Demonstration and Validation of Stainless Steel Materials for Critical Above Grade Piping in Highly Corrosive Locations
Abstract
The problem of accelerated corrosion damage to Department of Defense (DoD) assets in marine coastal settings is greatly compounded when the affected infrastructure is critical to military mission and operational safety. Exposed piping networks that supply water for fire protection of fueling facilities require a high maintenance investment to prevent catastrophic system failure during operation. This demonstration/validation project evaluated the use of low-carbon stainless steel materials for fire-suppression water pipes at the Chimu-Wan tank farms on Okinawa Island, Japan, one of the most corrosive locations in the world for steel infrastructure. Highly corroded carbon steel pipes at the site were replaced with two grades of stainless steel, and minor corrosion-mitigation modifications were made to pipe supports. After the rehabilitated system was commissioned, the pipes were inspected and tested according to established practice. Based on a March 2017 inspection report provided by installation personnel, the stainless steel materials appear to be performing as expected after almost a decade of exposure. They will require only periodic routine inspection and maintenance to mitigate small areas of surface corrosion that may appear over the intended 30 year service life. The return on investment calculated for this project is 1.21.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1037443
Entities
People
- Larry David Stephenson
- Ralph H. Eichlin
- Robert A. Weber
- Steven C. Sweeney
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center