating.

DISADVANTAGES: Pot life limitations, chalk (poor gloss

and color retention), inflexible.
COAL TAR EPOXIES
An epoxy which has been fortified with coal tar.
Immersion service, sheet piling.

ADVANTAGES: lower cost, improved water

resistance and greater film build.

DISADVANTAGES: Become brittle in sunlight,

pot life, toxic effects, high solvent content.
POLYURETHANES
Also a two-component thermosetting coating. Consists of an
isocyanate and a polyol. Aliphatic polyurethane used as finish coat
of three coat inorganic zinc rich system.

ADVANTAGES: Best gloss and color retention, protects

epoxy intermediate coat from UV, hard but flexible.

DISADVANTAGES: Highly toxic (need personal protection),

lose gloss when applied in high humidity, user unfriendly,
pot life limitation, more expensive than an epoxy.
COATING COVERAGE CALCULATION
Theoretical Coverage:
m2/liter= % SBV/100 x 1000
dft (microns)
Practical Coverage:
Theoretical Coverage x % Loss
100
Consumption:
Area(ft2 or m2)
Practical Coverage (liters)
Film Thickness:
Wet to Dry wft x % SBV
100

Dry to Wet dft x 100

% SBV
PRE-TREAMENT PRIOR TO COATING
Before starting the pre-treatment things shall be verified that all
surfaces are to be painted meet the stated requirements with regard
to rust grade of the steel, preparation etc.

1. Degreasing and oil removal

2. Blasting
3. Preparation of galvanised surfaces
4. Coating Materials and Methods
5. Repair of Defects
6. Quality Assurance and Quality Control, and Testing
7. Quality Control and Testing
8. Guarantees
9. Painting Systems
SURFACE PREPARATION
Pre-Cleaning
(removal of surface contaminants)

Cleaning

Profiling
SURFACE PREPARATION
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?

Poor surface preparation is

the most frequent cause of
premature coatings failure.

Surface preparation is the

most expensive operation
of a painting project.
PRE CLEANING
ABNORMALITIES

STEEL
Remove sharp edges, weld splatter

CONCRETE
Patch, Caulk
PRE CLEANING
SURFACE CONTAMINANTS
Types
Loose Rust
Loose Paint
Salts
Dirt and Dust
Oil and grease
Chalk
Efflorescence (cement only)
Latence (cement only)

Removal Methods
Solvents
Steam
Potable Pressurized Water
CLEANING
HAND TOOLS (Stainless Steel or Aluminum)
POWER TOOLS
VACUUM POWER TOOLS
ABRASIVE BLASTING
SAND
RECYCLABLE STEEL SHOT AND GRIT
SLAG (Black Beauty)
SPONGE
WATER BLASTING OR JETTING
CHEMICAL STRIPPING
DEGREE OF CLEANILINESS
SURFACE PREPARATION STANDARDS
PROFILE
(ANCHOR PATTERN)

CORRECT

TOO DEEP

TOO ROUND
PROFILE
(ANCHOR PATTERN)

FOUR FACTORS DETERMINE THE SHAPE AND

DEPTH OF THE PROFILE OF BLASTED SURFACES

1. Size of the Particle

2. Shape of the Particle
3. Hardness of the Particle
4. Velocity of the Particle
INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
Description:
Elcometer 319 Dewpoint Meter
Elcometer 212 Digital Thermometer with Surface Probe.
Elcometer 456 Integral Coating Thickness Gauge
Elcometer 134 CSN Chloride, Sulphate & Nitrate Kit
Elcometer 900 Illuminated (x50) Microscope
Elcometer 236 DC Holiday Detector: 0.5-15KV
Elcometer 148 pH Tester
Elcometer 138/2 Surface Contamination Kit
Elcometer 142 ISO 8502-3 Dust Tape Test Kit
Elcometer 223 Digital Surface Profile Gauge
Elcometer 115 Wet Film Combs
Elcometer Zero Test plates Ferrous and Non Ferrous
Elcometer 130 Salt Contamination Meter
Elcometer 124 Thickness Gauge and Elcometer 122 Testex Tape
Spark Tester 110V Kit (Part no E1/D-110V-KIT)
Elcometer 106 Pull Off Adhesion Tester
Digital Camera Microscopic
EQUIPMENT ILLUSTRATION

Elcometer 319 Dewpoint Meter Elcometer-212-Thermometer-Liquid-Probe

Elcometer-456-Integral-&-Separate-Coating- Elcometer Zero Test plates Ferrous

Thickness-Gauges and Non Ferrous
 EQUIPMENT ILLUSTRATION

Elcometer 115 Wet Film Combs Elcometer 223 Digital Surface Profile Gauge

Elcometer 142 ISO 8502-3 Dust Tape Test Kit Elcometer 124 Thickness Gauge and Elcometer 122
Testex Tape
 EQUIPMENT ILLUSTRATION

Elcometer 900 Illuminated (x50) Microscope Elcometer 125 Surface Comparators

Elcometer 148 pH Tester Elcometer 102 Needle Pressure Gauge

 EQUIPMENT ILLUSTRATION

Elcometer 121-4 Paint Inspection Gauge Elcometer 236 DC Holiday Detector 0.5-15KV

Spark Tester 110V Kit (Part no Elcometer 106 Pull Off Adhesion Tester
E1-D-110V-KIT)
 EQUIPMENT ILLUSTRATION

Elcometer 130 Salt Contamination Meter Elcometer 134 CSN Chloride,

Sulphate & Nitrate Kit

Elcometer 107 Cross Hatch Cutter Elcometer 138-2 Surface Contamination Kit
STATION PHOTOS TO SHOW THE EXTENT OF CORROSION

Corroded RFO Tank Roof After Blasting & Coating of Roof

Corroded Cable Tray Replacement of Cable Trays with GRP

STATION PHOTOS TO SHOW THE EXTENT OF CORROSION

Corroded Grating at Hypo Chlorination Plant GRP Grating - CW Intake Area

Corroded Pole Replaced with GRP new Holes in Cladding Sheets due to Corrosion (Only
West and South Side)
SUMMARY
CORROSION

TYPE OF COATINGS

DIFFERENT Coatings

SURFACE PREPARATION

INSPECTION EQUIPMENTS

ILLUSTRATION OF CORROSION AT HUB POWER STATION