Corrosion Protection n. 4 - October 2023 by ipcm® International Paint&Coating Magazine

ISSN 2282-1767

an ipcm magazine ®

Genoa Elevated Highway: a successful maintenance project © Adobe Stock

page 08

ISSUE 4 OCTOBER 2023

Corrosion Hunters: the age of drones and robotics in corrosion inspections

Sustainable flame retardant coatings in the frame of circular economy

page 30

page 40

EUROPOLVERI ANTICORROSION SOLUTIONS

HARD WORK For the manufacts’ protection to corrosion, the two or more coating layer system is widespread in industrial powder coatings, in sectors such as EARTH-MOVING MACHINERY OR AGRICULTURE (ACE), STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS, URBAN FURNITURE, TANKS OR FENCES where the use of epoxy primer plays a fundamental role to increase the resistance to corrosion of the coated manufacts.

As a matter of fact, the epoxy resins used in this kind of primer penetrate the support interstices better than any other kind of system (if the manufact has undergone a physical sand blasting pre-treatment) or react with the substrate if subjected to a chemical pretreatment (phosphodegreasing, chromatizing, etc). Their ability to adhere to the support and form a barrier to the passage of humidity and environmental agents that can facilitate corrosive phenomena is the basis of the success and widespread diffusion achieved by this type of product. Besides the epoxy system, a fundamental role is played by the presence of additives and fillers able to increase the primer’s resistance level with a synergistic effect.

C O A T I N G S

S E R I E S

HARD COATING ANTICORROSION 11 PLUS ABILITY TO RESIST Europolveri updates its range of epoxy primers and introduces the new product ANTICORROSION11 PLUS 6L4871113T0C0, conductive zinc primer, that combines the presence of zinc phosphates with additives, allowing the migration of electrical charges through the coating film. In this new antistatic primer the presence of specific additives allowing the transfer of the electric power from the primer surface to the underlying substrate, leads to a more effective top coat application, to greater ease in coating the piece (especially the three-dimensional ones and those with Faraday cages), to an improved painting aesthetic effect as well as overspray and powder consumption’s reductions. The presence of zinc phosphate fillers improves the barrier effect by increasing the oxidization resistance and rust formation, the delamination of the coated layer with reduced maintenance costs and increased products life, if exposed to particularly severe environmental conditions.

info@europolveri.it - www.europolveri.it

Innovativa, facile da utilizzare, ergonomica. È la tua soluzione per il trattamento superficiale della minuteria di ogni genere. Dai classici particolari metallici (ferro, acciaio, alluminio, ottone, zama), a materie plastiche (effetti metallizzati su ABS), sino al rivestimento del legno anche con vernici ad acqua, e alla teflonatura di o-ring, guarnizioni, e dettagli per l’idraulica. Innovative, easy to use, ergonomic. It is your solution for the surface treatment of small parts of all kinds. From classic metal parts (iron, steel, aluminum, brass, zama), to plastic materials (metallic effects on ABS), to the coating of wood with water-based paints, and the tefloning of o-rings, gaskets, and plumbing details. +39 0432 908578 www.imelspa.com - info@imelspa.com Via Divisione Julia 10, 33033 Codroipo, UD - Italy

01 FROM THE EDITOR 02 WHAT'S NEW 08 SCIENCE OUTLOOK

ISSUE 4 - OCTOBER 2023

Genoa Elevated Highway: a successful maintenance project

16 ADVANCEMENTS DENSO with the largest range of corrosion protection systems: FORTIDE® epoxy coatings new in portfolio

20 ADVANCEMENTS Europolveri renews its range of anti-corrosion primers

22 SUCCESS STORY Resistant to rust

26 SPOTLIGHT

PPG confirms its sustainable strategy with the new PPG ENVIROCRON Primeron powder primer series

CONTENTS

30 ADVANCEMENTS Corrosion Hunters: the age of drones and robotics in corrosion inspections

36 RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH University of Alaska Anchorage researcher senses a solution to pipeline corrosion

40 SCIENCE OUTLOOK Sustainable flame retardant coatings in the frame of circular economy

48 SUCCESS STORY The biggest vertical shot blast machine ever built by Rösler goes to China

52 SCIENCE OUTLOOK A case of corrosion under insulation: onset and prevention measures

58 ADVANCEMENTS Minimizing FPSO downtime with corrosion protection during fabrication

60 RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH Innovative instrumentation for port infrastructure

63 WHERE WE'VE BEEN 64 MEETING THE INDUSTRY

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FROM THE

EDITOR

I Alessia Venturi Editor-in-chief

n these very days when the editorial

ends the first year of successful publication

staff of Corrosion Protection is

of this technological and scientific journal

completing the October issue, I have

born from the rebranding of the ipcm®_

read that in 2024, Amazon is going to

Protective Coatings magazine, includes two

start experimenting in Italy with the delivery

articles on the application of drones, robots,

of parcels by drones within 60 minutes of

and advanced sensor systems for medium

ordering.

and long-term corrosion monitoring and for

These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can

the prevention of degradation processes

be of military or civil type and are now well-

aimed at correctly planning maintenance

established tools, also in industrial settings,

operations in the Oil & Gas industry, where

either to perform high-risk tasks by replacing

the use of drones for this purpose is most

specialised personnel or to prevent

widespread, and in the infrastructure sector.

accidents in the workplace, for example.

In many cases, these are still pilot projects or

Equipped with a variety of ancillary

special application cases, but I am convinced

equipment such as photo and video

that technological developments are going to

cameras, temperature or gas detectors,

enable increasingly precise (and personnel-

laser scanners, and more, and capable of

safe) assessment of corrosion phenomena in

collecting and transmitting data in real-

future.

time, drones can guard hazardous areas on

Other articles confirm the growing

their own with full remote control. Another

importance of powder primers in the

advantage of their use is the reduction in the

corrosion protection industry. New zinc-rich

cost of inspection and monitoring activities.

epoxy paint products with special additives

Advanced technologies such as robotics,

and fillers guarantee increased corrosion

drones, and sensors, but also virtual

resistance in many industrial applications,

reality and artificial intelligence can make

with both one and two-coat systems.

a significant contribution to corrosion

Finally, numerous essays by scientists and

protection in terms of inspection, detection,

professors present Corrosion Protection’s

monitoring, and prevention.

readers with case studies from both the

This issue of Corrosion Protection, which

infrastructure and pipeline sectors.

Advanced technologies such as robotics, drones, and sensors, but also virtual reality and artificial intelligence can make a significant contribution to corrosion protection in terms of inspection, detection, monitoring, and prevention.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

W H AT ’ S

NEW Outstanding biodegradable VCI powder available in ready-to-use aqueous version Cortec® officially announced that VpCI®-609 Powder is also

situations. As an aqueous product, it is also easy to apply and

available in a premixed aqueous version. The resulting VpCI®-609 W

typically does not need to be removed—except occasionally with a

cuts out the hassle and ensures optimal results for end users who

simple water rinse or flush. This characteristic makes it adaptable

ordinarily mix VpCI®-609 Powder with water before application.

for corrosion protection in a variety of applications: - Hydrotesting

Prevent rust on ferrous metals

- Shot blasting or wet blasting

The key benefit of VpCI®-609 W is rust prevention on ferrous

- Tank storage

metals and aluminium. It contains Vapour phase Corrosion

- Steam condensate lines

Inhibitors that protect metals below and above the waterline.

- Closed circuit heating systems

When mixed into the water, these corrosion inhibitors form a

- Cooling systems.

microscopic hydrophobic protective layer on metal surfaces in direct contact with the treated water. However, as some of the

Importance of ready-to-use version

most powerful, fast-acting water-soluble Vapour phase Corrosion

Although end users can make their own aqueous version of

Inhibiting molecules used worldwide, their forte is protection in the

VpCI®-609 by mixing VpCI®-609 Powder with water,

vapour-phase. They diffuse throughout the enclosed void space

Cortec® strongly recommends using the pre mixed VpCI®-609 W

above the water and form a molecular corrosion inhibiting layer on

version for best results. In addition to convenience, the product

metal surfaces that would normally go unprotected.

gives users the reassurance that the VpCI®-609 Powder has been thoroughly mixed and that the solution is ready to use. This avoids

Easy to use biodegradable corrosion inhibitor

some of the challenges faced by those who do their own mixing

One of the main attractions of VpCI®-609 W is that it is made from

and may find it more difficult to fully dissolve the powder and

VpCI®-609 Powder, which is biodegradable in marine environments

much easier to experience powder caking, product contamination,

according to OECD 306 Marine Closed Bottle Testing. Because

and ultimate product failure.

of this, it offers one of the best ecological footprints among competitive VCI/VpCI® powders, making disposal easier in many

https://shorturl.at/yAT26

Hexigone joins forces with MCassab to supply sustainable corrosion inhibitors in Brazil With a strong R&D focus, extensive distribution infrastructure, and

"We are always looking for products that set us apart," stated Ana

deep understanding of the Brazilian market, MCassab Group forms

Amelia Peduto Horta, Business Development Manager at MCassab

the perfect partnership to drive the success of Hexigone’s

Group. "The addition of Hexigone's sustainable corrosion inhibitors

Intelli-ion® technology in Brazil. Their significant £28 million

to our portfolio underscores our commitment to equipping our

investment in the renovation of their operation centre, where their

customers with the most advanced technologies available in the

state-of-the-art chemical analysis lab is located, demonstrates their

market."

dedication to innovation and high-quality offerings.

Hexigone will be one of MCassab’s Group key suppliers showcased

"We are thrilled to collaborate with MCassab," says Ella Newington,

at their exhibition space at ABRAFATI this November, the largest

Marketing Manager at Hexigone Inhibitors. "The team actually

event for the coatings industry in Latin America. Dr. Patrick Dodds

approached us in their quest to introduce a new and innovative

(CEO - Hexigone) has also been personally selected by the event to

anticorrosive to the market – and after research and discussions -

deliver a technical presentation titled 'Smart Reservoir Corrosion

we quickly realized that MCassab's ethos and vision align perfectly

Inhibitors to Replace Chromates in Coatings'.

with ours. This partnership is set to quickly strengthen our reach in South America."

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

www.hexigone.com/webinars

WHAT'S NEW

Hempel Inaugurates State-of-the-art Production Facilities in China Responding to increasing demands for innovative coating

shipyards along the Yangtze,” adds Katarina.

solutions, Hempel’s new state-of-the-art production facilities

With the majority of the world’s marine newbuild business

in Zhangjiagang substantially enhance capacity to better serve

located in China, and over 50% of Chinese shipyards located in

Marine, Energy and Infrastructure customers.

a 200 km radius around Zhangjiagang, antifouling coatings are

Three years after announcing plans to invest in two new production

in high demand. Shipowners and charterers around the world

facilities in China, Hempel today brings the Zhangjiagang site

are in constant pursuit of fuel efficiency, which has resulted in an

online to begin servicing customers in the region.

exponential growth in sales of silicone-based, antifouling coatings

Today’s inauguration ceremony includes participation from Jiangsu

like Hempel’s Hempaguard.

province government officials, representatives from the Danish

The Zhangjiagang factory will gradually increase capacity to reach

General Consulate in Shanghai, as well as customers, suppliers

100 million litres annually in 2025, with the potential to further

and members of Hempel’s senior management.

increase production to meet future demand.

“Today is truly a day to celebrate. Our teams, both here in Zhangjiagang and in Yantai, have put in a massive effort to make

Facts & figures on Hempel in Zhangjiagang

this happen and I am very proud of the results,” says Katarina

- Number of employees: 150

Lindstroem, Hempel’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive

- Expected capacity in 2025: approx. 100 m litres/annum

Vice President. “Getting Zhangjiagang online is a major step

- Land size: 136,097 m2

towards better serving our customers in the Marine, Energy and

- Building footprint: 37,761 m2

Infrastructure sectors. This new location will significantly improve ‘time to market’ of both products and services – especially at the

www.hempel.com

Corrosion protection for flanges Coating engineering made in Germany - since 1960!

peel & reseal feature extremely durable gas & watertight inspectable submersible elastomeric (heat-free) do-it-yourself

WHAT’S NEW

The Graco reactor E-XP2I allowed to waterproof an Italian concrete bridge with the 6,000 m² of polyurea

Greenkote and Duroc bring new advanced anticorrosion coating capabilities in Europe

A concrete bridge in Italy used for railway needed to be coated

coatings Greenkote has recently announced that it is entering

with more than 6,000 m² polyurea.

into a joint venture with the Belgian coating company Duroc in

The bridge showed damage and general lesions due to exposure

order to expand and strengthen the presence of its corrosion

to the elements for over 50 years with, as a consequence, cracks

protection solutions within the European Union and the

and water seepage in certain areas.

surrounding regions.

The international developer and supplier of anticorrosion

The solutions of Greenkote – that meet and exceed numerous Complete mobility

international corrosion protection standards such as C5 and over

The technical solution carried out first consisted of cleaning

3,000 hours of salt spray testing – are suitable for a wide range of

the external surface with high-pressure water. Then, a primer,

applications in which products are exposed to the weather and

Floor Fix 63 from Italchimica, was applied, followed by 4 mm of

harsh and extreme corrosive environment, from the automotive

Elastorapid VK 260 polyurea. Finally, the surface was coated with

and railway industry to the offshore and construction sector.

an adhesion accelerator for asphalts, on top of which the final

They can then be employed on many types of metal parts, from

layer of asphalt was laid.

threaded fasteners to stamped and cast pieces in sizes from 5

To finalize the job in a short time frame, an integrated Graco

millimetres to 2 meters to provide also longer wear resistance,

Reactor E-XP2I was used. Thanks to the unit’s mobility

better adhesion and more conformal coverage, which makes the

and capability to spray polyurea at the right pressure and

coatings well-suited to complex 3D geometries.

temperature, the job was completed within 14 working days. The

“Greenkote will be an important addition to our lineup of

local Graco distributor, Le SAS, decided to rent this configuration

metal protection capabilities, and it will be a natural fit. Our

as well as to provide an expert technician responsible for the

company focuses specifically on providing surface treatments

operations overall. A total amount of 24.000 kg of polyurea was

for fasteners and small bulk parts, and the thermal diffusion

applied with no technical issues. Luckily, the weather conditions

technology of Greenkote addresses those categories perfectly,”

were good throughout the operations.

has stated Maarten Van Bercklaer, the managing director of Duroc N.V.

A reliable plural-component system

The coatings are applied by leveraging a patented zinc-based dry

The pre-treatment of the external surface of the bridge and

thermal diffusion process that requires no hazardous chemicals

the application of the primer before the polyurea provided the

and produces no toxic byproducts. Furthermore, the absence of

complete waterproofing of the external platform.

acids from the processing eliminates hydrogen embrittlement.

The client found that the Graco Reactor E-XP2I was accurate

In the upcoming months, the companies will install the new

and reliable, easy to use and provided an assured ratio mix. The

equipment of Greenkote in the facility of Duroc in Antwerp, in

mobility of the unit was highly beneficial, as well as the data log

order to locally manufacture advanced thermal diffusion coatings

provided on completion of the job. The expert advice of the on-

and make the products quickly available.

site technician resulted in fast and professional execution of the

“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Duroc, because

job, highly appreciated.

they are one of Europe’s most experienced and respected providers of metal coating services. Having Greenkote coating

www.graco.com

capabilities installed directly in their Antwerp facility will enable European customers to get our anticorrosion coatings much more quickly and easily. And it will significantly extend Greenkote coverage, adding to the facilities we currently have in the UK and Italy,” has also added Mark Gore, the CEO of Greenkote PLC. www.greenkote.com

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

WHAT'S NEW

Fondo Italiano d’Investimento enters agreement to acquire a minority stake in RINA S.p.A. The deal is expected to be completed in this autumn and will involve

Davide Bertone, CEO of Fondo Italiano d’Investimento, said:

an injection of up to 180 million euros in capital in the form of equity.

“Today, we announce the first closing and, at the same time,

After the deal’s completion, the ownership structure will see Registro

the first investment of the second edition of FICC, our flagship

Italiano Navale maintaining the majority stake, Fondo Italiano

fund dedicated to promoting the development of national and

d’Investimento and other coinvestors holding a minority stake of up

global champions in strategic sectors of the Made in Italy.

to 33%, and the company’s management participating with a 2.5%

RINA represents Italian excellence, with a global presence, and

stake. The capital injected by Fondo Italiano into the multinational

leadership, as well as significant ambitions for further growth and

based in Genoa, RINA S.p.A., is aimed at providing additional

innovation not only in the shipping sector but also in the energy

support for the company’s growth, both organically and inorganically,

transition and infrastructure sectors. I am extremely pleased with

as well as its international expansion. RINA S.p.A. has diversified

the partnership we are entering into today and the trust given to

significantly worldwide over the last twenty years, establishing

us by Registro Italiano Navale and Engineer Ugo Salerno, with

itself as a brand in the fields of engineering consulting and Testing,

whom we are delighted to collaborate in building another phase of

Inspection & Certification (TIC). In 2022, RINA S.p.A. reported

development.”

pro-forma revenues of over 700 million euros, and it is on track to

To facilitate this agreement, RINA S.p.A. was advised by Lazard

achieve growth objectives of nearly 800 million euros in 2023.

as the financial advisor, Banca Akros as the co-financial advisor,

The Chairman and CEO of RINA S.p.A., Ugo Salerno, commented:

and PwC for Financial Due Diligence and Studio Legale Gattai,

“We have found the most suitable partner in Fondo Italiano

Minoli, Partners as legal advisor. On the other hand, Fondo Italiano

d’Investimento to share our growth path and the realization of

d’Investimento was supported by BCG for business due diligence,

ambitious goals we have worldwide. It is a high-level institutional

Legance for legal due diligence, New Deal Advisors for financial

partner, Italian like us, with whom we will embark on a new phase

due diligence, KPMG for tax due diligence, ERM for ESG due

for RINA and who will allow us to fully implement our strategic plan.

diligence, Marsh for insurance due diligence, and E&Y Parthenon

Based on ESG principles, we will continue to expand our digital

for tech due diligence. The completion of the transaction is subject

services and processes in favour of ecological transition: a journey

to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.

that involves significant investments, made possible also thanks to the commitment of Fondo Italiano d’Investimento.”

www.rina.org

The DÖRKEN days event was held once again in China after a three-year stop The international company DÖRKEN, which is specialised in high-

developed coating equipment. In addition, Walther Pilot has also

quality surface protection, has held once again its DÖRKEN Days

introduced a spray gun that solves the paint point of precise

event after a stop that lasted three years. The company delivered

coating in application.

the latest updates about the PFAS European policy trends and

Furthermore, a social dinner promoted knowledge exchange and

showcased its new solutions.

network opportunities in a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere

The event was intended to connect the upstream and downstream

that allowed participants to obtain comprehensive industry

parts of the industry, providing opportunities for cooperation and

information and communicate face-to-face with customers

negotiation for the integrated supply chains of the main original

throughout the entire supply chain.

equipment manufacturers, parts producers and coaters. It has

Finally, participants visited the Shanghai Automobile Museum was

been opened by the General Manager of the company along

visited, in which cars older than a century as well as more modern

with the leader of the China Surface Treatment Engineering

models are displayed. After that, they had the opportunity to

Association, who held a presentation that analysed the current

compete in the “DÖRKEN Karting Race” on a 1.2 kilometres long

surface treatment tendencies.

outdoor track.

During the event, the Xpeng fastener responsible Ping Lu confirmed the importance of automotive corrosion protection, while the GM of Victory Haiqing Shen introduced their newly-

www.doerken.com

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

WHAT’S NEW

Major expansion of Jotun’s fire protection coating R&D facilities Global paints and coatings manufacturer Jotun, one of the

ensuring differing certification and environmental requirements

major providers of intumescent fire protection coatings for

are met within each market. Strategic investment in regional

the infrastructure and energy industries, has announced the

intumescent research, development and testing facilities span

completion of major expansion of its Global Intumescent R&D

Norway, United Arab Emirates, China, Korea, USA, and Malaysia.

Laboratory to advance new product innovation and technologies.

Jotun’s enhanced capabilities across its network of intumescent

This ambitious expansion more than doubles the size of the

R&D facilities represents a significant milestone in its drive to

Flixborough Global Intumescent R&D facility (United Kingdom),

advancing fire safety through research and development. Its

aiming to increase Jotun’s product development and fire testing

growing team of dedicated scientists and industry specialists

capacity and capabilities. The new facilities will accelerate the

are capable of engaging with fire protection authorities, global

development of new innovations and more advanced products,

regulators and certification bodies providing guidance on testing,

whilst providing additional certification support to Jotun’s existing

certification and material performance.

product range.

A testament to this commitment was illustrated earlier this

Jotun is determined to gain market share in this industry by

year when Jotun unveiled its latest advance in intumescent

accelerating development of new and advanced technologies.

coatings, Jotachar JF570 XT - a patent pending all-climate capable

Its aim is to enter new markets through wider certification and

intumescent coating, designed to protect oil, gas and energy

regional product customisation in line with rapidly changing

installations from fire and cryogenic spills, in even the most

market requirements. This ensures its customers assets are fire

extreme environments.

protected to latest regulatory requirements and materials deliver

James Irving, R&D Manager Intumescent Coatings, said: “When

high performance for their specific location.

we opened the Global Intumescent R&D Centre in 2016, our

Originally constructed in 2016 and now expanded to 2,900 m ,

vision was for a facility that could evolve to support our customers

the enhanced facility increases capacity and capability for Jotun’s

across the globe as their structural fire protection requirements

ongoing development of intumescent fire protection coatings:

become more complex and regionalized. We are delighted with

SteelMaster for steel structures within the infrastructure market

this major extension, more than doubling the size of our facility, we

and Jotachar for vital assets in the energy industries. The one-year

are now ready to further enable the development of fire protection

expansion program included the installation of new furnaces, with

coatings and technologies to meet these requirements. Our

associated application and conditioning facilities, combined with

Intumescent R&D team is expanding rapidly. These new facilities

new analytical, environment simulation and mechanical testing

will allow our scientists, technicians, and industry specialists to

facilities.

reinforce our position as a global innovator in this safety-critical

Supported by Jotun’s R&D headquarters in Sandefjord, Norway,

area of the coatings industry. This expansion is a key part of

the enhanced global hub in Flixborough will continue to focus on

Jotun’s ambitious strategy to increase market share and grow

leading edge R&D projects, driving breakthrough intumescent

sales of intumescent coatings by developing a global network of

coatings technology.

intumescent R&D facilities with Flixborough as the hub.”

In addition to the Global Intumescent Laboratory in Flixborough, Jotun has cemented its commitment to localised innovation

www.jotun.com

The paints of Teknos used to coat a nuclear power plant The Finnish paints and coatings manufacturer Teknos has

Olkiluoto 3 – owned by Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) and supplied by

recently announced that its products have been employed to

the Areva-Siemens consortium – is the second EPR-type power

coat the steel and concrete surfaces of Olkiluoto 3, a nuclear

plant to be completed in the world, with a capacity of 1,600 MW.

power plant unit located in the municipality of Eurajoki (Western

These kinds of assets must be managed safely throughout their

Finland). The company also provided technical support for the

entire life cycle, so there are also special requirements regarding

project.

the coatings applied.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

WHAT'S NEW

The paints and coating of Teknos used in nuclear power plants

The nuclear energy sector is a strictly regulated industry. In

are high-class special products and their quality is verified by

Finland, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority - STUK

extensive testing. The products of the company met all the

sets the requirements related to radiation, chemical resistance,

technical requirements including the demanding Design Basis

decontamination, durability under operating conditions and

Accident (DBA) test, which verifies that the coatings of the

postulated accident conditions as well as the fire technical

internal structures at the nuclear facility are designed and built

properties for the paints and coatings used in these plants.

to withstand accidents without unfavourable effects on accident

Moreover, the condition of painting and coating is subject to

management.

regular in-service inspections and possible repairs are conducted

“The testing of suitable coating systems started in 2004 with

based on the needs identified in these inspections.

several potential paint suppliers. This made it possible for

“Due to the intricate nature of the modern nuclear power plant,

Olkiluoto 3 plant supplier to choose coatings for the plant already

the requirements are very high. Safety comes always first at

in the early stages of the project”, has stated Jori Välilä, the

nuclear power plants and all the set requirements must be

manager of Olkiluoto 3 civil quality control at TVO.

fulfilled. It is important that the paint on the surfaces of nuclear

“Teknos is well known as a high-quality paint manufacturer and

power plants does not need the be maintained continuously

furthermore known as the experienced supplier of painting

and that the surfaces are easy to clean. Coatings used in

materials for Olkiluoto 1 and Olkiluoto 2 plants. It is the single

nuclear power plant units need to meet extremely high durability

domestic supplier for all required painting systems. In addition

requirements, in order to minimise the need for maintenance. The

to on-time deliveries and competent guidance, the company was

less the coating requires repairs the better it is,” has concluded

also available to support and solve problems at the construction

Välilä.

site,” has added Kai Wienert from Bernhard Goldkuhle GmbH & Co. KG, the painting company of Turbine Island at the plant site.

www.teknos.com

There are over 10,000 Level I, II and III inspectors in 74 countries worldwide, as large clients consider the qualification of Coating Inspector Frosio as a reference for monitoring the quality of the application of a painting cycle. There are 367 active Certifications in Italy, of which 109 Level I (white card), 115 Level II (Green card) and 143 Level III (red card). The certification is in accordance with the Frosio Certification SCHEME, which follows the requirements of ISO 17024. The University of Genova, accredited by FROSIO as a Training Body, is in charge of organising courses in the Italian language exclusively for the Italian territory. To date, 20 courses have been organised. The Gruppo IspAC Associazione (GIA), accredited by FROSIO as Certifying Body, is in charge of organising the exams for the Qualification and Certification of Coating Inspectors Level I, II and III, renewal of certifications and level ups exclusively for the Italian territory.

Gruppo IspAC Associazione (GIA)

University of Genova

segreteria@gruppoispac.org

frosioitalia@unige.it

www.gruppoispac.org

www.perform.unige.it/corsi/corso-frosio

SCIENCE

OUTLOOK

The Genoa elevated highway, inaugurated in 1965, is currently part of a demolition and urban regeneration project of the port area. The intent would be to demolish part of it, increasing the mobility of the area with the construction of a sub-port tunnel. In this article the history of the maintenance interventions that characterized the “Sopraelevata” and made it a still useful and functional infrastructure for the entire city has been analysed.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

he design of the Genoa steel-structure overpass, which was built in 1965 and called “Sopraelevata”, among many excellent features, bore some genetic mistakes, mainly due to the erroneous

presumption that the whole supporting metal structure was waterproof, and to the malfunction of the expansion joints. After some maintenance works on the paint of the external structure, a major inspection carried out in the Eighties showed, apart from the expected degradation of the external organic coating, apparently dangerous generalised corrosion together with stagnant water inside the trapezoidal metal support. In order to completely protect the interior of the 16 km long supporting tunnel, a surface-tolerant one-coat paint and a new external

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Genoa Elevated Highway: a successful maintenance project By Pier Luigi Bonora AITIVA Association and University of Trento, Italy

coating, bearing both aesthetic and durability features, were

Built in 1965 during the Italian economic miracle period and on the

designed and tested. After about thirty years, an inspection carried

wave of the metal industry revival, it was a masterpiece of speed,

out in 2014 found the structure in perfectly good condition from

efficiency, and construction technique. The shiny metal, fresh out

both an aesthetic and a structural point of view.

of Finsider’s rolling mills, was assembled, coated, and blessed in just over two years. The sheets were assembled without ever

With Genoa, the French say, you can cut Paris in two. In February

having known rust before, which greatly contributed to decreasing

1963, as soon as I graduated, I spent a few days at my aunt and

the corrosion rate of the steel.

uncle’s in Sanremo. On my way back, en route to Rome, I crossed

15,000 tonnes of steel (almost twice as much as the Eiffel Tower),

Genoa from Voltri to Nervi with my emerald-coloured Bianchina

60,000 m³ of demolished area, 78,000 m³ of earthworks and

Panoramica car: it was stop-and-go traffic all the way for three

excavation, 120 pile foundations of which 82 were normal and 18

hours and thirty minutes – an adventure! Seven years later, having

caisson foundations, a length of 6,800 metres, 18 km of guardrails,

moved to Arenzano, every day I travelled from the highway exit to

almost 10 km of parapets, thousands of men employed, 2 years of

the Genoa Fair at Foce and up to the Institute of Chemistry on the

work. In this work, engineer De Miranda showed the results of his

now legendary Aldo Moro overpass (which was not called that, yet).

design research activity aimed at finding optimal solutions from

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

a technical, economic, and aesthetic point of view at the same time, as was well highlighted in his own report published in the magazine “Costruzioni Metalliche”1. In particular, he was concerned about avoiding forming a massive barrier between the urban area and the port and preventing a jarring contrast between the historical architectural structures and the technological one. At the same time, he aimed to safeguard economic activities and the road network by reducing the structure’s footprint on the ground through a single-pylon layout, with its agile profile stretched upwards (Figure 1). Today, also thanks to the reduced speed imposed, the view of the two “faces” of Genoa adds pleasure to the overpass’ crossing. At the time, its construction was welcomed by the city with a huge sigh of relief: the beautiful structure was immediately adopted as an honorary citizen and benefactor. In reality, it was not without flaws, and two of them were quite serious. And they were both due to a guilty detachment from the main rule of every design project: “never assume”. In other Figure 1 - The agile single-pylon structure that distinguishes the Genoa overpass.

words, do not take anything for granted. The first wrong assumption was related to the all-metal trapezoidal support structure, which had been designed and built to be watertight; consequently, the floor was perfectly horizontal without any drainage solutions and with reservoirs formed by the stiffeners (Figure 2), as the side walls, reinforced with normally welded stiffeners, once assembled featured involuntary water collection vessels due to inclination. Given its supposed waterproofness, the steel was simply covered in bitumen on the floor and left black on the walls. The ceiling featured a corrugated metal formwork and a reinforced concrete slab, which formed the superstructure of the deck. The second wrong assumption concerned the thermal expansion joints, which are responsible for the normal adaptation of the structure to dimensional changes. The drawing in Figure 3 shows how mobility was conceived, with the rolling of a semicircle on a plane.

Figure 2 - The condition of the expansion joints during the 1985 intervention.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

Fabrizio De Miranda, Costruzioni Metalliche no. 5, 1965, pp. 362-380.

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figures 3 and 4 - The drawing shows that the contact surfaces form an asymptote whereby mobility could be inhibited by the tiniest obstacle near the rolling point. On the right, a historical image of the overpass’ test: the long lines of trucks were testing its stability and serviceability.

The contact surfaces formed an asymptote whereby mobility could be inhibited by the tiniest obstacle – even dust particles – near the rolling point. Photographs of the time dramatically show the test carried out with long lines of trucks checking the bridge’s stability and usability (Figure 4). The finding that the joints were not working properly immediately forced the overpass to be downgraded to a maximum load that prevented use by heavy vehicles. It was actually a lucky strike, a fortunate incident both for the Genoese, who were able to enjoy smooth-running traffic, and for the structure itself, which, subject to limited stress, could count on higher durability. For twenty years, the road faithfully served commuters and suppliers, who easily forgot how miserable and difficult it had been to cross the city. But habit dulls the senses and brings about changes that are often harmful. At the same time, in 1967, the bridge over the Polcevera River was inaugurated to the great relief of the congested Via Aurelia road. During the first years of operation, some maintenance work was carried out on the paintwork of the external structure. Then, an intensive inspection carried out in the 1980s showed, apart from the predictable degradation of the external organic coating, an apparently dangerous generalised corrosion phenomenon: stagnant water was found on the floor of the

Built in 1965 during the Italian economic miracle period and on the wave of the metal industry revival, this elevated highway was a masterpiece of speed, efficiency, and construction technique. The shiny metal, fresh out of Finsider’s rolling mills, was assembled, coated, and blessed in just over two years.

trapezoidal supporting structure of the overpass, with rust

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

layers that were more than 1 cm thick (Figures 5 e 6). Since iron has a density of 7.8 g/cm³ and rust, together with trapped air, less than 1, this actually corresponds to less than 1 mm of sheet metal thinning, i.e. a reduction in thickness of about 60 μm per year. A project was implemented to completely clean and protect the inside of the 16-km-long support tunnel, which included the design, production, and testing of a one-coat organic lining with absolutely innovative characteristics and very high durability

as a considerable amount of guano, the “gift” of the pigeons that

The coating system had to be formulated to be compatible with adhering rust and bitumen residues, suitable for immersion in the event of a flood, and walkable for inspections, touch-ups, and so on.

Figure 5 - Standing water on the floor of the trapezoidal supporting structure during the inspection in the 1980s.

Figure 6 - Inspection in the 1980s revealed layers of rust more than 1 cm thick.

properties. An organic coating with high aesthetic and durability characteristics was also designed and applied on the outside. After an inspection of the whole 16 km, one of the critical issues identified for maintenance work was the need to minimise the presence of soluble salts, which are deleterious to the durability of any organic coating. A statistical analysis of corrosion products showed that chlorides were virtually absent, despite the proximity of the sea. This helps justify the low corrosion rate. Indeed, it has been shown that at a distance of 500 metres from the wave motion (not the port itself), the concentration of chlorides in the air decreases by more than two orders of magnitude, from 3,000 to 10 mg/m3. On the other hand, sulphates and silicates were detected, as well

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figure 7 - The result of the laboratory test showed an ohmic resistance value of more than 108 Ohm/cm2 and a tear strength value of more than 5 MPa.

regularly visited the structure’s manholes.

structure to obtain a tough, compact layer with a high barrier

Moreover, the box profiles required cleaning and surface

effect. The general characteristics of the product were high

preparation.

plasticity maintained over time, very high water repellency, and an

The reduced accessibility of their inside (120 cm high), however,

exceptional barrier effect against both water and steam, even at

made sandblasting to ISO SA 2½ grade impossible. Any alternative

average temperatures of 50-60 °C.

decision required the availability of a specially formulated

These properties were verified through laboratory tests that lasted

and tested coating system. This was made possible by the

over six months and included the calculation of the coating’s ohmic

thoughtful direction of the municipal authority and the supportive

resistance value using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,

cooperation of the local industry (companies Boero, Brignola,

which showed its compactness and corrosion resistance degree,

and Attiva made their research facilities available), whereas

and of its tear strength value, which also identified its adhesion

the technical and scientific direction ensured close monitoring

degree to the substrate. After six months of immersion in a neutral

through testing and inspection as well as guidance to applicators

salt solution, its resistance exceeded 108 Ohm/cm2 and its tear

in terms of both price and quality control. This role was entrusted

strength was more than 5 MPa, with peaks even higher than 15

to the Institute of Chemistry of the Faculty of Engineering under

(Figure 7).

my responsibility.

Once the availability of such a system was established, it was

The coating system had to be formulated to be compatible with

possible to accept that surface preparation was limited to a sweep

adhering rust and bitumen residues, suitable for immersion in

blasting operation, i.e. sandblasting that uses less abrasive force.

the event of a flood, and walkable for inspections, touch-ups, and

The aim is to increase roughness and thus improve adhesion. This

so on. Attiva developed a coating system consisting of a single

sandblasting process should slightly roughen the surfaces without

coat of an epoxy-polyamide product modified with special tars,

removing a significant amount of bitumen.

petrolatum, and synthetic polymers and with a high content of

It is not covered by any standard, and it is borrowed from the

aluminium flakes, waxes, and lamellar fillers with a microcrystalline

galvanised sheet metal treatment practices. The evaluation of the

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

surface, which should appear uniform and matte, is purely visual.

In 2013, I asked Mayor Marco Doria for authorisation and the

After cleaning, the entire inner surface of the trapezoidal support

means to carry out an in-depth inspection of the overpass, with

structure was coated with at least 50 μm of the paint product

the dual purpose of assessing its state of possible degradation

developed by the team of formulators at Colorificio Attiva (now

after fifty years since its construction and almost thirty since the

BOAT - Boero Attiva brand).

extraordinary maintenance work and of presenting the results at

The exterior of the structure was also subjected to the same

the EUROCORR Congress of the European Corrosion Federation

extraordinary maintenance operation: after thorough cleaning, the

to be held in Pisa in September 2014.

metal walls were completely overcoated, taking advantage of the

The inspection took place on 24 April 2014, authorised and

safety provided by the original primer based on infamous and toxic

assisted by the Municipality of Genoa, which provided me with a

but reliable lead minium. The “dove blue” colour was chosen to

team of technicians and workers and a telescopic truck-mounted

convey an idea of lightness and sobriety.

aerial platform, with which I entered the trapezoidal structure at

This vast operation was skilfully and expertly managed by

several points through the available manholes.

the Municipality of Genoa thanks to the enthusiasm and

At the same time, I photographically documented the state of the

determination of Mayor Fulvio Cerofolini and the technical and

exterior surfaces, which showed degradation of a purely aesthetic

cultural support of great humanist entrepreneur Federico Mario

nature, partly due to the surfacing of the old minium-based

Boero. It actually left no trace in the memories of people, whereas

primer, as shown for example in Figure 8a. When comparing

the minor and less demanding maintenance work carried out

the appearance of the expansion joints at the time of the first

in 1988 on the expansion joints is well remembered. Even an

intervention (1985) and during the 2014 inspection, it is clear that

article written in 2003 on the history of the structure completely

the extraordinary joint maintenance operation carried out in 1988

overlooked the extraordinary maintenance operation carried out

was truly effective. With regard to the state of preservation of the

in 19852.

outer organic coating, it should be noted that the Eiffel Tower is continuously repainted from base to top – the same cannot be said of this overpass, which indeed shows partial degradation of the coating and reduced effectiveness of the partially obstructed

Francesco Gastaldi, Trasporti & Cultura no. 5, 2003.

Figure 8a - The inspection in April 2014 revealed the degradation of the exterior coating to be purely cosmetic, due in part to the surfacing of the old minium-based primer.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

drainage works. The exterior walls are however safeguarded by the

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

infamous minium-based primer. In contrast, the state of the interior of the trapezoidal structure was proof of the effectiveness of the work done in 1985. As the photographs show, guano is present in some areas, other areas are flooded, others show traces of rust, and others are still perfectly protected (Figures 8b, 8c, 8d). De Miranda’s long-standing, agile work ranks among the world’s most representative structures and stands as a symbol of the dazzling period of the Italian economic miracle. His presentation in the magazine “Costruzioni Metalliche” is a testament to his multifaceted creativity combined with an extensive knowledge of materials, construction techniques, and social and aesthetic requirements. The city and the port of Genoa are distinct and complementary elements of a history that blends the stability, nobility, and richness of this merchant republic with its people’s longing for distant horizons. The Aldo Moro road binds the two of them and creates an alternation of different beauties, while the charming city of Genoa might disappear into a tunnel that overtakes it in the name of a socio-economic necessity that was intentionally not the subject of this article. But the overpass – hopefully destined for another successful inspection in twenty years – is a necessary structure. A showcase of two worlds, that of the town’s skyline and that of the sea routes. The story of the rebirth of the city. A masterpiece of technical architecture and construction techniques. Genoa owes it a lot and would do well to preserve it. ‹

When comparing the appearance of the expansion joints at the time of the first intervention (1985) and during the 2014 inspection, it is clear that the extraordinary joint maintenance operation carried out in 1988 was truly effective.

From left to right: 8b - Traces of rusting in some areas; 8c – The guano present in some areas; 8d – Flooded areas.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

ADVANCEMENTS

DENSO with the largest range of corrosion protection systems: FORTIDE® epoxy coatings new in portfolio Edited by DENSO Group Germany, Leverkusen - Germany

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

ADVANCEMENTS

ith its various corrosion protection systems, DENSO Group Germany has been setting quality standards

on countless pipeline projects worldwide for a century. Under the brand FORTIDE®, DENSO Group Germany is expanding its range to include high-performance epoxy coatings. To meet the diverse, everincreasing demands of pipeline construction, FORTIDE® offers durable corrosion protection for a wide range of applications in tough conditions. FORTIDE®-HT is ideally for use at the highest operating temperatures up to +150 °C. Other FORTIDE® variants are specially designed for moist surfaces or as internal coatings for tanks or pipelines. All FORTIDE® products comply with the

FORTIDE®-TL Internal coating for tanks/pipelines with excellent chemical and water resistance.

international standard ISO 21809-3 and are unified by the DENSO quality guarantee: 100 percent Made in Germany.

Strong tensile strength, easy to apply and fast curing FORTIDE® is suitable for the rehabilitation of pipelines, as a whole pipe coating or for welded joints and complex geometries. The products are characterised by an outstanding coating hardness and exceptional indentation strength. As a brush or spray coating, they are simply applied to the surface in one step, even in high layer thicknesses. FORTIDE® is free of volatile solvents and isocyanates. "Epoxy coatings are highly tensile, chemically resistant, fast curing and therefore ensure early commissioning of the pipeline. In addition to its versatile applicability, FORTIDE® meets our demands for simplicity, economy and durability and guarantees what our customers especially appreciate about

FORTIDE®-HT For operating temperatures up to +150 °C (+302 °F).

DENSO: the proven quality Made in Germany", says Thomas Kaiser, Managing Director of DENSO Group Germany.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

ADVANCEMENTS

 FORTIDE®-HT | High Temperature: Corrosion protection of

DENSO offers largest range of corrosion protection systems

pipelines at maximum operating temperatures of up to +150 °C.

With the new FORTIDE® epoxy coatings, DENSO Group Germany

For pipes transporting particularly hot media or exposed to very

as manufacturer offers the most comprehensive product

high ambient temperatures.

portfolio for passive corrosion protection of pipelines. "Along with

 FORTIDE®-ST | Standard Temperature: Corrosion protection

FORTIDE®, we cover all relevant corrosion protection systems

for pipelines at operating temperatures up to +95 °C.

with DENSO® Petrolatum tapes, DENSOLEN® PE/Butyl tapes,

 FORTIDE®-TL | Tank Lining: Internal coating for tanks and

DENSOLID® Polyurethane coatings, DEKOTEC® Heat shrinkable

pipelines with exceptional chemical and water resistance, e.g.

sleeves and the universally applicable SEALID® All-in-1, among

against crude oil, various hydrocarbons, acids, lyes and waste water.

others. This scope of our product portfolio for passive corrosion

 FORTIDE®-WS | Wet Surface: Specifically for use on wet

protection of pipes and pipelines is unique in the market. We

surfaces, which are often a challenge, for example, when

are proud of this", explains Max Wedekind, Managing Director of

rehabilitating old coatings during pipeline operation.

DENSO Group Germany. ‹

Four product solutions for a wide range of applications

DENSO Group Germany DENSO (derived from the Latin word “densus”, which means “seal”) stands for high-quality sealing solutions for corrosion prevention and road construction. Since it was founded in 1922, DENSO has evolved from a family company to an international group, with subsidiaries in six European countries and over 100 sales partners around the world. The company’s innovative product and system solutions help to ensure safe energy transport and durable roads. The protection of people, the environment and resources has top priority for DENSO’s team of around 200 employees. The product range of DENSO Group Germany, which generates a revenue of over 50 million euros annually, comprises about 2.400 products that are sold in more than 120 countries around the world. In pipeline construction, these products ensure that pipelines can function reliably and without interruption for decades. Hazardous substances won’t escape, and damage and leaks are reduced. The Leverkusen-based company has the world’s largest portfolio of passive corrosion prevention products for pipelines manufactured in-house. In road construction, DENSO is the innovation leader for sealing joints in asphalt and concrete; the company’s high-performance products shorten construction times while also improving health, safety and environmental performance. Either with the world's first petrolatum tape (DENSO®-Tape), the world innovation SEALID® as an all-in-1 solution, the real co-extruded DENSOLEN® three-ply tapes or the TOK®-Band as a synonym for bitumen joint strips: DENSO always thinks ahead. And we’ve been doing it for more than100 years. For further information: www.denso-group.com.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

ADVANCEMENTS

Europolveri renews its range of

anti-corrosion primers edited by EUROPOLVERI SPA Sandrigo (Vicenza) – Italy

Europolveri updates its range of epoxy primers and introduces the new product Anticorrosion11 Plus 6L4871113T0C0, a conductive zinc-based primer that combines the presence of zinc phosphates with additives allowing the migration of electric charges through the coating film.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

he main use of epoxy powders is as primers in two-layer

electric charges through the coating film. Generally, with two-

systems to improve corrosion resistance.

layer systems, after primer application, the component is covered

For the protection of parts against corrosion, two- or

with an epoxy film that is particularly effective as an electrical

multiple-coat systems are a common choice in industrial

insulator. This makes the following application of the finishing coat

powder coating, especially in sectors such as earth-moving

more difficult, due to the counter-ionisation phenomenon that

or agricultural machinery (ACE), structural elements, urban

makes the powder unable to discharge the excess electric charge

furniture, tanks, or fences, where the use of epoxy primers plays a

received from the guns. Something similar happens when the part-

fundamental role in increasing the resistance against corrosion of

holding hooks are not clean enough and isolate the components

the treated surfaces.

to be coated, thus preventing them from being correctly earthed.

Indeed, the epoxy resins used in this kind of primer penetrate the

In the new anti-static primer Anticorrosion11 Plus 6L4871113T0C0,

substrate’s interstices better than any other type of system (if the

as well as in the previous product 6L4871153T0C0, the presence

workpiece has undergone a physical, sandblasting pre-treatment)

of specific additives allowing the transfer of electric charges from

or react with the substrate (if the workpiece is subjected to a

the primer surface to the underlying substrate leads to a more

chemical pre-treatment, e.g. phospho-degreasing, chromating,

effective top coat application, to greater ease in coating (especially

etc.). Their ability to adhere to the surfaces and form a barrier

of three-dimensional workpieces and those with Faraday cages),

to the passage of humidity and environmental agents that can

to improved aesthetics, and to reduced overspray and powder

promote corrosion is the main reason for their success and

consumption.

widespread diffusion.

The presence of zinc phosphate fillers improves the barrier

Besides the epoxy components, a fundamental role is played by

effect by increasing the coating’s resistance to oxidation, rust

the presence of additives and fillers able to increase the primers’

formation, and delamination with reduced maintenance costs

resistance level with a synergistic effect.

and increased service life, even if exposed to particularly severe

Europolveri has been present in this industry with its products

environmental conditions. In addition to this, the Anticorrosion11

for many years, in particular with its powder 6L4800003T002,

Plus 6L4871113T0C0 primer has proved to be particularly effective

a high-performance (HP) primer, and with its zinc phosphate

in covering sharp edges with adequate thicknesses (e.g. those

active protection (AP) primer 6L2800003T002. The epoxy primer

created by laser cutting of metal sheets) as well as surface areas

6L4871153T0C0 was added to them a few years ago: based on the

where anomalous electric fields are created.

6L4800003T002 product, it has its same corrosion resistance

Neutral salt spray tests conducted in compliance with the ISO

properties and contains an additive that makes it anti-static, i.e.

9227 standard have demonstrated that the corrosion resistance of

capable of transferring the electrostatic charges present on the

a two-coat system combining Anticorrosion11 Plus 6L4871113T0C0

surface to be coated after the primer’s application and during the

and a polyester or polyurethane-based second coat applied

second layer’s application.

on industrially pre-treated parts (sandblasting to SA grade 2.5)

Now, Europolveri has launched its new powder Anticorrosion11

exceeds 1200 hours, with an average delamination of less than

Plus 6L4871113T0C0, a conductive zinc-based primer that

2-3 mm. At the same time, continuous condensation humidity-

combines the qualities of the previous powders with the presence

resistance tests in compliance with the ISO 6270 standard showed

of zinc phosphate, with additives that allow the migration of

similar results exceeding 3000 hours. ‹

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SUCCESS

STORY

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SUCCESS STORY

Resistant to Rust by Kornelius Berg Venjakob Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG - Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, Germany

Cleaning and coating 14-meter-long steel pipes in one pass - and at a fast pace. A huge challenge. Within one year, Venjakob developed the first system capable of removing persistent soiling from pipe surfaces in such a way that the following UV coating achieves the desired sustainability. Further pipe surface pretreatment systems followed for the same customer, where the throughput speed could even be doubled.

uring the production of steel pipes, persistent contamination occurs. Dust, grease and scale adhere to the pipe surface and can significantly impair the coating result. This has an impact on the

corrosion resistance of steel pipes, which are used all over the world deep below the surface of the sea or inside the earth. There they are exposed to extreme influences. They have to withstand these for as long as possible. This is the requirement of an internationally active manufacturer of industrial and pipeline pipes, which now has seven pipe coating lines and two pipe coupling coating lines from the special machinery manufacturer Venjakob in operation.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SUCCESS STORY

Suitable cleaning method searched for

"After the initial development, we always kept our eyes and ears

"The customer asked us to provide a new pipe coating system in

open to further optimize and accelerate the cleaning process,"

which an appropriate pre-treatment of the pipe surface is carried

says Kornelius Berg. As a result, Venjakob was able to fulfil the

out upstream. This was followed by a period of research work with

customer's time target, which was already very tight at the time,

producers of cleaning agents and coating manufacturers. The

with the last pre-cleaning system after all. "At that time, it was not

question was, which chemicals can be used to clean the pipes in

possible to do 60 meters a minute. The alkaline cleaning process

order to achieve the desired result in the shortest possible time?"

needs a corresponding reaction time," explains Berg. In the

Kornelius Berg from Venjakob explains the main challenge. The

meantime, a lot has changed here as well.

types of dirt involved were water-soluble emulsions, oils, greases, dust and loose scale. "The main focus was on graphite grease, a lubricant used to seal the couplings. This is applied generously so it swells out. As a result, it is carried away on the pipe surface and causes persistent contamination," describes Berg, who is responsible for special systems sales at Venjakob. After selecting the most suitable chemicals, initial tests were carried out. Sometimes the adhesion of the subsequent UV coating was impaired, sometimes the cleaning was not sufficient.

Throughput speed doubled The first pipe surface pre-cleaning system was installed and started in 2012 at the customer's site after a one-year development phase. Further machines and adjustments followed until 2020. For example, the throughput speed was almost doubled from an initial 32 meters per minute to 60 meters per

The first pipe surface pre-cleaning system was installed and started in 2012 at the customer's site after a one-year development phase. Further machines and adjustments followed until 2020.

minute.

Fully automated pipe pre-treatment and coating line with part recognition: alkaline cleaning to free from production-related contamination, rinsing station, fast pipe surface pre-drying, final drying with pore-deep dehumidification for professional preparation for homogeneous 360° coating by 100% -UV coating, UV dryer for curing of the coating material.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SUCCESS STORY

Complex cleaning process The pipe surface pre-treatment takes place in several steps. The complexly designed alkaline pipe cleaning station with degreasing solution completely frees the surfaces of the pipes from all types of soil. A sensor at the infeed of the alkaline cleaning station detects the beginning and the end of the pipe to start the cleaning process and to stop it at the end. To prevent the cleaning solution from being carried away, an air knife (air sword) with compressed air is used. This is followed by a three-stage rinse with distilled water to remove the cleaning solution from the pipe surface. In the penultimate step, a drying tunnel over eight meters long, which can be flexibly adapted to different pipe diameters, removes the rinsing water from the pipe surface. The pipe must be completely dry before it can be processed further. For this purpose, an adhesion water dryer is finally used to dry the remaining moisture from the surface with hot air circulation. The pipes/tubes are automatically moved through the pre-treatment process by an associated pipe transport system and then passed on to the UV coating system. After that, they are sent to the shipping department. In total, the pipe surface pre-treatment system is at least four times as long as the following UV coating system. ‹

Fully automatic pipe surface pre-cleaning unit. The alkaline pipe cleaning station with degreasing solution completely frees the surfaces of the pipes from all types of soil.

SPOTLIGHT

PPG Confirms Its Sustainable Strategy with the New

PPG ENVIROCRON Primeron Powder Primer SerieS Interview with Lorenzo Soldavini Technical Manager for Powders, EMEA, Industrial Coatings at PPG

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SPOTLIGHT

Lorenzo Soldavini, Technical Manager for Powders, EMEA, Industrial Coatings at PPG.

In March, PPG launched ENVIROCRON ® PrimeronTM, a new series of high-performance powder primers for corrosion protection. We interviewed Lorenzo Soldavini, PPG technical manager for powder, EMEA, Industrial Coatings, to learn more about the features and application fields of these new products.

he sustainability of powder coatings compared with

Until a few decades ago, the corrosion protection industry was

other paint systems is well known. The advantages

dominated by liquid paints and other types of coating. How

of their application are manifold: thanks to the

do you explain the increased use of powder coatings in this

absence of solvents in their formulation, they do

specific sector?

not cause emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

“Powder coatings are more environmentally conscious than

into the environment, they manage to achieve high chemical

other paint products on the market. Although there are special

and mechanical performance in one coat, which guarantees

situations where powders cannot be used (e.g. large assets such

considerable energy savings, and they can be easily recovered and

as bridges, huge infrastructures, or ships, or parts with internal

reused, although they certainly require higher curing temperatures

surfaces to be protected that cannot be reached by powder

than liquid coatings. The environmental friendliness of powders

application or in which complex Faraday cages might be formed),

is recognized to such an extent that the US Environmental

they do offer high efficiency with a very low amount of waste. Their

Protection Agency (EPA) began recommending their use in its

use may be preferable to other options precisely due to these

guidelines a few years ago to reduce the environmental footprint

characteristics: in terms of sustainability, they guarantee a plus

of painting processes and make them cleaner .

that other products do not. Powders as a barrier against corrosion

In the corrosion protection sector, in particular, powder coatings

are normally used in the general industry for coating mechanically

are undergoing rapid development. We asked Lorenzo Soldavini

or chemically pre-treated steel, aluminum, or its alloys, as well

to explain the views on this segment of PPG as a global powder

as in the alloy wheel sector, for example. In the heavy industry,

coating manufacturer.

their use is still limited, but the preconditions for its extensive

development have been there for some time.” How did this new series of powder primers come about in PPG’s laboratories? “Protective primers are the first line of defense for safeguarding metal surfaces against corrosion. This new line includes both products that we had already developed some time ago, which 1

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-03/documents/coating.pdf

we have re-verified, checked, and selected through an internal

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SPOTLIGHT

benchmarking activity, and products that have been designed

Primeron ZINC, called like this because it is a zinc-rich primer;

from scratch specifically for this new range – which is already

Primeron FLEX, an epoxy-polyester product containing corrosion

Qualisteelcoat-certified, as further proof of its quality. We called it

inhibitors to actively protect the substrate; Primeron EDGE,

PPG Envirocron Primeron because Envirocron is the brand name

formulated for high edge-covering capacity; and Primeron PRO,

of all PPG non-acrylic powder coatings, whereas Primeron is the

with high corrosion protection performance without the use of

combination of the product type and the brand name itself, which

zinc. One core advantage of the PRO is the corrosion protection

encompasses four different types of primers:

performance on mechanically pre-treated substrates.”

Protective primers are the first line of defense for safeguarding metal surfaces against corrosion. This new PPG line includes both products that it had already developed some time ago and products that have been designed from scratch specifically for this new range – which is already Qualisteelcoatcertified, as further proof of its quality.

What are the specific characteristics of each of these four primers? “PPG Envirocron Primeron ZINC is a zinc-rich epoxy powder primer designed to provide enhanced corrosion protection for mild steel, hot-dip galvanized steel, and aluminum substrates. Unlike conventional coatings that form a barrier between the substrate and the environment, Primeron ZINC offers additional protection through its zinc content: zinc acts as a sacrificial metal by reacting to corrosive elements and protecting the surface. Primeron ZINC is particularly recommended on mechanically pre-treated steel such as sandblasted steel. PPG Envirocron Primeron FLEX is a versatile, hybrid powder coating that is ideal for multiple substrates, offering excellent

Table 1: Key features summary. Substrate

good

strong

very strong

ZINC

PRO

EDGE

FLEX

Key Features

Zinc primer

Balanced features, low consumption, good mechanical properties, high chemical resistance

Edge protection, very good edge coverage, hides casting defects, suitable for degassing substrates

Suitable for different substrates, good intercoat adhesion, no delamination, good over-curing behavior

Chemistry

Epoxy

Epoxy-Polyester

Color & Finish

dark gray, semi gloss smooth

medium gray, semi gloss smooth

medium gray, matt smooth

dark gray, matt smooth

2.9 g/m³

1.7 g/m³

1.5 g/m³

Overall Corrosion Performance

Edge Protection

Mechanical Properties

Consumption Density Process Stability

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

intercoat adhesion to different top coats. Thanks to its formulation with a lower epoxy percentage, it is cost-effective and has excellent corrosion protection properties, as confirmed by several Qualisteelcoat approvals. Corrosion often starts on sharp edges, where the coating layer may be thinner: PPG Envirocron Primeron EDGE has been specifically developed to optimize the coverage of sharp edges and thus significantly lengthen the life cycle of coated parts. In addition, thanks to its ability to vent the air trapped in the substrate, Primeron EDGE ensures excellent results on substrates subject to degassing, such as aluminum and zinc alloys, which are more porous. It is one of the best products on the market because it encapsulates and balances the main characteristics of other primers. Finally, PPG Envirocron Primeron PRO is an epoxy primer formulated several years ago as an alternative to zinc-rich primers. Its formulation is free of zinc and heavy metals. Re-verified for the development of the new Primeron series, it has effective corrosion protection properties regardless of the type of pretreatment performed and guarantees excellent results, especially on mechanically pre-treated steel. In addition, Primeron PRO has excellent mechanical properties and a balanced profile for a complete application (Table 1).” With this versatile portfolio of corrosion protection primers, PPG meets different market demands. From which sectors do you expect a greater response? “Our products are already very popular in the Agricultural- and Construction Machinery and Trailer Industry. Here, Primeron FLEX, EDGE and PRO are widely used. ZINC is especially applied in the automotive sector, where PPG confirms its solid position, and in the general industry, thanks to its ability to achieve the highest corrosion protection performances. Some of these primers are approved by major OEMs in these sectors.” ‹

From top: The PPG ENVIROCRON PRIMERON™ ZINC primer is rich in zinc and offers effective corrosion protection. ®

PPG ENVIROCRON® PRIMERON™ FLEX provides excellent corrosion protection on multiple substrates, including aluminum. PPG ENVIROCRON® PRIMERON™ EDGE ensures excellent protection for substrates with sharp edges. PPG ENVIROCRON® PRIMERON™ PRO is effective against corrosion regardless of the pre-treatment method.

ADVANCEMENTS

CORROSION HUNTERS:

the age of drones and robotics in corrosion inspections by Antonio Zavarce INSPENET LLC, Houston (TX) – United States hola@inspenet.com

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

ADVANCEMENTS

This article was first published on the INSPENET blog at the following link: https://shorturl.at/kCIVW and published here by courtesy of the author.

orrosion is a recurring problem in the oil industry,

of sulphurous gases, humidity and oxygen present inside the

with the potential to have serious consequences if

equipment [3]. The types and the degree of corrosion of the

not properly addressed. However, in recent years,

refining units have a great relationship with the material and the

advances in technology have provided promising

quality of the crude oil [4].

solutions to combat this problem. Drones and robotics have

Corrosion in seawater depends on specific factors such as water

emerged as fundamental tools in corrosion inspection, allowing

temperature, salinity, chlorinity, water depth and current speed, as

constant monitoring and early detection of anomalies.

well as the different areas to which they are exposed [5].

This phenomenon can seriously affect the integrity of the structures and pipelines used in the extraction, transportation and refining of oil, which can result in dangerous leaks and costly interruptions in production. Traditionally, inspection is performed by human personnel, which carries significant security risks and limitations in terms of scope and efficiency. However, in recent years, advances in drone and

Corrosion in the oil industry.

robotics technology have provided promising new solutions to more effectively address this challenge. In this article, a summary is made about corrosion in the oil industry, about the application and benefits that new technologies provide to mitigate it, such as the integration of drones and robotics in corrosion inspection as a promising solution to overcome the limitations of the traditional inspection methodologies.

Corrosion in the oil industry Corrosion is a natural process that affects metal components used in the oil industry. Infrastructures, piping, and equipment are exposed to aggressive environments that accelerate deterioration and generate potential risks such as leaks, structural failures, and decreased operating efficiency. Addressing corrosion effectively is important to avoid costly downtime and ensure the safety of workers and the environment. Constant exposure to corrosive environments, such as contact with aggressive chemicals, the presence of acid gases and humidity, can lead to degradation and deterioration of the metallic materials used in this industry. The phenomenon of corrosion is one of the main causes of failures in oil facilities and half of these failures are linked to corrosion due to the presence of gases such as CO2 and H2 [1, 2]; which dissolve in the aqueous phase of the fluid, producing different forms of corrosion. Corrosion inside storage tanks depends on the nature of the stored product and on roofs it is mainly due to the combination

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

ADVANCEMENTS

Robots to detect corrosion in confined sites (left) and robot for underwater inspections to detect corrosion in submerged pipelines (right).

The role of drones in corrosion inspection

operators. Confined spaces, such as storage tanks, pipelines, or

Drones have emerged as a valuable tool in corrosion inspections

industrial structures, often present hazardous conditions, such

in the oil industry. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and

as toxic gases, high temperatures, lack of oxygen, or narrow

specialized sensors, these devices can fly over large, hard-

passages. By using drones, the need for operators to physically

to-reach areas to capture detailed images of structures and

enter these dangerous spaces is eliminated, drastically reducing

equipment; which are analysed by artificial intelligence algorithms

the risk of accidents and injuries.

and automated systems to detect anomalies and areas prone to corrosion. Drones allow constant monitoring and detection of

2. Submarine spaces in the detection of corrosion

failures and the implementation of corrective measures.

Pipes submerged in seawater are exposed to aggressive environmental conditions that increase the risk of corrosion.

Benefits of drones and robotics in the detection of corrosion in different environments

Seawater, with its high salinity and the presence of chloride ions,

1. Confined spaces

environment conducive to the deterioration of metal pipes.

The adoption of drones and robotics in corrosion inspections

The application of underwater drones in the detection of

offers a number of significant benefits. It allows non-destructive

corrosion of pipelines submerged in seawater has opened up new

inspections to be carried out, avoiding interruptions in production

possibilities for the marine and oil industry. These innovative tools

and reducing risks for workers. Additionally, the constant

allow detailed and precise inspections in subsea environments,

monitoring provided allows discontinuities to be detected before

facilitating the detection of corrosion problems to prevent and

they become failures, helping to prevent further damage and

control possible failures in the pipelines.

minimize associated costs.

Previously, the inspection of subsea pipelines was carried out

Integration of collected data with asset management and

by traditional methods, such as the use of divers or Remotely

predictive maintenance systems facilitates more efficient and

Operated Vehicles (ROVs). These methods are expensive,

data-driven planning of maintenance activities, extending

time consuming, and posed risks to divers and ROV technical

equipment life and reducing costs associated with unscheduled

personnel.

downtime. One of the main advantages of drones is their ability

The advent of underwater drones has revolutionized this process,

to access areas that are dangerous or inaccessible to human

allowing a more efficient, safe and accurate inspection of pipelines

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

together with marine currents and biological activity, creates an

ADVANCEMENTS

Equipped with high-resolution cameras and specialized sensors, drones can fly over large, hard-to-reach areas to capture detailed images of structures and equipment.

submerged in seawater. These drones, also known as AUVs

precise view of areas affected by corrosion, erosion or other types

(Autonomous Underwater Vehicles), are specifically designed to

of damage.

operate underwater and feature advanced navigation systems,

Additionally, some aerial drones are equipped with thermal

high-resolution cameras, and specialized sensors.

imaging technology, allowing them to detect discontinuities that are not visible to the naked eye. This is especially useful in

3. Airspaces with difficult access

detecting corrosion under protective coatings or in areas where

In the oil industry, there are various structures that are exposed

corrosion is in its early stages and not readily noticeable.

to challenging weather conditions, such as drilling rigs, production critical to the extraction, processing, storage and transportation

Limitations of drones and robotics in corrosion detection

of oil, and their integrity and important to ensure safe and

Despite the significant benefits that drones and robotics1 offer in

continuous operations.

corrosion inspections, there are also some important limitations

Unmanned aerial systems provide NDT experts from all industry

to consider. Here are some of the common limitations of these

sectors with a unique aerial perspective. This methodology

technologies:

enables easy access to remote or inaccessible areas without

 Limited coverage: although drones can cover large areas and

compromising the safety of the inspector.

provide detailed images, there are still limitations in terms of

Previously, the inspection of these structures was carried out

flight range and range. Drones have limited flight times and may

using traditional methods that involved risks and were costly in

require frequent battery recharges, which can affect efficiency and

terms of time and resources. The use of scaffolding, cranes or

inspection coverage.

personnel at height presented obvious hazards, while manual

 Adverse weather conditions: adverse weather conditions, such

inspection methods did not always provide a thorough and

as high winds, heavy rain, or fog, can affect the operation of drones

accurate assessment of corrosion in all inspection areas.

and limit their ability to safely and effectively conduct inspections.

Currently, the use of aerial drones in the oil industry allows access

These conditions can reduce the quality of captured images and

to areas that are difficult to access quickly and safely. These

make it difficult to accurately detect corrosion.

rigs, and elevated pipe and tank systems. These structures are

devices can fly close to structures and capture detailed images of exposed surfaces. High-resolution cameras provide a clear and

https://inspenet.com/en/noticias/robotic-industrial-inspection-in-maritime-infrastructure-applications/

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

ADVANCEMENTS

 Access to hard-to-reach areas: although drones and robots

be expensive for some businesses, especially smaller ones or

on land or underwater can access many hard-to-reach areas,

those with limited budgets.

there are still limitations in certain complex environments. Some

It is important to be aware of these limitations and consider how

confined areas, such as tight spaces or small diameter pipes, may

to address them when implementing drones and robotics in

be inaccessible to conventional robotic tools.

corrosion inspections. While these technologies offer numerous

 Data interpretation: interpretation of data collected by drones

benefits, it is critical to understand their limitations and work on

and robots can be challenging. While these technologies can

solutions to maximize their effectiveness and overcome technical

capture images and collect accurate data, the analysis and

and operational challenges that may arise.

interpretation of this data often requires human experts to make  Costs: the implementation of drones and robotics in corrosion

Examples of application of drones and robotics in the detection of corrosion

inspections implies significant investments in the acquisition of

Various leading companies in the oil industry have successfully

equipment, personnel training and maintenance. These costs can

adopted the use of drones and robotics in corrosion inspections,

informed decisions.

Technicians evaluating images in real time by means of drones and robots.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

ADVANCEMENTS

The advancement of drone and robot technology in corrosion inspections creates new employment and training opportunities. Corrosion inspectors can be trained in the use of this equipment, expanding their job prospects.

Challenges and ethical considerations in corrosion inspection with drones and robotics Although drones and robots offer numerous advantages, there are challenges and ethical considerations to take into account. It is necessary to establish clear regulations and safety standards to guarantee a responsible use of these technologies in corrosion inspections. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that the algorithms used are unbiased and avoid algorithmic bias, guaranteeing ethical and accurate results.

Conclusions These technologies allow constant monitoring and early detection of anomalies, facilitating the implementation of preventive measures and reducing the risks associated with corrosion. They offer a detailed view of structures and equipment, while ground and underwater robots can access hard-to-reach areas. This improves the efficiency of inspections, reduces costs and extends the useful life of assets. Leading companies in the oil industry have adopted these technologies with successful results, managing to detect and address corrosion problems in a timely

obtaining positive results [6]. For example, there are companies

manner. As technology continues to advance, drones and robotics

that have implemented a fleet of drones equipped with thermal

are expected to play an even larger role in corrosion detection and

imaging cameras to monitor their oil structures. Thanks to this

prevention, improving the safety and efficiency of the oil industry.

technology, they were able to detect hot spots that indicated areas

Ultimately, the era of robotics and drone-powered corrosion

of incipient corrosion, allowing them to intervene quickly and

hunters is transforming the way we approach this persistent

prevent further damage.

challenge. Thanks to these technologies, the oil industry is

Another example is incorporating underwater robots to inspect

prepared to keep its assets in optimal conditions, prevent costly

underwater pipelines . These robots, equipped with magnetic

interruptions and promote a safe and efficient operation. ‹

and ultrasonic sensors, detected corroded areas and precisely measured the thickness of the metal. As a result, the company was able to schedule preventative maintenance and avoid costly repairs. These cases demonstrate how companies are harnessing the potential of drones and robotics to improve corrosion detection and optimize their operations.

Job opportunities and training in corrosion inspections with drones and robotics

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES 1. Kermany MB, D. Harrop. SPE Prod Facil, 1996; 11: 186-190. 2. Ikeda A., Ueda M., Mukai S. Influence of Environmental Factors on Corrosion in CO2 Source Well. In: Advances in CO2 Corrosion, ed. Houston, TX (USA): NACE International, 1986, (Vol. II): 1-22. 3. Groysman, A. (2014); Corrosion in Systems for Storage and Transportation of Petroleum Products and Biofuels: Identification, Monitoring and Solutions. Chap. 1,

The advancement of drone and robot technology in corrosion

p. 1-21. 1st ed.

inspections creates new employment and training opportunities.

4. Peiyang Chemical Equipment Co., Ltd. (PCC) (2017). Consulted on 06-06-2023.

Corrosion inspectors can be trained in the use of this equipment, expanding their job prospects. In addition, the implementation of these technologies promotes the development of new companies specialized in drones and robotics, generating additional jobs and contributing to economic growth.

5. S. Price and R. Figueira, “Corrosion Protection Systems and Fatigue Corrosion in Offshore Wind Structures: Current Status and Future Perspectives”, Coatings. Vol. 7, No. 2, p. 25 (2017). 6. Murray, J. (2020); Seven major oil and gas firms using drones in their operations; NS Energy. Accessed on date of: https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/news/oil-andgas-drones/

2 https://www.worldenergytrade.com/oil-gas/investigacion/inspeccionaran-tuberias-submarinasmediante-drones-y-tecnologia-digital

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE RESEARCHER SENSES A SOLUTION TO PIPELINE CORROSION by JOSEPH SELMONT University of Alaska Anchorage – Anchorage (AK), United States

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

Every little pipe on the North Slope is a potential hazard, particularly when it comes to the problem of corrosion. University of Alaska Anchorage mechanical engineering professor Oleg Shiryayev has begun developing a solution. Using magnetostrictive materials, magnetic flux and fibre optic sensors, he has piloted a system that could save money and improve safety in the oil and gas industry.

n the North Slope there are thousands of small pipes that ultimately come together to feed into the big one — the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Each of those pipes are a potential hazard, especially as they experience the

effects of air, water and chemistry over long periods of time. Even in the cold of the Arctic, pipes will eventually succumb to corrosion — the natural chemical process that transforms refined metals into oxides. Rust, for example, occurs when iron and oxygen form a chemical bond. If technicians responsible for monitoring those pipes do not catch corrosion and other forms of degradation before it is too late, then a pipe could burst, resulting in a problem with serious environmental, financial and public relations consequences.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

That is where Oleg Shiryayev, Ph.D., assistant professor of

important data about the integrity of the pipeline.

mechanical engineering in University of Alaska Anchorage’s

“But since we cannot monitor flow lines from within using PIGs,

College of Engineering, comes in.

we have to monitor them from the outside,” said Shiryayev. “And

“The problem with flow lines, or the small pipes that connect from

my project demonstrates the feasibility of using fibre optics and

the wells to the first processing facilities, is that they do not regularly

magnetism to accomplish precisely that.”

get the same protection as the big boy, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline,”

Shiryayev’s core concept is to use a combination of fibre optic

said Shiryayev. “Simply put, there are too many of them. And for that

strain sensors and a magnetostrictive material, such as an alloy

same reason, it is very difficult to adequately monitor all of them.”

called terfenol-d, to monitor the magnetic flux that leaks out of a

To keep an eye on the integrity of flow lines, the current process

pipe as its walls becomes thinner due to corrosion or other forms

requires a team of technicians to physically walk around the pipes

of damage. Magnetostrictive materials are any substance that

and inspect them for damage using ultrasound and additional

can be mechanically deformed by the presence of an external

measuring tools. While this method is reasonably effective,

magnetic field. Magnetic flux is a measurement of the total

Shiryayev points out it is highly inefficient. Plus, it is difficult to

magnetic field passing through a given area.

access some pipes once they have been installed.

To put this another way, Shiryayev’s fibre optic sensors report any

To make matters worse, flow lines and other small pipes are rarely

deformities that happen to the magnetostrictive materials. Those

equipped with the launching and retrieval mechanisms that are

deformities can only happen if a pipe is damaged enough that its

required to use one of the industry’s most efficient monitoring

magnetic field is leaking. For an undamaged pipe, its magnetic

tools — pipeline inspection gauges, or PIGs. For the larger pipes,

field remains almost entirely inside the pipe wall. If the terfenol-d

and particularly for the 800-mile long Trans-Alaska Pipeline, PIGs

(or other magnetostrictive material) is stretched even a tiny bit, the

enter at one location, get caught up in the flow and then exit

fibre optic strain sensors will alert technicians, letting them know

dozens or hundreds of miles downstream.

that it is time to give that section of pipe a closer inspection, and

During their wild rides, the PIGs use a variety of sensors to capture

maybe even replace it.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

Oleg Shiryayev, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering in University of Alaska Anchorage’s College of Engineering.

RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

The concept of using magnetic flux leakage to measure the integrity of pipes is not new. In fact, it is one of the main tools used by PIGs when they travel down larger pipelines. The novelty of Shiryayev’s contribution to the field is the combination of fibre optic strain sensors and magnetostrictive materials. Practically speaking, this could allow for deployment of the system over long stretches of difficult-to-access pipes. “The main advantage of this kind of monitoring regime is that it is much more economical to achieve higher levels of safety,” said Shiryayev. “Companies could have round-the-clock monitoring of their flow lines, without needing to constantly send crews out for inspection.” Shiryayev’s research is still in the early stages. He has completed a proof-of-concept study with funding from ConocoPhillips Alaska. He hopes that he and University of Alaska Anchorage will patent the design sometime soon and obtain funding for further development. In the future, he imagines that this research could have significant commercial appeal. “It has the potential to make oil and gas extraction safer and more

Shiryayev’s core concept is to use a combination of fibre optic strain sensors and a magnetostrictive material, such as an alloy called terfenol-d, to monitor the magnetic flux that leaks out of a pipe as its walls becomes thinner due to corrosion or other forms of damage.

cost effective,” said Shiryayev. ‹

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SCIENCE

OUTLOOK

Sustainable flame retardant coatings in the frame of circular economy

by Elpida Piperopoulos* and Edoardo Proverbio, Department of Engineering, University of Messina - Italy TREES-MAT - Technology and Research on Energy, Environment and Safety Materials *corresponding author: elpida.piperopoulos@unime.it

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

New flame retardant and intumescent coatings are able to make naval life safer. Preserving the environment and protecting the workers is the objective to which research contributes by designing and developing innovative and broadly applied solutions.

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figure 1 - Flame retardant (a), intumescent (b) coatings mechanisms.

The focus Accidental fires on naval and offshore structures can have

The possible solution: fire retardant and intumescent coatings technologies

catastrophic consequences, endangering the lives of personnel,

The use of fire-resistant materials in the construction and

causing extensive damage, and compromising mission readiness.

outfitting of naval and offshore structures whenever possible

These accidents can be triggered by various factors, including

reduces the potential for fires to spread rapidly.

electrical faults, equipment failures, human error, or even hostile

Among the different opportunities, there are two kinds of

actions. The risk of accidental fires is inherently higher due to the

technologies that can reach this purpose: flame retardant

presence of combustible materials, volatile fuels, and electrical

and intumescent coatings. Fire retardant coatings are able

systems. In 2022, fires at sea have increased by 17% compared to

to retard or inhibit the combustion of flammable materials

the previous year, representing the third leading cause of accidents

(Figure 1a). Intumescent coating is a layer of protective

on vessels, surpassed only by machinery damage and collisions. To

substance, which works by chemical reaction activated by

safeguard naval assets and personnel, it is imperative to mitigate

heat, resulting in swelling and formation of an insulating layer

them effectively, disseminating knowledge and best practices for

on the surface that limits heat transmission and fire spreading

preventing accidental fires on naval structures.

(Figure 1b).

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Case studies

the fire resistance capacity of the developed formulations.

Case 1: THALASSA project.

The incorporation of light metal hydroxides has a beneficial effect

The project was funded by PON “Ricerca e Innovazione 2014 e

on the fire performance of the coating.

2020” and FSC (Project ARS01_00293 THALASSA - TecHnology

Extensive carbonized area characterized the non-fireproof

And materials for safe Low consumption And low life cycle

unfilled paint after flame exposure (Figure 2a), while magnesium

cost veS-Sels And crafts). The project was coordinated by the

hydroxide added paint (Figure 2b) reported an excellent fire

Department of Engineering of the University of Messina (Italy)

stability, in comparison with aluminum hydroxide-based one

in collaboration with the Colorificio Atria S.r.l. factory (Partanna

(Figure 2c). The area affected by the combustion appears more

(TP), Italy), the NAVTEC Consortium (Messina, Italy), and the

contained and relatively homogeneous. No exfoliation was

University of Palermo (Italy). The project included a specific work

observed.

package aimed to develop a new flame retardant coating. Low amounts of Mg(OH)2 and Al(OH)3 fillers were incorporated into an

Case 2: NO FIRE NAVE project.

acrylic matrix to enhance the coatings’ fire resistance properties.

The project was a research initiative coordinated by the

At around 180 °C, Al(OH)3 breaks down through an endothermic

Department of Engineering of the University of Palermo (Italy)

dehydration process, releasing water vapor. Similarly, Mg(OH)2

in collaboration with the Colorificio Atria S.r.l. factory (Partanna

undergoes a comparable decomposition at 332 °C, absorbing

(TP), Italy), the NAVTEC Consortium (Messina, Italy), and the

substantial heat while emitting water vapor. Furthermore, coupled

University of Messina (Italy). NO FIRE NAVE was funded by PO

to prevent the polymer matrix combustion, those metal hydroxides

FESR SICILIA 2014 – 2020 (Project 08TP20120000244 NO FIRE

act as effective smoke suppressants. Decomposition products

NAVE - New formulation of flame retardant coatings for the naval

are non-toxic and the residual mineral phases, especially MgO,

sector). The project, which involved the collaboration of a research

are alkaline, reducing the probability that acid and corrosive gases

team comprising more than 20 researchers, company technicians,

could be released by combustion. Fire reaction tests were carried

and industry experts, has allowed for the study, validation, and

out in laboratory, exposing the paint coated steel plate to a gas

production of new fire-resistant paints with sound-absorbing

flame, supplied by a calibrated Bunsen burner for 30 s, to evaluate

properties for use in marine environments as well as on land,

Figure 2 - Steel plates coated with a non-fireproof paint (a), the Mg(OH)2 (b) and the Al(OH)3 (c) filled flame retardant coatings.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figure 3 – Uncovered and intumescent paint-covered steel plate at room temperature (a, e), during flame test (b, f), infrared camera image during flame test (c, g), thermocouple K (d, h) and swelled intumescent char (h).

in port facilities, and in shipbuilding. In particular, among the

A mathematical modelling of intumescence process was

fire-resistant paints, intumescent properties were studied. The

developed to forecast the time evolution of back face temperature

research team has worked on and optimized a high fire-resistant

as well as of the thickness of growing and ablative layers for the

product, and this was only possible thanks to the collaboration

intumescent coating.

and exchange of knowledge between the university researchers and the companies that collaborated, pooling their expertise. Intumescent coatings were developed, starting with acrylic paints enriched with appropriate recycled powdered materials, such as scrap glass and cork from industrial waste. The formulations were tested on 140 mm x 75 mm x 0.8 mm stainless steel strips in a fire resistance test, using a measurement protocol, developed in the laboratories of the University of Messina. The samples were exposed to a flame generated by butane gas for approximately 80 seconds. Coating modification was recorded by two cameras, the first placed in front of the sample and the second positioned to visualize its cross-section. Temperature was monitored using a thermal camera, while a K thermocouple was used to assess the thermal insulation efficiency provided by the coating, measuring the temperature behind the steel strip. After 60 seconds of flame exposure, the thermal camera detects, on the intumescent coating, a larger area with a temperature exceeding 500°C (Figure 3c). The fully performance of the intumescent paint by swelling mechanism was assessed by the temperature records. A temperature decrease of almost 300°C is registered on the back side of the metallic structure (Figure 3).

The use of fire-resistant materials in the construction and outfitting of naval and offshore structures whenever possible reduces the potential for fires to spread rapidly.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

The ablative layer is made by the filled acrylic matrix, whose

preconditioned until reaching constant mass at a temperature of

thickness reduces in time as the material ablation due to pyrolysis

23 ± 2 °C and a relative humidity of 50 ± 5 %. The method involves

starts (Figure 4). The growing layer is mostly made by char, whose

subjecting the samples to a gradual radiant flux provided by a gas-

thickness increases in time due to the swelling process, following

fired radiant panel, ignited by a pilot flame (Figure 5).

the decomposition of the ablative layer.

The ignition, flame spread, and extinction times were recorded

The experimental data fitted well with the theoretical ones,

along the length of each test specimen, in addition to measuring

validating the mathematical model. Through the study of the

the total heat release and peak heat release. The endpoint in a

swelling evolution, it was feasible to establish a predictive model

flammability test refers to the distance travelled by the flame

for the growth process of the intumescent product, as well as for

along a material specimen during the test. It indicates the point

the rate of the carbonaceous product formation. As the ablative

where the flame has propagated along the specimen before

layer is consumed by the intumescence process, the rate, at which

extinguishing or reaching a defined stopping point.

the growing layer is formed, decreases.

Coating fire resistance and fire hazard are identified by two

The most promising formulations were certified by the Institute

parameters the Critical Heat Flux to Extinction (CFE) and the Heat

Giordano S.p.A. (RESOLUTION MSC.307(88) Part 5 – ISO 5658-

of Sustained Combustion (Qsb) respectively (Figure 6).

2:2006 (MED/3.18)). As for the flammability test, the samples were

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

The Critical Heat Flux to Extinction (CFE) is the level of incident

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figure 4 - Schemes of the system at t=0 and at t>t1 during the effect of a homogeneous thermal source.

Through the study of the swelling evolution, it was feasible to establish a predictive model for the growth process of the intumescent product, as well as for the rate of the carbonaceous product formation. As the ablative layer is consumed by the intumescence process, the rate, at which the growing layer is formed, decreases.

Figure 5 – “ISO 5668_FTP CODE_1” Panel, Istituto Giordano S.p.A. Figure 6 – Indexes values effect on fire resistance. Increasing CFE index and decreasing Qsb, qp and Qt indexes, fire resistance increases.

Flammability test

New intumescent paint

Standard intumescent paint

Endpoint [mm]

<50

250

Qsb [MJ/m2]

0,8

4,06

CFE [kW/m2]

48,80

35,80

Qt [MJ]

0,06

0,10

qp [kW]

0,28

1,40

Table 1 - Flammability test results.

heat flux on a surface at which a flame ceases to advance and

heat released by the material during combustion, which can

may extinguish. It is a measure used to assess the fire resistance

imply a higher risk of fire spread and damage to the surrounding

of a material or structure. In general, a higher CFE value indicates

structure. Furthermore, the Peak Heat Release Rate (qp) is the

greater fire resistance of the material or structure. If the incident

maximum value of heat generated per unit of time during a fire.

heat flux exceeds the CFE, the flame will continue to propagate.

It represents the point at which the amount of released heat

Conversely, if the incident heat flux is lower than the CFE, the

reaches its peak during the combustion phase. Higher values of

flame will extinguish or not propagate further.

qp indicate a rapid and intense release of heat, which can imply

The Heat of Sustained Combustion (Qsb) is a measure of the

a more intense fire, a faster flame spread rate, and a higher risk

total heat released by a material during a sustained combustion

of structural damage. The new intumescent coating showed a

process. It represents the total amount of thermal energy

lower endpoint, a higher CFE, and lower values of Qsb, Qt, and qp,

generated by the material’s combustion. Typically, it is used to

indicating better performance compared to a standard coating

assess the hazard of a material in terms of potential heat release

(Table 1). The standard coating is an intumescent coating based

during a fire. Higher values of Qsb, as well as higher values of total

on vinyl polymers poured in water dispersion and specific reactive

heat release (Qt), which is the total amount of heat generated

additives (ammonium polyphosphate, pentaerythritol and

during a combustion process, indicate a greater amount of

melamine).

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

At the Istituto Giordano S.p.A., fire behaviour tests using the temperature/ time curve specified by the 2010 FTP Code (Fire Test Procedures, 2010), IMO Resolution MSC.307(88), Annex 1, Part 3, on a wall protected by intumescent paint were performed. The steel panel, with a nominal width of 2500 mm, nominal height of 2500 mm, and nominal thickness of 5 mm, was mounted on a rigid, high-density support structure made of masonry constructed with bricks, density 1600 kg/ m3, bound with continuous horizontal and vertical mortar joints. The support structure was positioned vertically at the entrance of the experimental furnace to create a closed combustion chamber for subjecting it to the heating curve prescribed by the regulations, simulating the fire on the surface of the object where intumescent paint protection was Figure 7 - Fire-exposed face (a), non-exposed face (b) before the test. Fire-exposed face (c), non-exposed face (d) after the test.

present. Thermocouples were placed on the unexposed surface of the object to monitor the surface temperature during the test. During exposure to the fire, it was visually inspected or checked using cotton swabs and/or thickness gauges to ensure that the object maintained integrity to hot gases and flames. Integrity loss was observed on the fireexposed face, while perfect integrity was maintained on the rear face, which was not exposed to the fire, showing a high level of structural insulation (Figure 7). The most promising formulations were also tested in operational environments thanks to the collaboration of the NAVTEC

Figure 8 - Panels applied in the helm room (a) and engine room (b) of a real ship.

consortium and its members, who provided a passenger ship (Figure 8) and a construction site area for subjecting the samples to durability tests in particularly

To ensure the success of fire prevention efforts on naval structures, it is essential to foster a culture of safety and cooperation. 46

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

demanding real-use environments such as engine rooms and buildings near the sea, exposed to salt spray. The two projects are a clear example demonstrating how industrial research

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

can meet the demands for innovation. To ensure the success of

SOURCES:

fire prevention efforts on naval structures, it is essential to foster

- Piperopoulos, E.; Scionti, G.; Atria, M.; Calabrese, L.; Proverbio, E. Flame-

a culture of safety and cooperation, to share best practices,

Retardant Performance Evaluation of Functional Coatings Filled with

experiences, and lessons learned within the naval community

Mg(OH)2 and Al(OH)3. Polymers 2022, 14, 372. https:// doi.org/10.3390/

through regular training sessions, workshops, and written guidelines and to encourage collaboration between different departments and personnel levels to create a unified approach to fire prevention. Preventing accidental fires on naval structures is

polym14030372 - Piperopoulos, E.; Grifò, G.; Scionti, G.; Atria, M.; Calabrese, L.; Consolo, G.; Proverbio, E. Study of Intumescent Coatings Growth for Fire Retardant

an ongoing process that requires the commitment of all personnel.

Systems in Naval Applications: Experimental Test and Mathematical

By implementing robust preventive measures, conducting regular

Model. Coatings 2022, 12, 1180. https://doi.org/10.3390/ coatings12081180

training, and fostering a culture of safety, we can significantly

Scionti, G.; Piperopoulos, E.; Atria, M.; Calabrese, L.; Proverbio, E. Effect of

reduce the risk of fires, safeguard our naval assets, and protect

Magnesium Hydroxide and Aluminum Hydroxide as Thermal Barriers on

the lives of our dedicated personnel. Together, we can ensure that

the Flame-Retardant Behavior of Acrylic-Based Coating. Coatings 2023,

our naval structures remain resilient in the face of potential fire

13, 1517. https://doi.org/10.3390/ coatings13091517

hazards. ‹

SUCCESS

STORY

The biggest vertical shot blast machine ever built by Rösler goes to China edited by RÖSLER OBERFLÄCHENTECHNIK GMBH Untermerzbach, Germany

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SUCCESS STORY

Stainless steel is one of the most important raw materials for many industries such as medical engineering, ship building, aerospace, etc. Accordingly, high volumes of stainless steel are used all over the world. To cope with the increasing demand, TISCO, one of the globally largest manufacturers of stainless steel, modernized the production line in its hot rolling mill for stainless steel plates. As partner in this challenging project Rösler built the so far biggest vertical shot blast machine in the company’s history.

Perfect surface finish on up to 315,000 tons of stainless steel plates per year

customer demanded the plates to be transported through the

As part of the China Baowu Steel Group Corporation Limited the

position. A challenge was that the plates are delivered horizontally

Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group Co., Ltd., in short TISCO, is one of

and must be changed to vertical position before entering the shot

the largest and most renowned suppliers of steel in the world.

blast machine.

shot blast machine and the subsequent pickling system in vertical

For a long time the company, located in Taiyuan in the Chinese province Shanxi, has specialized in, among other industrial goods,

Two machines combined into one system

the development and production of stainless steel products such

To meet the customer’s surface quality demands within the

as plates and sheets. Since 2020 a huge modernization project

specified time frame the Rösler engineers developed an innovative

is underway for this business division with the goal to update the

equipment concept. It combines two identical shot blast machines

production line in the hot rolling mill for stainless steel plates with

into one system, where the stainless steel plates are passing

state-of-the-art equipment, including a new shot blast and pickling

through the two machines sequentially, and each machine utilizes

system. Once the project is completed, the entire line will run fully

a different blast media. The individual machines are equipped with

automatically.

twelve Gamma 400G turbines with an installed power of 37 kW

The technical specifications for the shot blast system, processing

per turbine. On each side of the blast chamber six turbines are

steel plates up to 4,100 mm long, 160 mm thick and with a

mounted at an angle. This turbine arrangement ensures that the

maximum weight of 35 tons, were very detailed and strict;

plates are evenly covered by the blast media across their entire

particularly with regard to the shot blasting results and the work

width. The total blast media throughput per machine amounts to

piece handling. The challenge for the Rösler engineers was to

12,000 kg/minute – a huge quantity compared to the throughput

design and build a machine that guarantees a high-quality, high-

of between 2,000 and 3,000 kg in standard shot blast machines.

precision finish in the micrometre range and high throughput. With

The high media throughput posed a particular challenge for the

regard to size and production speed the new shot blast system

wear protection of the two machines. This challenge was met by

dwarfs the equipment that the company has ever built in this field.

fabricating the blast chamber from manganese steel and lining it with 10 mm thick, easily replaceable, wear plates, also made from

High feed rate and low surface roughness readings

manganese steel.

Some of the TISCO requirements were that the steel plates must

For shot blasting operations, where a higher surface roughness

pass through the shot blast machine at a speed of 7 m/min, the

is specified, each machine can be run separately. In such cases

surface roughness cannot exceed Ra = 4.0 µm, and the surface

the transport speed of the steel plates is reduced to 4 m/minute.

finish must correspond to A/B Sa 2,5. To prevent even minimal

To prevent media spillage, each machine is equipped with a high-

damage on the work piece surface by the transport rollers, the

performance blow-off system.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SUCCESS STORY

Extremely sturdy design facilitates maintenance

Shipped to China in 21 containers

The large size of the steel plates and their high weight demanded

The entire vertical shot blasting system was designed and built in

an extremely sturdy design of the two shot blast machines. For

Germany. It was shipped to China by sea in 21 containers. Rösler

example, the maximum load per running meter amounts to four

service engineers, some of them from Germany, installed the

tons. The overall machine dimensions are also impressive: the

system at the customer’s location.

entire system is 17 meters long and 14 meters high. It was placed in

Another challenge was that the installation had to take place

a pit with a depth of 2.5 meters. The blast media cleaning system

during a time of strict Chinese travel restrictions and quarantine

and media hopper were placed on the roof of each shot blast

regulations. In addition, the installation had to be carefully

machine.

coordinated with the service engineers of the company supplying

For quick and easy maintenance, the machines are equipped

the pickling line.

with four inspection platforms on different levels that can be

Vasili Schaermann, global sales expert at Rösler Oberflächentechnik

easily reached by suitable stairways. This enhances the already

GmbH, reports: "Only after the installation at TISCO could we test

impressive appearance of the shot blast system, designed for

the entire system. Because of the extraordinary size of the shot

processing 315,000 tons of stainless steel plates.

blast system, such a test was not possible during the production phase at our Untermerzbach plant in Germany. Fortunately,

Level 2 control system designed for fully automatic operation

the commissioning at the customer location was successful.

The production unit consisting of the two Rösler shot blast

build other vertical shot blast machines, and I would like to point

machines and the pickling line is equipped with a level 2 control

out that we are pleased with the cooperation between TISCO and

system. This upper-level system provides all the data required for

Rösler.” The customer was very satisfied with how the project was

the process, for example, the plate type and the required surface

handled and the achieved shot blasting results. The customer’s

roughness.

employees were particularly impressed by the ability of the Rösler

The information also specifies whether a special plate type must

experts to fully satisfy the TISCO demands. The big, sophisticated

pass through both shot blast machines or just one. This ensures

shot blasting system from Germany will certainly help TISCO

that the required surface roughness and finish values are achieved

to strengthen its position as one of the leading stainless

without any manual intervention whatsoever.

manufacturers in the world. ‹

The large size of the steel plates and their high weight demanded an extremely sturdy design of the two shot blast machines. The overall machine dimensions are also impressive: the entire system is 17 meters long and 14 meters high. It was placed in a pit with a depth of 2.5 meters. 50

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

Actually, the entire project went very well. In the future we will

Impressive size: the vertical shot blasting system is 14 m high and is placed in a pit with a depth of 2.5 m. Four inspection platforms with stairways enhance the impressive appearance of the equipment. Directly in front of the shot blasting system the up to 160 mm thick and 4,100 mm long stainless steel plates are moved into a vertical position. They are then passing through the shot blast system and pickling line on special roller conveyors at a maximum speed of 7 m/minute.

SUCCESS STORY

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE

OUTLOOK

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

A CASE OF CORROSION UNDER INSULATION: ONSET AND PREVENTION MEASURES By M. Ormellese and A. Brenna Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Milan - Italy

This paper illustrates a case of corrosion under insulation on a hot pipe within a concrete anchor block. The pipe was equipped with impressed current cathodic protection. After an analysis of its penetrating power, such cathodic protection inside the concrete block and under the insulation layer proved to be insufficient to ensure complete safeguard in the event of water infiltration. As in similar cases, cathodic protection may be ineffective in the presence of cracks where ohmic drops are too high. Since a local cathodic protection system would prove insufficient as well, a restoration method to prevent the ingress of water was investigated through laboratory tests on the adhesion of a sealing product even in the presence of thermal and mechanical cycles.

Preliminary remarks In the first phase of the exploitation of a deep well (T above 100 °C), the oil produced was transported from the wellhead to the collection station without cooling and, therefore, adequate insulation was provided to prevent clogging of the pipelines due to solidification of the oil during cooling. Moreover, precisely because a hot product was handled and with the aim to contain the effects of thermal expansion, fixed points were created to anchor the pipe to the ground, preventing its translation and/or rotation and only permitting the line movements caused by thermal expansion loops. Each fixed point was designed as shown schematically in Figure 1 below.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

The material of the pipeline is API - 5L - X52 carbon steel, diameter

Causes of corrosion

4”, thickness 8.56 mm; the pipeline is covered with a polyurethane

The cause of corrosion most likely lies in the following series of events:

foam insulation layer protected by a PVC coaxial pipe. At each fixed

 degradation of polyurethane due to the high temperatures;

point, the insulation layer was removed to allow the welding of the

ingress of water from the ground through the protection sleeve,

anchor shell. In order to prevent damage to the PVC coating, a

during the rainy season and the rice growing season;

steel protective sleeve was installed in the entry and exit areas of

 since the polyurethane layer and the PVC containment pipe were

each concrete block. In the first years, the operating temperature

cut to the end of the fixed point, the concrete mass was not able to

was as high as 120-130 °C. After about 5 years of operation, thanks

prevent water from spreading to the pipe;

to the installation of air coolers in all well areas, the operating

 water penetrated under the insulation layer, where the

conditions of the wells brought the temperature down to below

environment is not alkaline as it is not in direct contact with

120 °C. The initial operating conditions could therefore have

concrete, causing corrosion initiation at a rather severe rate due to

caused deterioration of the insulation layer at the fixed points and

the high temperature of the metal surface;

consequently led to the external corrosion problem described

 the cathodic process caused the reduction of oxygen in water;

below.

 cathodic protection was not effective because the protective current could not reach from the ground to the metal surface

Corrosion initiation detected on-site

beneath the insulation layer due to the high ohmic drop.

Traces of through corrosion were found under the insulation layer

Protective potential measurements were carried out on the pipes,

around the entry area to a fixed point. Drilling was done near

the protective sleeves, and the reinforcement rods: all were found to

the point where the pipe, together with 5 other adjacent lines, is

be protected with ON potential values between -1.8 and -1.9 V vs Cu/

enclosed by a concrete block placed as a fixed point approximately

CuSO4. The measurements show that the reinforcement rods are

50 m from the well area and at a depth of approximately 2.5 m

in contact with the pipes and that protective conditions do exist.

below ground level. The diagram of the pipe section shows the

The bare surface exposed to concrete is easily polarised to the

presence of an anchor shell inside the block that secures the pipe

point of showing immunity protection potential values with rather

itself, whereas at the points where the pipe enters and exits the

modest protective current densities (about 2 mA/m2 for pristine

block there are steel protection sleeves with a length of 400 mm (of

concrete) and, on the other hand, fixed points are the only surfaces

which 200 mm lie in the ground) and a diameter slightly larger than

that absorb the cathodic protection current. However, within the

that of the insulated pipe itself (Figure 1). Visual inspection showed

fixed points, the protective current is unable to penetrate below the

diffuse corrosion on the outer surface at 6 o’clock, with areas

insulation layer due to the high ohmic drops. As a rule of thumb, the

showing a severely thinned thickness, where through corrosion

maximum value penetration can be calculated with the following

had initiated in two places (Figures 2, 3, and 4). The inner surface

simplified relationship:

showed no signs of corrosion, as expected, since at least in the initial stages the fluid handled was not corrosive due to the absence of formation water.

Lmax =

∆E d 2ρ i

From left to right: Figure 2 - A detail of the pipe; Figure 3 - Thickness thinning; Figure 4 - A detail of the segment after pickling, highlighting a puncture.

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figure 5 – Temperature acquisition programme.

where ∆E is the motive work available for the dissipation of ohmic

 dynamic tests: fatigue cycles (and possible thermal cycles) on a

drops, which is equal to the potential difference between that of the

polyurethane-coated sample.

surface under the insulation layer and that of the external surface

The duration of the cycles was related to the operating conditions

exposed to the concrete; d is the crack’s thickness; and ρ is the

of the pipeline: 5-6 months at high temperature and a few weeks at

conductivity of the electrolyte trapped under the insulation layer.

room temperature (maintenance phase); over a year, the pipeline

Conservatively assuming a motive work value of 1 V, a resistivity

thus undergoes 2 thermal cycles.

value of 20 Ωm, a crack thickness of 1 mm, and a protective current

To simulate a service life of 20 years (40 cycles), 3 cycles per day

density value in the crack of 0.1 mA/m (no oxygen), maximum

were performed for a total test duration of 15 days.

penetration between the inside and outside is equal to 0.5 m. Visual observation of the corroded pipe section showed that water

 Static tests. The thermal cycles were carried out by inserting

had penetrated under the insulation layer for approximately 2

an 80-Ω electric resistor inside the pipe in order to heat only the

metres, i.e. for a length well above the calculated maximum.

pipe itself and not the coating. The samples were grounded for

A cut was also made in the longitudinal direction of the pipe to

safety reasons. 3 thermal cycles per day between 130 °C and Tamb

enable inspection of the inside. The inner surface is intact, with no

were performed. The tests lasted 15 days for a total of 45 thermal

trace of corrosion. The pipe was subsequently cut, isolating the

cycles. The pipe’s internal temperature was monitored by placing

punctuated part alone (about 1 m), for analysis at the Politecnico di

a thermocouple in contact with the internal surface of the pipe

Milano.

itself and acquiring the temperature at regular 1-minute intervals (Figure 5).

Maintenance proposal After careful evaluation of the possible types of maintenance work, it was decided to seal the sleeves with polyurethane mastic to prevent water ingress. Since the success of such an intervention depends on the actual sealing degree achieved by the selected product, laboratory tests were developed to verify adhesion between the mastic and the metal. Pipe-coating adhesion was verified in the laboratory with two series of tests on samples with different surface finishes and varying mastic thicknesses (with centred and eccentric application) using different methods as specified in Table 1:  static tests: thermal cycles on samples subjected to different surface preparation operations (sandblasting or brush cleaning)

Pipe-coating adhesion was verified in the laboratory with two series of tests on samples with different surface finishes and varying mastic thicknesses (with centred and eccentric application) using different methods.

and coated with polyurethane;

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

SAMPLE

LENGTH

SURFACE FINISHING

PUNCTURE

SECTION REDUCTION

COATING APPLICATION

4’’

30 mm

Sandblasting

YES – 5 mm

Centred

4’’

30 mm

Sandblasting

YES – 70%

Eccentric

4’’

30 mm

Brushing

YES – 5 mm

Centred

4’’

30 mm

Brushing

YES – 70%

Eccentric

Table 1 - Samples subjected to static tests.

SAMPLE

LENGTH

SURFACE FINISHING

PUNCTURE

SECTION REDUCTION

COATING APPLICATION

4’’

30 mm

Sandblasting

YES – 5 mm

Centred

Table 2 - Sample subjected to dynamic tests.

The tests were carried out on 4 pipeline samples with a length

accordance with regulations, it is not possible to achieve protection

of 30 mm and a diameter of 4’’. A summary of the samples’

under the insulation layer in the event of water ingress due to

characteristics is shown in Table 1.

ohmic drops. Prevention must therefore be based on measures

 Dynamic tests. Dynamic tests were carried out on sample no. 5

to prevent water ingress. For this purpose, the simplest and

(Table 2). The thermal cycles were carried out by inserting an 80-Ω

most effective method appeared to be sealing the pipeline with a

electric resistor inside the pipe in order to heat only the pipe itself

thermosetting resin of the polyurethane type, which can be easily

and not the coating. The sample was grounded for safety reasons. 3

cast, adheres very well on sandblasted metal surfaces ensuring

thermal cycles per day between 130 °C and 25 °C were performed.

good adhesion even on concrete, and after hardening provides

The mechanical cycles were performed by connecting the sample

sufficient mechanical resistance to withstand the internal pressure

to a tensile machine and imposing a maximum load of 75 kN (equal

in the event of a puncture. The laboratory tests performed proved

to 20% of the yield strength), consistent with the maximum load

the suitability of this type of intervention.

of the machine (100 kN), with a load increase rate of 7.5 kN/min. 3 loading cycles per day were performed.

Risk analysis and intervention planning

The tests lasted 14 days for a total of 42 thermal and mechanical

Since most pipelines are in the same corrosion under insulation-

cycles. Figure 6 shows the thermal and mechanical cycles

related risk conditions as the analysed pipe, a risk analysis was

performed during one day: they lasted 8 hours each and consisted

carried out to classify the fixed points on which priority action

of 2 hours of heating and 6 hours of cooling for thermal cycles,

should be taken.

and 2 hours of load and 6 of no load for mechanical cycles. In the loading phase, the sample was loaded to 75 kN with a load increase rate of 7.5 kN/min.

Results After the thermal and thermo-mechanical cycles had been performed, hydraulic tests were carried out on the samples up to the working pressure increased by 50% to check the tightness of the polyurethane layer. The tests showed that the adhesion of polyurethane on a sandblasted surface is such that a complete seal is ensured, while on a brushed surface a partial infiltration of water was found, although without giving rise to leaks.

Discussion While providing a level of cathodic protection on the pipeline, and in particular at the fixed points, with protection potentials in

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

While providing a level of cathodic protection on the pipeline, and in particular at the fixed points, with protection potentials in accordance with regulations, it is not possible to achieve protection under the insulation layer in the event of water ingress due to ohmic drops. Prevention must therefore be based on measures to prevent water ingress.

SCIENCE OUTLOOK

Figure 6 - Development of the thermal and mechanical cycles over a day.

The factors considered were as follows:

covering all fixed points throughout the field. The sequence of

 type of fluid transported (in particular liquid hydrocarbon),

operations was defined as follows:

temperature, and flow rate;

 Bringing the fixed point to light;

 location of the fixed point. The fixed points that could be

 Measuring the temperature of the insulation layer;

damaged the most were taken into consideration, i.e. those

 Documenting the condition of the fixed point (checking for

closest to the wellhead and therefore the most stressed by the

cracks);

unfavourable temperature conditions;

 Removing the water stop sleeve (if present) and checking the

 moisture conditions in the soil surrounding the fixed point.

condition of the insulation layer between the pipe and the fixed

In the latter regard, it should be noted that some pipelines are

point’s sleeve;

submerged in groundwater whereas others are in a better position

 Removing about 50 cm of insulation layer from the incoming/

as the water table is about 15 m below ground level. However,

outgoing pipework at the fixed point;

the presence of rice paddies and of agricultural drainage wells to

 Measuring the temperature of the pipe;

the water table that may not be watertight makes this parameter

 Measuring the thickness of the uncovered pipe section using a

difficult to apply, since the water flowing from the paddies could

probe;

affect the pipes even if they are located about 2-3 m below ground

 Applying the resin.

level. Based on the evaluation parameters listed above, inspection

Conclusions

priority was assigned to the first fixed point located downstream

This report presented a case of corrosion under insulation of

of the wellhead, followed by all the others. For example, a priority

cathodically protected pipelines at concrete fixed points. It

value of “1” was also assigned to the fixed points in the well area,

discussed the causes of corrosion and non-performance of the

which are located within the Park of the Ticino and permanently

cathodic protection system, although acknowledging that the

immersed in water (albeit under more favourable temperature

average level of protection was adequate.

conditions than the other pipelines).

A plan was discussed and implemented for sealing the surfaces at

Having defined the order of intervention aimed at analysing the

the fixed points by casting polyurethane mastic. The adhesion and

fixed points considered to be the most critical, a method to be

mechanical strength properties were evaluated through laboratory

followed was established to allow for the systematic collection of

tests with thermal and thermo-mechanical cycles simulating the

data that would make it possible to define an investigation criterion

operating conditions of the pipes. ‹

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

ADVANCEMENTS

Minimizing FPSO downtime with corrosion protection during fabrication by Julie Holmquist,

Cortec® Corporation – St. Paul (MN), United States - jholmquist@cortecvci.com

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

ADVANCEMENTS

Floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units are on the upward trend in the oil and gas industry because of their flexibility to meet changing demands in an unpredictable market. Yet, without good preservation strategies during construction and delivery, FPSO fabricators and owners can be in for a negative surprise when they encounter corrosion problems during FPSO commissioning or thereafter. VpCI® Technologies offer practical and effective solutions to avoid these unwanted corrosion-related downtime episodes to promote smoother commissioning and better durability.

These materials typically do not interfere with electrical/electronic operation and can often be left in place for ongoing corrosion protection during everyday use.

Protection during hydrotesting In addition to electronics, FPSOs encompass many fluid systems, including piping, pumps, valves, and compressor skids that may need to be hydrotested or flushed. This activity can introduce moisture and sometimes even chlorides (e.g., if seawater is used) and is a prime opportunity to apply corrosion protection. Products such as those in the VpCI®-649 Series can be added to the hydrotest water for protection during hydrostatic testing and can be dosed at higher concentrations for extended periods of preservation. These hydrotest additives are both film-forming and vapour-phase corrosion inhibiting for protection of hard-to-reach areas inside valves or systems that are capped subsequent to hydrotesting.

Preserving tanks, vessels, and flow paths

To make matters worse, certain types of equipment must be

and other enclosed voids that could otherwise be difficult to protect.

flushed or hydrotested during construction and commissioning,

Removal is usually not needed prior to commissioning. If fogging is

introducing corrosives that threaten to compromise the

not preferred for one reason or another, VpCI®-308 Pouches can be

internal integrity of the equipment. For FPSO fabricators, the

placed inside the voids to release Vapour phase Corrosion Inhibitors

consequences are more serious than simply failing to deliver

through a breathable packaging membrane. These pouches can be

goods with a pleasing appearance. Far worse, corrosion on

taken out quite easily before equipment commissioning.

PSO topside equipment is often built near ocean

Another means of internal protection is to apply VpCI®-337 or

ports and spends the rest of its service life in a marine

CorroLogic® Fogging Fluid VpCI®-339. These Vapour phase

environment. High temperatures, humidity, and salt spray

Corrosion Inhibitors can be fogged into flow paths of gas turbines

create a perfect atmosphere for corrosion propagation.

and other rotating equipment. They also work inside tanks, vessels,

critical equipment can delay commissioning or cause more serious problems down the road, including high-cost, emergency

External protection

shutdowns from corrosion-related failures on turbines or electrical

Turbines and other equipment fogged with VpCI® Technology are

systems. While corrosion consequences can be drastic, a few

often wrapped in VpCI® Films such as VpCI®-126 HP UV Shrink

simple preservation strategies in key areas will go a long way

Film and MilCorr® VpCI® Shrink Film—both to protect equipment

toward preserving equipment until the time of commissioning.

externals and to trap Vapour phase Corrosion Inhibitors inside the equipment. Films are better than tarps for protection in outdoor

Preserving electricals and electronics

environments because they create a barrier to external elements

Electricals and electronics are the brains and nerve centres

and contain corrosion inhibitors to actively mitigate corrosion. If

of a FPSO. Without them, operations would halt. Fortunately,

needed, they can be fitted with access panels for easier inspection

electronics and electricals are some of the easiest components

during the preservation period.

to protect by placing VpCI® Emitters inside the housings. VpCI® Emitters comes in multiple sizes—from the VpCI®-101 Device that

The moment of truth

protects 1 ft³ (28 L) of space to the VpCI®-308 Pouch that protects

Commissioning is the moment of truth when the relative

35.3 ft³ (1 m³)—and release Vapour phase Corrosion Inhibitors

success of preservation is revealed. Fortunately, Cortec® VpCI®

that fill the enclosure, adsorbing on metal surfaces as a protective

Technologies are not only highly effective at inhibiting corrosion

molecular layer. A quick spray of ElectriCorr™ VpCI®-239 on

but also typically require little to no removal effort before

electrical connections—especially those that are not enclosed—

the equipment can be used, promoting maximum uptime by

offers added protection.

streamlining the commissioning process. ‹

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

BREAKTHROUGH

Innovative instrumentation for port infrastructure edited by CEREMA Centre d’études et d’expertise sur les risques, l’environnement, la mobilité et l’aménagement, Region of Brittany - France

Two projects have won the Region of Brittany’s call for proposals to develop innovative tools for monitoring corrosion and ageing of reinforced concrete structures in ports.

erema, the public agency of the French Ministry of Ecological Transition specialising in studies on risks, the environment, mobility, and urban planning, has supported the Region of Brittany in launching a call

for projects to develop innovative monitoring and management processes for controlling the corrosion and ageing of reinforced concrete structures common in Breton ports. Port infrastructures are always subject to high levels of stress due to the particularly aggressive environment in which they are located and the operational costs associated with their maintenance, and they must be continuously monitored by their managing authorities. Precisely because of the challenges associated with their use, there is a need for monitoring tools, such as sensors, to prevent and control the ageing and degradation of structures in order to optimise the scheduling of maintenance work. Two sensor development projects were selected and are going to be tested on the Roscoff Pier.

Experimenting with new instrumental solutions The call launched in September 2022 aimed to support innovative projects for the development of new processes for monitoring

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

RESEARCH

RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH

and managing port infrastructure. This was geared towards

with a digital twin to detect and localise corrosion initiation and

the development and implementation, on an experimental and

monitor its propagation in reinforced concrete port structures.

forecasting basis, of innovative instrumental devices intended

The SYRACUSE project, on the other hand, is led by a consortium

to be deployed on one or more port infrastructures. The call

uniting the University of Nantes and company Sixense and aims

specifically addressed one of the most critical issues encountered

at developing a device to monitor the penetration of chlorides into

by the ports’ managing authorities, namely monitoring the

concrete, namely the main aggressive agents causing corrosion

corrosion process of reinforced concrete structures. The

in reinforced concrete maritime structures (port docks, coastal

submitted tools could be part of research projects, exploratory

bridges, offshore wind structures). Combined with modelling

works, idea incubators, or even opportunity audits. For more

software, the device will also enable to estimate corrosion

advanced projects, the call allowed the acceleration of the

initiation times. The system will be based on long-range, low-power

development of prototypes or the deployment of existing but

radio technology for communication between the sensors and the

unproven devices.

measurement data collector.

The selected projects are going to be tested under real-life conditions, covering as follows:

Testing under real conditions

 medium/long-term monitoring of ageing indicators;

The winners are going to receive funding for the development of

 monitoring and prevention of degradation processes to

their sensors. Finally, the Region of Brittany is going to provide

optimally plan maintenance interventions (cost, efficiency,

them with the opportunity to test their devices under real

durability).

conditions at the Roscoff Pier. This is a 590 m-long connecting structure to the Isle of Batz, consisting of reinforced concrete piles

The two winning projects

and pre-stressed concrete beams, which will undergo renovation

The jury, composed of Cerema and the Region of Brittany,

in the coming years.

analysed all four projects submitted and selected two of them

After a preparatory phase, the projects are going to be pursued

based on their quality degree and level of progress as well as the

in two steps starting in September 2023: a development phase

innovative content of their sensors: the Corr’tizh project and the

for the sensors and any associated instruments and a large-scale

SYRACUSE project.

testing phase on the Roscoff Pier.

Developed by company CorrOhm, the Corr’tizh project derives its

This work will provide important feedback on issues such as the

name from the union of the terms Corrosion and Tizh (meaning

contribution of new instrumental technologies, the adequacy of

“speed” in the Breton language) and aims at developing an

supply to the needs and specifications of contracting authorities,

innovative 3D electrochemical tomography technology combined

and the durability and resilience of processes. ‹

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

The Region of Brittany is going to provide the two winners with the opportunity to test their devices under real conditions at the Roscoff Pier. This is a 590 m-long connecting structure to the Isle of Batz, consisting of reinforced concrete piles and pre-stressed concrete beams, which will undergo renovation in the coming years.

WHERE

WE'VE BEEN

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

MEETING

THE INDUSTRY

BEC Wins the second prize in UFI’s international fair poster competition with its creativity for Pumps&Valves UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has recently announced the winners of the 25th edition of the International Fair Poster Competition, which is organised together with the International Fair Plovdiv, in Bulgaria. The main purpose of these awards is to pay tribute to the creativity and originality of modern trade fair marketing, taking into account aspects such as the originality of the means of expression, conceptual design, chromatic construction, presentation, completeness and original forms. In this respect, the seven members of the jury studied the entries in depth, which were divided into two categories: generic promotion and event promotion. In the second category, “Promotion of the exhibition industry on the subject of ‘face-to-face’ or post-pandemic recovery” PUMPS&VALVES 2023, Trade Show for Pump and Valve Systems and Equipment for Industrial Processing, won the second prize with a design created around different valves and pipes that assume the shape of a heart to highlight the importance of the human factor in advanced industry and in the trade fair industry, the industry of meetings par excellence. Precisely because the human factor occupies a central place in industry at all levels, and because people are the driving force behind every process, innovation and achievement, the image also shows a metaphor for the similarity between a heart and PUMPS&VALVES trade fair. In both contexts, valves demonstrate their vital role in maintaining efficiency, safety and optimum performance, whether in industrial systems or in the overall functioning of the human body. The creative was created by the design agency Trupp for the fifth edition of the event, held last June at Bilbao Exhibition Centre. The first-prize winning poster was “PharmaLytica”, presented by Informa Markets India. In addition, other participating entities whose entries have been recognised include Comexposium Paris, GL Events Shanghai, IFEMA Madrid, Belgrade Fair and Messe Dusseldorf India Pvt Ltd.

www.ufi.org/awards/international-fair-poster-competition/

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

MEETING THE INDUSTRY

A successful 50th anniversary of SPE Offshore Europe sets out path to a sustainable energy future Organisers have hailed the first face-to-face SPE Offshore Europe in four years a resounding success as more than 800 exhibitors and almost 30,000 attendees celebrated the 50th anniversary edition at P&J Live, Aberdeen from 5-8 September. For the first time in several years, both the UK and Scottish governments were represented by their respective energy ministers with UK Government Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Graham Stuart MP and Gillian Martin MSP, Minister for Energy and the Environment addressing attendees with supportive keynote speeches. “A lot has changed since the last face-to-face SPE Offshore Europe in 2019, but the energy, excitement and enthusiasm to learn, share and move towards a new energy future was palpable on the show floor and the conference.” said Jonathan Heastie, Portfolio Director – Energy & Marine at RX, co-organiser with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). The largest ever programme of energy sustainability, security and affordability topics was presented alongside talent investment and diversity events (TIDE) for the next generation of energy workforce. Hydrogen, offshore wind, CCS and other net zero technologies

colleagues. Well done to everyone for making the event such a

that will deliver lower carbon energy production in the decades

success.”

ahead played a more prominent role than ever alongside a

Jenny Stanning OEUK’s External Relations Director said: “SPE

forward-looking oil and gas programme.

Offshore Europe was the ideal arena to explain how we are

Kamel Ben Naceur SPE Offshore Europe Conference Chair, 2022

setting the agenda for energy security, the transition to net zero

SPE President and CEO of Nomadia Energy Consulting: “SPE

and pursuing the investment we need to build a high-growth low

Offshore Europe has become the global offshore energy event in

carbon world across the energy mix. The city put on a great show

Europe that covers all the components of the energy transition.

for visiting exhibitors and delegates and we’re already planning for

The exhibition floor was full, with several areas featuring net zero

the 2025 conference!”

themes. The speeches from both government ministers gave

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Dr David Cameron said: “‘I visited

strong signals to the audience related to a significant increase in

SPE Offshore Europe across two days of the event and was thrilled

investment across all energy sectors in the North Sea. Aberdeen

to see that the sector is absolutely thriving, with an enormously

has once again made us feel very welcome and we are very much

diverse range of global stakeholders having come to Aberdeen to

looking forward to SPE Offshore Europe 2025.”

showcase their businesses at one of the world’s leading energy

Doris Reiter, Senior Vice President, bp North Sea: “SPE Offshore

conferences and exhibitions. I was especially pleased that this

Europe was a brilliant opportunity to share how bp is Backing

year’s event focussed on decarbonisation and achieving Net Zero

Britain - investing in oil and gas for today’s energy system and,

goals.”

not or, investing in low carbon businesses for the future. I was

Rob Wicks, Managing Director at P&J Live, said: “It’s been terrific

hugely encouraged to hear that same message repeated by others

to see SPE Offshore Europe back at our venue this week and there

throughout the week.

has been a real buzz across all the halls. The event continues to

“The energy transition presents a massive opportunity but it’s

make a significant impact with its insightful content and overall

not without challenge - bp wants to be part of the conversation

economic impact on the region and is something that Aberdeen

and part of the solution. That’s why we were delighted to be

should be exceptionally proud of.”

exhibiting and presenting at SPE Offshore Europe, speaking to school children, politicians, industry partners and supply chain

www.offshore-europe.co.uk

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

MEETING THE INDUSTRY

EXPO Ferroviaria 2023 Closes Reaching New Heights with Over 11,000 Visitors The 11th edition of EXPO Ferroviaria, the leading exhibition

coordinated by ICE Agenzia, ANIE Federation, and in collaboration

in Italy and Europe for railway technologies, products and

with SACE and Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, an international

systems, closed on Thursday 5 of October at Rho Fiera Milano.

delegation of 12 operators from Georgia, Turkey and Hungary

During three days, the fair has been the beating heart of railway

visited the fair and participated in B2B meetings.

innovation, reaching a record result with 11,157 visitors. The event is renowned for being a unique platform for the

An exhibition full of events and innovations

exchange of knowledge and technology in the railway field, and

The show witnessed the presentation of several important

this year it brought together railway companies, service providers

technological innovations. The first hydrogen train for Italy was

from around the world and important Italian government

shown for the first time by Alstom and FNM Group in the Outdoor

representatives.

Area Fiorenza Trenord. Also present on the outdoor tracks was the electric locomotive E-L0 from ELEN MACHINES for the

A renewed trust in the Italian railway sector

maintenance of railway lines.

The presence of Sen. Matteo Salvini, Vice-President of the Italian

Other great innovations were also showcased in the indoor area,

Council of Ministers and Italian Minister of Infrastructure and

with Stadler unveiling the mock-up of the central car of the new

Transport, underlined the crucial importance of the railway sector

EAV electric trains for the Circumvesuviana line. Stadler again,

for the country, with a strong emphasis on the most innovative

with FAL (Ferrovie Appulo Lucane) presented the first trains

technologies and environmental sustainability.

powered exclusively by battery, which will be operated in 2026 on

Proof of the continuous development of the industry is the strong

the railway service of the Altamura-Matera route.

increase in the number of visitors, which saw unprecedented

DITECFER offered on their stand an exclusive preview of the

growth, surpassing pre-pandemic participation. Among them

prototype of the DAC-IE (Digital Automatic Coulping Italy-

managers, executives and engineers coming from different areas of the railway field to learn about the latest market trends and to expand their business. The show welcomed the main multinational groups and big players in the sector, as well as new companies, with a total of 274 exhibitors from 15 countries, of which 80 were present for the first time. Present among the exhibitors were the main industry groups Siemens, Alstom Ferroviaria, ABB, Stadler Rail, and Knorr Bremse Rail Systems, but also companies like CZ Loko, Duagon, Margaritelli Ferroviaria, EAO, Eredi Giuseppe Mercuri, ETS and FerLog. Great satisfaction for RX, organiser of the event, not only in regard to the numbers, but also for exhibitors of EXPO Ferroviaria qualifying the event as a unique and privileged place of business and innovation for the industry in Italy. “The entire railway community participates in EXPO Ferroviaria. During these three days, we managed to concentrate meetings that would normally have required months of planning” commented Paolo Covoni, CEO of Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, one of the major suppliers of rolling stock, solutions and technologies for infrastructures on a global level. “Participation in the fair was certainly positive for us and the fact of having set up a complete and functioning miniature railway system in our stand allowed us to record a large turnout and interest in our products”. The participation of foreign visitors highlighted, once again, the increasingly international spirit of the exhibition. Thanks to a project aimed at promoting international relationships,

CORROSION PROTECTION | OCTOBER 2023

MEETING THE INDUSTRY

Europe), the only native Type 5 (Fully Automatic Coupling) DAC

EXPO Ferroviaria 2023 was supported by the following partners:

currently under development in Europe.

Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, FNM Group, ANIE-ASSIFER –

New feature of the fair, the Aerospace Technology Hub was an

Italian Railway Industry Association, ANIAF – Italian Association

opportunity for exchange and networking between important

of Railway Contractors, ASSTRA – Italian National Transport

exhibitors. Among these, Ente Autonomo Volturno (EAV) and

Association, CIFI – Italian Railway Engineers Association, UNIFE

the Aerospace Technological District of Campania (DAC), who

– European Rail Supply Industry, TELT – Tunnel Euralpin Lyon

carried out important research projects using aerospace-derived

Turin, DR Ferroviaria Italia and CTNA – Italy’s National Aerospace

technologies applied to the railway field, a synergy between two

Technology Cluster. Outdoor Area Host Partner: Trenord.

pillars of the Italian manufacturing sector.

The next edition will take place from 30 September to 2 October

The Tunnelling Area gathered great enthusiasm and satisfaction

2025 in Halls 9 and 11 of Rho Fiera Milan, Italy.

from visitors. “The sustainable future is rail transport, and we are ready to support our partners with experience and reliability”

www.expoferroviaria.com

commented Segula Technologies, leading group in engineering consultancy who was present as an exhibitor in the Tunnelling area. In addition to the exhibition area, the fair saw large numbers of visitors flock to the various conferences organised during the three days of the event. The rich programme allowed participants to discuss key topics of the railway industry, such as the ERTMS National Plan, the next phase of the Turin-Lyon connection, sustainable mobility, competitivity of the sector or touristic trains.

OCTOBER 2023 | CORROSION PROTECTION

EDITOR IN CHIEF ALESSIA VENTURI venturi@ipcm.it

an ipcm® magazine

EDITORIAL OFFICE PAOLA GIRALDO giraldo@ipcm.it

EDITED BY

MONICA FUMAGALLI fumagalli@ipcm.it MATTEO SOTTI sotti@ipcm.it ILARIA PAOLOMELO paolomelo@ipcm.it GABRIELE LAZZARI redazione@ipcm.it

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MEDIA SALES FRANCESCO STUCCHI stucchi@ipcm.it

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Marco Ormellese, Politecnico di Milano

ILARIA PAOLOMELO paolomelo@ipcm.it NICOLE KRAUS kraus@ipcm.it CLAUS GÖRLICH goerlich@ipcm.it

GRAPHICS ELISABETTA VENTURI grafico@ipcm.it

EDITORIAL BOARD Annalisa Acquesta, University of Naples

Marina Delucchi, Università di Genova

Francesco Andreatta, University of Udine

Sergio Lorenzi, University of Bergamo

Mehdi Attarchi, Senior Materials & Corrosion Specialist

Tullio Monetta, University of Naples

Andrea Balbo, University of Ferrara

Tomáš Prošek, University of Prague

Hadi Beirami, Cathodic Protection Certified Specialist

Edoardo Proverbio, University of Messina

Stefano Caporali, Università di Firenze

Stefano Rossi, University of Trento

Marco Cattalini, AMPP Italy Chapter Chairman

Monica Santamaria, University of Palermo

Jérôme Crouzillac, BAC Corrosion Control

TRANSLATIONS CHIARA FOPPA PEDRETTI chiara.foppapedretti@gmail.com

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