CORROSION PREVENTION BY USE OF INHIBITORS
By
Hima vamsi chirravuri
WHAT ARE INHIBITORS?
A corrosion inhibitor is a substance which, when added to an environment in a small
concentration, effectively reduces the corrosion rate of a metal exposed to that environment.
It can be done by the addition of a coating on the surface of the metal which acts as a
passivation layer and disallows access to the surface of the metal.
In simple words, it is a chemical compound that can be added to liquids or gases and used to
decrease the corrosion rate of a given material can be referred to as a corrosion inhibitor.
HOW DOES CORROSION INHIBITION OCCUR?
Corrosion inhibition usually results from one or more of three general mechanisms:
The inhibitor molecule is adsorbed on the metal surface by the process of
chemisorption, forming a thin protective film either by itself or in conjunction with
metallic ions.
The inhibitor causes a metal to form its own protective film of metal oxides, thereby
increasing its resistance.
The inhibitor reacts with a potentially corrosive substance in the water.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF INHIBITORS
When choosing the corrosion inhibitor for your application, several things need to be
considered, as follows:
Materials to be protected
Method of application (dip, spray, brush, etc.)
Type of protection required (in process, storage or shipping)
Cost of the inhibitor.
Storage, packaging and/or shipping conditions (temperature, humidity seasonal
conditions)
The toxicity of the inhibitor can cause ill effects on human beings and other living spices.
Environmental, health and safety requirements
Inhibitors should be environment friendly.
Exceptions of inhibitor:
Corrosion control by use of inhibitors is extremely useful in many environments, however, there
are certain exceptions , such as:
(a ) equipment and components subjected to turbulent flow
(b) systems operating above the stability limits of inhibitor
(C) equipment subjected to high velocity, beyond 4m/s
HOW ARE INHIBITORS CLASSIFIED?:
Inorganic Inhibitors:
Addition of inorganic inhibitors causes suppression of electrochemical reaction at anodic-cathodic
areas. Most of the times, inhibitors are used in a blended form. These inhibitors only react at an adequate
level of concentration. Some important inorganic inhibitors are listed below:
1. Chromate Inhibitors: They are most effective, but toxic and hence their application is restricted and is
not advised. In industrial water, the threshold concentration of chromate is 12mg/L. Chromate
inhibitors either contain N or N.
Fe→ F+3e (Oxidation of iron)
CrFormation of chromate iron)
2. Nitrites: They are effective inhibitors for iron and a number of metals in a wide variety of waters. Like
chromates, these are anodic inhibitors and they inhibit the system by forming a passive vibe with
ferric oxide. These are environmentally friendly inhibitors. They should not be in open systems as
they would oxidise to nitrites in presence of oxygen. Nitrites are not effective in presence of chloride
an sulphate.
3. Phosphate Inhibitors: Phosphate retards corrosion by promoting the growth of protective iron
oxide films and by healing the defects in protective films.
4. Molybdates: Molybdenum is an alloying element which is known to increase passivation of
stainless steel. Sodium molybdates forms a complex passivation film at iron anode. This can be
achieved in presence of oxygen.
5. Silicates: These are strong anodic inhibitors and passive films can be formed even on the
corroded surface. The monomeric silica does not provide any protection. Silicate treatment also
prevents dezincification in brass and corrosion of copper.
Inorganic inhibitors are classified into two types:
1. Anodic inhibitor
2. Cathodic inhibitor
1.Anodic Inhibitor:
• These types of corrosion inhibitors form a thin preventive oxide layer on the surface of the metal. This
reaction leads to a big anodic shift, turning the metallic surface into a passivation area. This passivation
area helps in reducing the corrosion of the metal.
• Examples for anodic inhibitors include chromates, nitrites, orthophosphates, and molybdates.
• An anodic inhibitor increases the anodic polarization and hence moves the corrosion potential to the
cathodic direction and hence also called as passivating inhibitors.
2. Cathodic Inhibitors:
• Cathodic inhibitors can work to slow the cathodic reaction down or they can work to selectively
precipitate on the cathodic regions of the metal in order to restrict the diffusion to the metal surface of
the elements that are eroded.
• Cathodic inhibitors shift the corrosion potential to the anodic direction. Here the cations migrate towards
the cathode surfaces where they are precipitated chemically or electrochemically and thus block these
surfaces
• Examples for Cathodic Inhibitors include sulfite and bisulfite ions which can react with oxygen to form
sulphates. Another example of a cathodic inhibitor is a catalyzed redox reaction by nickel.
Organic inhibitors:
• Organic compound containing oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur with multiple bonds have been reported as good
corrosion inhibitors.
• Many organic inhibitors such as amines, aldehydes, alkaloids, nitro and nitroso compounds have been
studied and tried as corrosion inhibitors .
• Organic inhibitors can be anodic, cathodic and mixed type based on its reaction at the metal surface and
potential.
• These are effective depending upon its size, carbon chain length, aromaticity, conjugation and nature of
bonding atoms
Examples of application of inhibitors
• Petroleum industry: Corrosion phenomena in the petroleum industry occur in a two-phase
medium of water and hydrocarbon. It is the presence of a thin layer of water which leads to
corrosion, and rigorous elimination of water reduces the corrosion rates to a negligible value.
The inhibitors used in petroleum industry, both in production and refining are either oil soluble-
water insoluble types or oil soluble-water dispersible compounds.
• Packaging Industry: For transportation of machinery, components and equipment by sea, vapor
phase cyclohexylamine and hexa-methylamine are used.
• Sour gas systems: A major problem is encountered in steel pipelines in various sour gas
environments. Chemical inhibition is one of the effective methods used to mitigate
sulphide induced corrosion. Inhibitors containing alkyl ammonium ions are found to
supress corrosion effectively.
• Potable Water Systems: Corrosion is experienced in potable water transportation pipes
of steel and cast iron. Inhibitors, such as Ca(HC and polyphosphates are commonly
used.
• Engine coolants: Inhibitors, such as NaCr, borates, nitrites etc. are widely used for
protection of auto-mobile engines. Chromates are a health hazard.
PROTECTION BY PROPER DESIGNING
1.The proper design to minimize corrosion is as important as the selection of materials. In many
structures, a lack of design consideration the weakest link in corrosion control.
2. Designers should have skills to determine the mechanical properties and strength required to
ensure that a structure is resistant to corrosion.
3. A background and solid understanding of the corrosion process is important as well.
While selecting materials, the designer has to consider the particular environment, use and the
corrosion control parameters. These include:
Design rules:
Designing structures and parts to prevent or control corrosion is more cost-effective than
waiting for the equipment to fail in service. Close communication between designers and corrosion
engineers can be very beneficial and should be ensured in applications where corrosion is likely to
be an issue.
Here are a few key design rules that can be followed to help prevent corrosion:
1. Adjust wall thickness:
Because corrosion involves the degradation of materials, the process continuously eats up the
material and decreases its thickness. Therefore, part of corrosion-resistant design involves making
allowances for this reduction in the thickness in pipes, storage tanks and other parts.
A general method is to make the wall thickness twice of that which is required for the desired life of
the structure. However, the wall thickness must meet mechanical requirements for stress, pressure and
weight.
This general rule of using doubled wall thickness adds extra cost and weight. Therefore, detailed
financial comparisons should be made to choose among these options. This rule does not need to be
followed if there is reliable corrosion data and effective monitoring systems. For example, we might use
different corrosion allowances for the upper and lower regions of a tall vertical vessel.
2. Ensure that there's Adequate Drainage:
Tanks and other storage containers should be designed in such a way that they can be easily drained and
cleaned. Therefore, all transitions should be smooth, and taps should be located so that the tank can be
completely drained.
3. Minimize Bi-Metallic Corrosion Cells:
• Avoid galvanic corrosion by using similar metal throughout the structure, if possible, or by avoiding
electrical contact by insulating different materials.
• Those components that are more prone to corrosion should be easily replaceable. Special parts can also be
used to attract the corrosion, thus protecting other parts.
• To avoid crevice corrosion, seals should be used and pressure should be adjusted on the gaskets to prevent
liquid penetration inside the crevices.
• In this way, it is possible to avoid the presence of stagnant water in the crevices and narrow gaps.
4.Avoid Differential Aeration Cells:
• Differential aeration should be avoided. For the components immersed in water, sufficient aeration
should be ensured to cause passivation, which slows the corrosion.
• Otherwise, aeration should be prevented as much as possible. Similarly, for the structures that are
exposed to the atmosphere, easy drainage and an ample supply of air should be ensured, and vice
versa for the porous surfaces or structure having cavities—they should be properly sealed.
THANK YOUUU……
