Abstract
In chemical process and petrochemical plants corrosion problems may be inevitable, but costly and damaging equipment losses are not. With the continual drive to improve production rates whilst protecting both product quality, safety and the environment, corrosion must become a variable that can be continuously monitored and assessed. This 'new' millennium has seen the introduction of new 'real-time' measurement technologies and vast improvements in methods of electronic data handling. The 'replace when it fails' philosophy is receding into a distant memory; plant management today is embracing new technology, and rapidly appreciating the value it has to offer.
This paper makes reference to use of a real-time electrochemical corrosion monitoring system on a plant running a mostly organic process. Much of the plant is constructed of carbon steel, 304L and 316L. Decades of debottlenecking and other process modifications have produced corrosion problems. Whereas the economics of the process won't justify rebuilding the plant with more corrosion resistant materials, undoing all the process “improvements” is not an option. The monitoring system has enabled the plant to see, for the first time, changes in corrosion behavior caused by specific variations in process parameters. Process adjustments have been identified that reduce corrosion rates while maintaining acceptable yields and quality. The monitoring system has provided a new window into the chemistry of the process, helping chemical engineers improve their process.
