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Technical Data and Questions >
What Defines A Corrosive
Environment?
What Defines A Corrosive
Environment?
A corrosive
environment can consist of many different corrosive elements.
Not all corrosive pollutants are found in a single corrosive
environment. It is also rare for a corrosive environment to have
only one corrosive pollutant in its atmosphere. The more
aggressive the environment, the more critical the selection of
proper protective coating becomes.
Along many coastal
regions, rising populations have increased energy demands and
local atmospheric corrosion from automobile fumes, fertilizers,
animal and insect fluids and other corrosive contaminants.
Concrete, steel, most alloys, structures and facilities;
industrial, commercial and residential equipment including air
conditioning coils, all require corrosion protection from the
abundance ofcontaminants found in the atmosphere. Even at
substantial distances from the ocean, structures and equipment
are susceptible to salt water contamination.
Aftermarket
investment in a quality corrosion-resistant coating is usually
less costly than unit or coil replacement, inefficient unit
operation, constant unit maintenance, discomfort or lost
production costs. The savings gained is found in extended
structure or equipment life, lower maintenance costs, better
operating efficiency and reduced service expenses.
Various Types
Of Corrosive Pollutants Or Atmospheres In Different Environments
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Marine/Industrial: (Severe)
This combination of corrosives is often
found on off-shore
oil drill rigs or in industrial coastal
locations. It is a combination of marine and
industrial pollutants including, salt air,
hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, ammonia
and others. |
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Coastal/Marine (Severe)
Salt air, acid rain,
automobile emissions,
animal, bird and insect fluids,
and sulfur water. |
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Suburban/Rural: (Mild-Heavy)
Generally these atmospheres
include automobile emissions,
varying levels of ammonia,
nitrogen, fertilizers,
and fluids from birds, insects
and animals (such as urine and feces), all
of which are corrosive. |
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Many
processing facilities such as wastewater
treatment plants, pulp paper mills, chemical
plants, refineries and others create gases in
their processing. Many of these gases are highly
corrosive, including methane, hydrogen sulfide,
chlorine, sulfur dioxide, and others. Though
most are in low parts per millions
concentrations, nevertheless they are airborne
corrosives which have a corrosive effect on the
structures and equipment within their
environment. |
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Corrosion Facts
• Corrosion is the deterioration of a
substance (usually a metal) or its properties
because of a reaction with its environment.
• Polluted air is more corrosive than clean air.
• Moist air is more corrosive than dry air.
• Hot air is more corrosive than cold air.
• Hot water is more corrosive than cold water.
• Salt water is more corrosive than fresh water.
• Sulfur in a mist of warm air is a common corrosive
found in fossil fuel plant environments.
• Acids are generally more corrosive than bases
(alkalis). |
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• In
sugar refining corrosion or spalding of concrete
is a continual concern.
• The by-products of various food processing
procedures are often highly-corrosive.
• Corrosion is a natural consequence of an
element's temporary existence in metallic form.
• There are more than 50 specific types of
corrosion, although there are only a few
mechanisms which are common to all of them.
• Of the 105 elements known to man, about 80 of
them are metals.
• Corrosive atmospheres are found in every
environment and range from mild to severe.
• The only place where corrosion will not occur
is in a vacuum. |
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