Date: January 2016
Comparison of Corrosion Monitoring Systems
Monitoring or Inspection
There is often some confusion between the words “monitoring” and “inspection” when used in reference to
measuring metal loss and calculating corrosion rates in industrial applications such as oil and gas, water treatment,
chemical plants etc.
The two words are often interchanged however there is a distinct difference between the two. Inspection implies
less frequent check points to assess for changes or deviations to the anticipated or required results. Monitoring
is defined as checking continuously for the purpose of control in order to react quickly to change.
When used to refer to methods of calculating corrosion rates within pipes and vessels it is important to understand
the differences between the two and to select the appropriate technology to achieve the desired objectives. For
instance if the objective is to evaluate or estimate when a pipe/vessel wall has corroded to the point where it has
reached its maximum corrosion allowance and therefore should be replaced then inspection techniques may be
suitable. If however the objective is to continuously monitor the corrosivity of the process and subsequently take
steps to reduce the corrosion rate, thus extend the equipment life, maintain up time, and reduce costs then this
can only be achieved through continuous high sensitivity monitoring.
There are many external inspection tools on the market which claim to monitor corrosion however to date there
are none which offer the same sensitivity, and rapid response to changes in metal loss as high sensitivity internal
corrosion monitoring probes such as the Cosasco® Microcor® probe.
The key factor which sets Microcor apart from other metal loss techniques is its very low signal to noise ratio
which allows the corrosion engineer to detect changes in metal loss as small as 0.0006mils (0.016µm). This
equates to approximately 330x the sensitivity of even the highest sensitivity external inspection technologies
currently on the market. To put this in perspective a change in metal loss which Microcor can detect within 1 day
would take almost 11 months by any other external pipe wall monitoring technology claiming to be high
sensitivity.
Even when taking into account what would be considered large changes in corrosion rate in the magnitude of
0.5mm/year (19.68mils/year) Microcor can detect the change in metal loss in less than 20 minutes. Other external
pipe wall monitoring techniques with a claimed sensitivity of 0.2mils would take almost 4 days to detect the same
change.
This rapid response from Microcor allows corrosion engineers to tie in corrosion events to process changes and
thus intelligently take steps to control this corrosion by methods such as chemical injection. When it comes to
optimizing chemical injection and ultimately reducing chemical costs nothing on the market is as effective at
providing reliable corrosion rate information as Microcor internal corrosion monitoring.
Monitoring or Inspection
Microcor ER Wireless Transmitter and Low Pressure Probe Flange Mounted
Probes
Cosasco offers a large range of internal corrosion monitoring probes which can be sized per customer
requirements in 1/8th of an inch increments. This ensures that the element is always placed in the process phase
of greatest concern where the highest corrosion rates are expected. For monitoring corrosion rate at or near the
pipe wall customers can select from a range of flush probes which have a flat element and can be sized to sit
parallel to or flush with the pipe wall as required.
Probe elements are normally manufactured from the same material grade as the pipe/vessel wall however also
offer the flexibility to be manufactured from other material grades as sometimes the objective is to measure the
corrosivity of the process in relation to other equipment within the pipework such as valves etc. This cannot be
achieved through the use of externally mounted pipe thickness inspection tools.
Instrumentation and Communication Options
Cosasco offers a range of instruments with varying communications methods available from handheld units for
taking manual readings, data loggers (available in wired and wireless Bluetooth® versions), online RS485 wired
systems and online real‐time wireless systems using industry standard protocols including WirelessHART 7 and
ISA100.
Monitoring or Inspection
Data can either be viewed directly using Cosasco software or can be handed off to customer control systems using
a variety of communication methods including 4‐20mA, Modbus, OPC, PI, DeltaV etc.
Real‐time corrosion monitoring as provided by Cosasco wired or wireless online systems will provide the fastest
response to corrosion upsets however even when utilizing offline data loggers where the data is only being
downloaded periodically the response time can still be faster and thus provide greater value than external
inspection techniques due to the higher sensitivity and lower signal to noise ratio of the Microcor corrosion
monitoring system.
Microcor intrusive corrosion monitoring probes provide very small changes in metal loss over short periods of time
versus external monitoring techniques which can only detect large changes over unmanageable periods of time.
High Pressure Access Fittings (up to 10,000psi, retrievable online up to 6,000psi)
As the original designer and manufacturer, Cosasco
access fittings became the industry standard for access
under pressure and have been sold worldwide for over
60 years. Due to this Cosasco have a long standing
reputation for providing high quality, robust, reliable,
and safe access for the installation and retrieval of
internal corrosion monitoring and chemical injection
devices under pressure.
Cosasco manufactures a range of access fittings, all
designed to last the lifetime of the pipe or vessel they
are installed on and include Flarweld, Buttweld,
Socketweld, NPT and Flanges to suit customer’s
individual requirements.
Microcor ER Transmitter and Probe mounted on a
Flanged fittings are designed to mate to all common Cosasco High Pressure Flanged Access Fitting
industrial flange types and can be mounted onto new
mating flanges or to existing flanges within the customer’s pipework thus removing the requirement for welding
on existing pipes and vessels. For instances where a customer has a less‐common mating flange they would like to
utilize the Cosasco engineering team can design an access fitting to suit their requirements.
Flanged access fittings quite often only require a small section of pipework to be isolated for the flange to be
installed which is a one‐time operation. After the fitting has been installed all future monitoring device retrievals
can be carried out online under normal operating conditions.
Monitoring or Inspection
Welded access fittings can be retrofitted to pipes or vessels whilst the plant is online by welding the fitting onto the
line then hot tapping through the access fitting and installing the intrusive monitoring device. Hot tapping services
can be offered by Cosasco.
Low Pressure Access Systems
In addition to the high pressure system Cosasco also offer a low pressure alternative which can be used in systems
up to 1,500psi and is ideally suited to refinery and pipeline applications.
Servicing COSASCO® Access Fittings
Cosasco offers a range of retrieval equipment and service valves for the installation and retrieval of devices under
normal plant operation up to pressures of 6,000psi. These tools have been used throughout the industry for many
years and have built a solid reputation for reliability, ease of use, and safe access under pressure. Cosasco have
developed a full set of in depth Work Instructions and Risk Assessments based on many years of field experience
and offer these documents to any customer purchasing Cosasco retrieval equipment.
Cosasco also offers a full range of onsite services via their global network of offices using factory trained
technicians with extensive field experience and can perform all facets of service work related to internal corrosion
monitoring from online retrieval and installation of monitoring devices to full commissioning of online corrosion
monitoring systems.
Corrosion Coupons
Weight loss corrosion coupons are still a widely used method of detecting corrosion and are used by many
corrosion engineers to compliment other forms of monitoring as they can provide useful information which
cannot be gathered by other external inspection techniques. By analyzing a corrosion coupon the Corrosion
Engineer can gain valuable insight on issues such as pitting, erosion effects, scaling build up, microbiological
concerns etc. as the coupons have been directly exposed to the process. External inspection techniques cannot
provide this information.
Conclusion
The words “Inspection” and “Monitoring” are often interchanged when referring to corrosion detection
however there is a distinct difference:
o Inspection refers to the use of lower sensitivity techniques in order to estimate and evaluate when
equipment has reached the end of its usable life.
Monitoring or Inspection
o Monitoring refers to the use of high sensitivity techniques in order to closely track changes in metal
loss for the purpose of taking corrective action to control the corrosion through techniques such as
chemical injection and thus reduce cost and extend asset life.
High sensitivity intrusive probes such as Microcor can be considered true corrosion monitoring whereas
external pipe wall monitors should be considered inspection tools as they lack the sensitivity and speed of
response to intelligently take steps to control corrosion.
With the current oil price and operators looking to cut costs Microcor high sensitivity probes can be utilized
to provide rapid response to corrosion upsets and allow accurate chemical injection to be optimized, reducing
costs whilst extending equipment life.
Cosasco access fittings can be installed during the construction phase of new projects or retrofitted to
pipework and vessels within existing plant. A variety of mounting options are available from welded fittings
to flanges all of which can be retrieved using the Cosasco range of retrieval equipment.
Cosasco offers a full range of site services including online retrieval and installation of corrosion monitoring
devices at pressures up to 6,000psi and has developed in depth Work Instructions and Risk Assessments based
on many years of field experience. Other services from initial site survey, through final commissioning and
after sales support can be offered to ensure continued system performance.
Cosasco can provide many communication options in terms of instrumentation from handhelds, dataloggers
through to online wired and wireless systems using industry standard communication options.
For further details on internal corrosion monitoring please contact your nearest Cosasco representative
visit our website, http://www.cosasco.com/locate_a_representative.php or contact us by e‐mail at
[email protected].
