Causes and Control of Corrosion in Buried-Conduit Heat Distribution Systems
Abstract
Heat distribution systems using buried conduit are extremely vulnerable to premature failure due to corrosion. The objective of this work was to evaluate the causes and determine methods of controlling corrosion in these systems. Heat distribution systems at several military installations were studied to identify common problems. This research indicated that corrosion can be mitigated by (1) reducing the amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide and oxygen developing specifications that limit the amounts of leachable aggressive species in insulation, (2) using properly designed cathodic protection systems, and (3) using properly selected and applied surface coatings. The systems that use buried steel conduit are extremely vulnerable to premature failure due to corrosion because they contain four surfaces that can be exposed to aggressive environments. The inside surface of carrier pipes can be corroded by the products conveyed; the outside surface of the carrier pipes and the inside surface of the steel conduits/casings can be corroded by aggressive, aqueous solutions leached from the insulation; and the outside surface of the steel conduits can be corroded by aggressive soils.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA238958
Entities
People
- Ellen G. Segan
- James R. Meyers
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory