The great loss of metal by water-side corrosion and the resulting loss of operating capacity gives the petroleum industry ample reasons to be much concerned about up-to-date methods of controlling water corrosion of metallic equipment. Because of high temperatures and wide range of temperatures employed in a multiplicity of heating, condensing and cooling operations, refinery managements realize that there exists no one panacea capable of ending all corrosion problems.
Much has been accomplished by continued efforts to reduce corrosion rates in cooling water systems by making use of new alloys, by applying protective coatings, and by treating waters with chemicals.
Useful laboratory tests have been developed which predict, with limited accuracy, the scale-forming and corrosion tendencies of water. Several of the better known tests are recognized by the names "Carbonate Saturation Index" (1), "Langlier Index" (2), and "Stability Index" (3). Ample literature, available for study of chemical treating methods of...
