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The process chain for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) includes tubing for injection of CO2 into saline aquifers. The compressed CO2 is likely to contain specific impurities; small concentrations of SO2 and NO2 in combination with oxygen and humidity are most harmful. In addition, CO2 saturated brine is supposed to rise in the well when the injection process is interrupted. The material selection has to ensure that neither CO2 nor brine or a combination of both will leak out of the inner tubing. In this comprehensive paper the investigated materials range from low-alloy steels and 13% Cr steels up to high-alloy materials. Electrochemical tests as well as long term exposure tests were performed in CO2, in brine and combination of both; pressure was up to 100 bar, temperature up to 60 °C. Whereas the CO2 stream itself can be handled using low alloy steels, combinations of CO2 and brine require more resistant materials to control the strong tendency to pitting corrosion. The corrosion behavior of heat-treated steels depends on factors such as microstructure and carbon content. For different sections of the injection tube, appropriate materials should be used to guarantee safety and consider cost effectiveness.
Condensates from the gas stream in simulated CO2 transport pipelines have been identified during the experiments in the laboratory. Because of their acidic origin the corrosion resistance of pipeline steels used for CCS (carbon capture and storage) technology might be limited. Over the last years it has become clear that the amount of water and acid building constituents in the CO2 stream has to be controlled very well. In this work, condensates formed in experiments using gaseous CO2 containing high amounts of water, NO2 and SO2 were analyzed, replicated, and used for extensive electrochemical experiments. These highly acidic condensates were enriched with CO2 and then applied to characteristic steels planned to use in the CCS transport chain. Even high alloy steels are susceptible to localized corrosion under these conditions. The results implicate that condensation of aggressive acid droplets has to be avoided or the locations where condensation takes place have to be controlled extensively.
The geological storage of carbon dioxide (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS) in depleted gas reservoirs or in saline aquifers is a widely discussed issue. Carbon dioxide may induce corrosion on the piping steels during compression, transportation and injection. Therefore,
selection of appropriate piping steels is a key factor in order to increase the safety and reliability of the CCS technology, and to keep the processes cost-effective.
The here described subproject of the COORAL project (German acronym for “C02 purity for capture and storage”) deals with the levels of impurities in the C02 stream that will be acceptable when using specific steels. Material exposure to carbon dioxide (C02) containing
specific amounts of water vapor, oxygen (02) sulfur dioxide (S02), nitrogen dioxide (N02), carbon monoxide (CO) can be a challenge to steels. Within this subproject 13 different Steels are tested for suitability as materials used for compression, transportation and injection Units within the CCS chain.
Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) has been proposed as a promising technology for the mitigation of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere from fossil-fuel-operated power generation plants. As the reliability and cost effectiveness of the pipeline transport network is crucial to the overall operability and resilience of the CCUS system, it is vital to realize the possible corrosion risks of the employed pipeline steels corresponding to the impurity level of the gas source.
Recent studies have shown that even the high alloyed materials might be susceptible to general and/or localized corrosion by the condensates forming from the impurities such as SOx, NOx, CO, O2 and water [1]. Up to now, however, there is no regulation procedure which defines the maximum acceptable level of impurities and the combination of them for each employed pipeline steels. Herein, systematic experiment series were conducted by mixing pure CO2 gas with varying concentration of each impurity and with the varying combination of them. Each time, the mixture was then fed (1 L/min) into the reactor containing 12 specimens for 120-600 h at 5°C (to simulate the sub-level pipeline transport). The resulted condensate was collected and analyzed by ionic chromatography and atomic absorption spectroscopy to determine the chemical composition. In this study, the “worst-case scenario” gas mixture, containing 2.5 % H2O, 1.8 % O2, 1000 ppm NO2, and 220 ppm SO2 as impurities, resulted in the condensate containing H2SO4 0.114 M and HNO3 0.0184 M (pH 2.13). This “original” condensate was then re-produced to carry out exposure tests and electrochemical characterization including corrosion potentials and impedance spectroscopy in CO2 saturated condition for 7-14 days at the same temperature. The corrosion rate was also measured by mass loss method.
We can conclude that, at the initial stage, HNO3 plays the dominant role in Fe dissolution process, while H2SO4 is responsible for the pit initiation followed by pitting corrosion. Future studies will be focused on the combination effect from the impurities and the exposure test under the regularly changing condensate to mimic the real CO2 pipeline system.
CO2 streams captured from power stations or industrial plants may contain impurities that impact the consecutive steps of the CO2 capture and storage (CCS) chain. As the basis for an optimization of CO2 purity over the whole CCS chain, impacts of different impurities were investigated at key steps including studies on (i) corrosion of metallic materials in CO2 streams and brine, (ii) fluid and interfacial properties as a function of pressure, temperature and CO2 stream composition and their implications for CO2 transport, injection and geological storage, (iii) costs of different pipeline design options, (iv) geochemical alterations at typical reservoir conditions and their implications for geomechanical rock properties. Major findings are synthesized for two exemplary single source-single sink CCS chain scenarios involving CO2 stream compositions typical for pre-combustion capture and oxyfuel combustion. Recommendations for material selection for compression, transport and injection were derived for various CO2 stream compositions. To reliably control corrosion, a limitation of water contents to 50 ppmv is recommended for pipeline transportation of all CO2 streams. At geological storage conditions, the presence of either O2, NOx or SO2 only weakly affected fluid-mineral/rock interactions that still impacted geomechanical rock properties.
Kohlendioxid (C02), das z.B. aus dem Abgas von fossilgefeuerten Kraftwerken, Stahlwerken oder Zementwerken abgetrennt wird, enthält Verunreinigungen. Dies sind beispielsweise Wasserdampf, 02, S0X, NOx und H2S. Derartige Gasmischungen sind instabil und ihre Komponenten können zu weiteren Produkten reagieren. Wenn Wassermoleküle zur Verfügung stehen, können saure Lösungen kondensieren. Die Korrosion von Werkstoffen und Bauteilen in Kontakt mit den transportierten Gasmischungen wird an der BAM in Laborversuchen untersucht, Das wichtigste Ziel ist, sichere und bezahlbare Kombinationen von zugelassenen Konstruktionswerkstoffen und Grenzwerten für Verunreinigungen im C02-Strom vorzuschlagen. In den bisherigen Arbeiten hat sich herausgestellt, dass für eine verlässliche Aussage die Experimente möglichst realitätsnah durchgeführt werden sollten. Hierfür müssen die Parameter: hoher Druck (um 100 bar), Temperatur (um 60 °C), Strömungsverhältnisse (laminar oder turbulent) sowie mechanische Spannung kombiniert werden. Für diese Anforderungen wurden Prüfstände entwickelt und Experimente durchgeführt.
CCUS-Technologie (CO2-Abtrennung; Nutzung und Speicherung, engl. Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization and Storage) gilt als eine vielversprechende Methode zur Abschwächung des Beitrags von fossilen Emissionen zur globalen Erwärmung. Dabei wird das in den Verbrennungsprozessen entstandene Treibhausgas aufgefangen, zu verschiedenen Lagerstätten transportiert und langzeitig gespeichert bzw. einer chemischen Nutzung zugeführt.
In bisher veröffentlichten Untersuchungen wurde gezeigt, dass die CO2-Transport-Pipelines in hohem Maße gefährdet sind, wenn sie korrosiven Begleitstoffen des CO2-Stroms, wie SOx, NOx bei einem hohen Wasserdampfanteil ausgesetzt sind. Screening-Tests zeigten, dass bei einer Konzentration von 1000 ppmv H2O die Reaktionen und Kondensation von SO2 und NO2 mit O2 und H2O zu Säuretropfen (pH ~ 0,5) auf der Oberfläche von Metall-Prüfkörper und Gefäß führen. Die Werkstoffe 1.0582, 1.8977, 1.4313 und 1.4562 wurden in CO2-gesättigtem Kondensat mit unterschiedlichem Verhältnis der säurebildenden Komponenten untersucht. Diese Studien zeigten grundsätzlich den Mechanismus sowie die Rolle jedes CO2-Strom-Begleitstoffes auf den Korrosionsprozess. Allerdings spiegeln die bei Auslagerung und elektrochemischen Messungen in der künstlichen CO2-gesättigten Kondensat-Lösung auftretenden Bedingungen nicht im Detail die Realität in der Praxis, wo sich nur Tröpfchen bilden, wider.
Diese Arbeit konzentriert sich auf den Korrosionsprozess von Kondensat in Form von Tröpfchen, auf der Oberfläche von Rohrleitungswerkstoffen unter CO2-Atmosphäre bei 5 °C (Simulation des Transportzustandes). Die Experimente wurden nicht nur für Auslagerungsversuche, sondern auch für elektrochemische Tests mit nur einem Tröpfchen (weniger als 20 µL) konzipiert. Die Auslagerungs-versuche wurden sowohl unter Normaldruck als auch bei hohem Druck (> 70 bar) durchgeführt, wobei das CO2 als dichte – den Tropfen umgebende - Phase vorliegt. Die korrodierten Prüfkörper wurden rasterelektronenmikroskopisch (REM) und mittels Energiedispersiver Röntgenspektroskopie (EDX) analysiert, um nicht nur Korrosionsform, sondern auch die Elementverteilung der Korrosionsprodukte zu zeigen.
Synergistic effects of impurities in the condensate on the corrosion of CO2 transport pipeline
(2017)
For the reliability of transport pipelines the corrosion resistance of the materials used needs to be determined in conditions, which are possible during the transport process. In some situations condensation of components out of the CO2 stream can occur. To study the effect of condensate on transport pipeline steel, a “worst-case scenario” gas mixture, containing 2.5 % H2O, 1.8 % O2, 1000 ppmv NO2, and 220 ppmv SO2, was proposed, fed (1.5 L/min) into a glass reactor containing coupon-shaped specimens for 120 600 h at 278 K (to simulate the underground pipeline transport), and resulted in the condensate containing 0.114 M H2SO4 and 0.0184 M HNO3 (pH 2.13). Basing on this “original” condensate, exposure tests and electrochemical characterization together with pH and conductivity in CO2 saturated condition at the same temperature were carried out. The role of each gas impurity and the combination of them, when the condensate is formed, was studied by investigating the role of individual and varying combination of acidic components in the condensate on the corrosion behaviors of the commercial pipeline-steel (L360NB). It can be concluded that although the condensation of NOx in form of HNO3 causes faster corrosion rate, it is the condensation of SOx or the combination of SOx and NOx that may cause much more severe problems in form of localized and pitting corrosions. Different to the corrosion products formed in CO2 atmosphere without impurities (mainly iron carbonate) the corrosion products resulted from these acidic condensation have no protectability, indicating the need of controlling gas quality during the transportation within the pipeline network.
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is a promising technology for the reduction of CO2 emissions, e.g. from fossil-fuel operated power plants or cement mills. Crucial points for a sustainable and future-proof CCUS procedure are reliability and cost efficiency of the pipeline transport network. Due to the absence of certified benchmarks for upper limits, systematic experiments with impurities in the CO2 stream were carried out. For oxidation processes SO2 and NO2 acted as corrosive components, and for reductive atmosphere H2S. Carbon steel L485MB (pipeline), martensitic steel 1.4313 (compression) and austenitic steel 1.4562 (injection) were selected as specimens. Experiments were performed at 0 bar or 100 bar and within a temperature range 278 K ≤ T ≤ 313 K. High-alloyed Cr-Ni steels revealed no corrosion (1.4562, 1.4313), while for carbon steel considerable corrosion was observed. The type and intensity of corrosion was strongly coupled with the applied corrosive species and the level of humidity in the CO2 stream, leading to different compositions of acidic condensates. Applying a reducing atmosphere results in very little corrosion rates, but provokes pitting corrosion. In contrast, oxidizing or mixed settings lead to a clearly increased growth of the corrosion layer, but exhibit shallow uniform corrosion. Exceptional nitric acid results in intergranular corrosion. Investigations on the specimens were carried out by optical microscopy, XRD, SEM/EDX, and AAS/IC.
Recent studies have shown that even at a very low concentration of impurities (less than 100 ppmv of SO2, NO2, O2 and H2O) the droplet formation and condensation of sulfuric and nitric acids in dense phase CO2 are possible and observable. To reveal the mechanism of droplet corrosion in dense phase CO2 at high pressure and low temperature, further studies on factors that affect wettability and resulting corrosion behaviors of transport pipeline steels are needed. In this study, effects of surface morphology were investigated by varying surface roughness of carbon steel coupons exposed to CO2 stream containing impurities to measure the wettability by contact angle and to observe the condensation as well as possible droplet corrosion that followed. Other considered factors were: pH of the droplet, temperature, droplet volume, and exposure time.
To set up recommendations on how to define “reasonable minimum composition thresholds” for CO2 streams to access CO2 pipeline networks, we investigated potential impacts of CO2 streams with different and temporally variable compositions and mass flow rates along the CCS chain. All investigations were based on a generic “CCS cluster scenario” in which CO2 streams captured from a spatial cluster of eleven emitters (seven fossil-fired power plants, two cement plants, one refinery and one steel mill) are collected in a regional pipeline network. The resulting CO2 stream (19.78 Mio t impure CO2 per year) is transported in a trunk line (onshore and offshore) and injected into five generic replicate storage structures (Buntsandstein saline aquifers) offshore. Experimental investigations and modeling of selected impacts revealed beneficial as well as adverse impacts of different impurities and their combinations. Overall, no fundamental technical obstacles for transporting, injecting and storing CO2 streams of the considered variable compositions and mass flow rates were observed. We recommend to define minimum composition thresholds for each specific CCS project through limiting
i) the overall CO2 content,
ii) maximum contents of relevant impurities or elements,
iii) acceptable variability of concentrations of critical impurities, and defining impurity combinations to be avoided.
A global transition towards more sustainable, affordable and reliable energy systems is being stimulated by the Paris Agreement and the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This poses a challenge for the corrosion industry, as building climate‐resilient energy systems and infrastructures brings with it a long‐term direction, so as a result the long‐term behaviour of structural materials (mainly metals and alloys) becomes a major prospect. With this in mind “Corrosion Challenges Towards a Sustainable Society” presents a series of cases showing the importance of corrosion protection of metals and alloys in the development of energy production to further understand the science of corrosion, and bring the need for research and the consequences of corrosion into public and political focus. This includes emphasis on the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions, on the lifetime of infrastructures, implants, cultural heritage artefacts, and a variety of other topics.
Early Stage of Corrosion Formation on Pipeline Steel X70 Under Oxyfuel Atmosphere at Low Temperature
(2020)
The early stage of corrosion formation on X70 pipeline steel under oxyfuel atmosphere was investigated by applying a simulated gas mixture (CO2 containing 6700 ppmv O2, 100 ppmv NO2, 70 ppmv SO2 and 50 ppmv H2O) for 15 h at 278 K and ambient pressure. Short-term tests (6 h) revealed that the corrosion starts as local spots related to grinding marks progressing by time and moisture until a closed layer was formed. Acid droplets (pH 1.5), generated in the gas atmosphere, containing a mixture of H2SO4 and HNO3, were identified as corrosion starters. After 15 h of exposure, corrosion products were mainly X-ray amorphous and only partially crystalline. In-situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) results showed that the crystalline fractions consist primarily of water-bearing iron sulfates. Applying Raman spectroscopy, water-bearing iron nitrates were detected as subordinated phases. Supplementary long-term tests exhibited a significant increase in the crystalline fraction and formation of additional water-bearing iron sulfates. All phases of the corrosion layer were intergrown in a nanocrystalline network. In addition, numerous globular structures have been detected above the corrosion layer, which were identified as hydrated iron sulphate and hematite. As a type of corrosion, shallow pit formation was identified, and the corrosion rate was about 0.1 mma−1. In addition to in-situ EDXRD, SEM/EDS, TEM, Raman spectroscopy and interferometry were used to chemically and microstructurally analyze the corrosion products.
In this work, the focus was set on the corrosion process of condensate as drops on the surface of carbon steels (X52, X70), martensitic steel UNS S41500, and superaustenite UNS N08031 in CO2 atmosphere with impurities at 278 K (to simulate the transportation condition in a buried pipeline). Exposure tests were performed at both normal pressure and high pressure where CO2 is supercritical or in dense phase. The drop, 1 ‑ 10 μL in volume, was prepared by dropping CO2 saturated ultra-pure water onto the surface of steel coupons in a one-liter-autoclave. The CO2 gas stream, simulating the oxyfuel flue gas with varying concentration of impurities (SO2 and O2 ), was then pumped into the autoclave to observe the condensation and corrosion impacts of impurities. Comparable exposure tests were carried out with the same gas mixture and the same volume of water as vapor to observe the drop formation and the corrosion process that follows. The wettability and stability of drops on the surface of steel coupons in CO2 supercritical/dense phase environment was evaluated additionally by contact angle measurement.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is identified as an excellent technology to reach the target of CO2 reduction. However, the safety issue and cost-effectiveness hinder the future of CCS. For the reliability and safety issues of injection wells, the corrosion resistance of the materials used needs to be determined.
In this study, representative low-cost materials including carbon steel 1.8977 and low alloyed steel 1.7225 were investigated in simulated pore water at 333 K and under CO2 saturation condition to represent the worst-case scenario: CO2 diffusion and aquifer fluid penetration. These simulated pore waters were made from relevant cement powder to mimic the realistic casing-cement interface. Electrochemical studies were carried out using the pore water made of cement powder dissolved in water in comparison with those dissolved in synthetic aquifer fluid, to reveal the effect of cement as well as formation water on the steel performance. Two commercially available types of cement were investigated: Dyckerhoff Variodur® and Wollastonite. Variodur® is a cement containing high performance binder with ultra-fine blast furnace slag which can be used to produce high acid resistance concrete. On the other hand, Wollastonite is an emerging natural material mainly made of CaSiO3 which can be hardened by converting to CaCO3 during CO2 injection.
The results showed the pH-reducing effect of CO2 on the simulated pore water/aquifer (from more than 10 to less than 5) leading to the active corrosion process that happened on both 1.8977 and 1.7225. Electrochemical characterization showed negative free corrosion potential and polarisation curves without passive behaviors. The tested coupons suffered from pitting corrosion, which was confirmed by surface analysis. Interestingly, basing on the pit depth measurements from the tested coupons and the hardness of cement powder, it is suggested that Variodur® performed better than Wollastonite in both aspects. The electrochemical data was compared to that resulted from exposure tests to give a recommendation on material selection for bore-hole construction.
This contribution provides current findings regarding materials susceptibility for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) applications. Basing on results gathered in 2 German long-term projects (COORAL and CLUSTER) suitable materials are introduced as well as dominating impurities of the CO2-stream and corrosion mechanisms. Investigations cover the whole CCUS process chain and provide material recommendations for certain parts.
The collaborative project “Impacts of impurities in CO2 streams captured from different emitters in a regional cluster on transport, injection and storage (CLUSTER)” aimed to set up recommendations on how to define “reasonable minimum composition thresholds” that CO2 streams should meet when accessing CO2 transport pipeline networks. Within CLUSTER, we investigated potential impacts of CO2 streams with different and temporally variable compositions and mass flow rates along the whole CCS chain. Investigations included, amongst others, impacts on: Corrosion of pipeline steel, pipeline network design and related transport costs, alteration of well bore cements, pressure development and rock integrity, geochemical reactions, and petrophysical and geomechanical rock properties.
All investigations are based on a generic CCS chain scenario. In this scenario, CO2 streams are captured from a spatial cluster of eleven emitters and collected in a regional pipeline network. Emitters comprise seven fossil fuel-fired power plants equipped with different capture technologies, two cement plants, one refinery and one integrated iron and steel plant. In total, 19.78 Mio t CO2 (including impurities) are captured in the emitter cluster annually. The combined CO2 stream is transported in a trunk line with a length of 400 km (100 km of these offshore) and is injected into five generic storage structures. The storage reservoirs are saline aquifers of the Buntsandstein.
The investigations revealed beneficial and deteriorating impacts of different impurities and combinations thereof. Overall, no fundamental technical obstacles for transporting, injecting and storing CO2 streams of the modelled variable compositions and mass flow rates were observed. Based on the results, the CLUSTER project team recommends not to define “minimum composition thresholds” for CO2 streams as strict threshold values for each individual impurity in the stream. Instead, CO2 stream compositions and variabilities for specific CCS projects should be constrained with regard to a set of parameters including i) the overall CO2 content, ii) maximum contents of relevant impurities or elements, iii) acceptable variability of CO2 stream composition, and iv) impurity combinations to be avoided.
Specific amounts of oxidizing and reductive impurities as well as some moisture were added to dense phase CO2 to replicate CO2 streams from sources in a CCS pipeline network. Due to the moisture content being only 50 ppmV no visible acid condensation took place. To simulate stress conditions at the inside pipeline surface due to fluid pressure (10 MPa) specimens were preloaded using a load frame. Experiments conducted at 278 K and at 313 K revealed the highest corrosion rate at lower temperature. Corrosive effect of impurities was strongest applying mixed atmosphere, containing oxidizing and reductive components, closely followed by CO2 streams with pure oxidizing character. By far, the lowest corrosion rate (10x lower) resulted from reductive atmosphere. In general, at constant temperature and pressure the CO2 stream composition strongly influences the morphology, thickness and composition of the corrosion products. Applying oxidizing or mixed impurities, iron hydroxides or oxides (e.g. goethite, hematite) occur as dominating corrosion products, capable to incorporate different amounts of sulfur. In contrast, using reductive atmosphere very thin corrosion layers with low crystallinity were developed, and phase identification by XRD was unfeasible. SEM/EDX analysis revealed the formation of Fe-O compounds, most likely attributed to the oxygen partial pressure in the system induced by CO2 (≥0.985 volume fraction) and volatile H2O. In addition to the surface covering corrosion layer, secondary phases had grown locally distributed on top of the layer. These compounds are characteristic for the applied atmosphere and vary in number, shape and chemical composition.
Nachdem im Verbundprojekt COORAL das Hauptaugenmerk auf überkritisches CO2 gelegt wurde, d. h. Transport über kurze Strecken bei erhöhter Temperatur, wurde in CLUSTER ein größeres lokales Transport-Netzwerk betrachtet, bei dem CO2 bei geringeren Temperaturen, also vorwiegend im flüssigen Zustand transportiert wird. Wurden in COORAL die CO2-Ströme von Kohlekraftwerken untersucht, ging es in CLUSTER zusätzlich um die Emissionen von relevanten Industrien, deren CO2-Emissionen nicht ohne Weiteres vermieden werden können.
Aufgrund der Erfahrungen in COORAL konnte eine Auswahl von kommerziellen Werkstoffen getroffen werden, die für einen konkreten Einsatz für CCS zur Verfügung stünden. Die gemischten und fluktuierenden CO2-Zusammensetzungen sind bei geeigneten Begrenzungen der Begleit¬stoffe im CO2 bezüglich Korrosionsvorgänge beherrschbar. Die Machbarkeit eines lokalen CCS-Clusters erscheint daher gegeben, soweit dies die Anlagen für Kompression, Transport und Injektion betrifft.
For reliability and safety issues of injection wells, corrosion resistance of materials used needs to be determined. Herein, representative low-cost materials, including carbon steel X70/1.8977 and low alloyed steel 1.7225, were embedded in mortar to mimic the realistic casing-mortar interface. Two types of cement were investigated: (1) Dyckerhoff Variodur commercial Portland cement, representing a highly acidic resistant cement and (2) Wollastonite, which can react with CO2 and become stable under a CO2 stream due to the carbonation process. Exposure tests were performed under 10 MPa and at 333 K in artificial aquifer fluid for up to 20 weeks, revealing crevice corrosion and uniform corrosion instead of expected pitting corrosion. To clarify the role of cement, simulated pore water was made by dispersing cement powder in aquifer fluid and used as a solution to expose steels. Surface analysis, accompanied by element mapping on exposed specimens and their crosssections, was carried out to trace the chloride intrusion and corrosion process that followed.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is identified as an excellent technology to reach the target of CO2 reduction. However, the safety issue and cost effectiveness hinder the future of CCS. For the reliability and safety issues of injection wells the corrosion resistance of the materials used needs to be determined.
In this study, representative low cost materials including carbon steel 1.8977 and low alloyed steel 1.7225 were embedded in cement to mimic the realistic casing-cement interface. Electrochemical studies were carried out using these metal-cement specimens in comparison with those made of metal only in CO2 saturated synthetic aquifer fluid, at 333 K, to reveal the effect of cement on the steel performance. The results showed the protective effect of cement on the performance of pipeline metals during polarisation process. However, the corrosion current density was high in all cases, with and without cement, indicating that the corrosion resistance of these materials is low. This conclusion was supported by the surface analysis of the polarized specimens, which revealed both homogenous and pitting corrosions.
To study the effects of condensed acid liquid, hereafter referred to as condensate, on the CO2 transport pipeline steels, gas mixtures containing a varying concentration of H2O, O2, NO2, and SO2, were proposed and resulted in the condensate containing H2SO4 and HNO3 with the pH ranging from 0.5 to 2.5. By exposing the pipeline steel to the synthetic condensate with different concentration of acidic components, the corrosion kinetic is significantly changed. Reaction kinetic was studied using electrochemical methods coupled with water analysis and compared with surface analysis (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD)) of corroded coupons. The results showed that, although the condensation of NO2 in the form of HNO3 causes faster general corrosion rate, it is the condensation of SO2 in the form of H2SO4 or the combination of SO2 and NO2 that may cause much more severe problems in the form of localized and pitting corrosions. The resulting corrosion forms were depended on the chemical nature of acids and their concentration at the same investigated pH. The effects of changing CO2 flow rate and renewing condensate on pitting corrosion were further studied.
The collaborative project “Impacts of impurities in CO2 streams captured from different emitters in a regional cluster on transport, injection and storage (CLUSTER)” aimed to set up recommendations on how to define “reasonable minimum composition thresholds” that CO2 streams should meet when accessing CO2 transport pipeline networks. Within CLUSTER, we investigated potential impacts of CO2 streams with different and temporally variable compositions and mass flow rates along the whole CCS chain. Investigations included, amongst others, impacts on:
• corrosion of pipeline steel,
• pipeline network design and related transport costs,
• alteration of well bore cements,
• pressure development and rock integrity,
• geochemical reactions, and
• petrophysical and geomechanical rock properties.
All investigations are based on a generic CCS chain scenario. In this scenario, CO2 streams are captured from a spatial cluster of eleven emitters and collected in a regional pipeline network. Emitters comprise seven fossil fuel-fired power plants equipped with different capture technologies, two cement plants, one refinery and one integrated iron and steel plant. In total, 19.78 Mio t CO2 (including impurities) are captured in the emitter cluster annually. The combined CO2 stream is transported in a trunk line with a length of 400 km (100 km of these offshore) and is injected into five generic storage structures. The storage reservoirs are saline aquifers of the Buntsandstein.
The investigations revealed beneficial and deteriorating impacts of different impurities and combinations thereof. Overall, no fundamental technical obstacles for transporting, injecting and storing CO2 streams of the modelled variable compositions and mass flow rates were observed. Based on the results, the CLUSTER project team recommends not to define “minimum composition thresholds” for CO2 streams as strict threshold values for each individual impurity in the stream. Instead, CO2 stream compositions and variabilities for specific CCS projects should be constrained with regard to a set of parameters including i) the overall CO2 content, ii) maximum contents of relevant impurities or elements, iii) acceptable variability of CO2 stream composition, and iv) impurity combinations to be avoided.
To reveal the corrosion resistance of casing steel/mortar interface in CO2 injection condition, sandwich samples were prepared and exposed up to 20 weeks in aquifer fluid under 10 MPa and 60 °C. Cross section analysis revealed the crevice corrosion as main mechanism instead of pitting corrosion, which would be expected to happen in the extremely high Chloride concentration. Detailed analysis using EDS line scan shown the slow diffusion of Chloride, suggesting why pitting did not happen after 20 weeks. To mimic the passivated steel surface, the steel coupon was passivated in simulated pore solution having pH 13.5 for 42 days. The passivated coupon was further exposed to NGB solution for 28 days. Electrochemical characterization was performed along the exposure processes to reveal the change in impedance, indicating the corrosion resistance of steel casing/mortar interface.
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is a promising technology to reach the target for reduction of CO2 emissions, e.g. from fossil-fuel operated power plants or cement mills. Crucial points for a sustainable and future-proof CCUS procedure are reliability and cost efficiency of the whole process chain, including separation of CO2 from the source, compression of CO2, its subsequent transportation to the injection site and injection into geological formations, e.g. aquifers.
Most components that are in contact with CO2-stream consist of steel. Depending on the operating conditions (e.g. temperature, pressure, and CO2-stream composition) specific suitable steels should be used. The compressed CO2-stream is likely to contain process specific impurities; small amounts of SO2 and NO2 in combination with oxygen and water are most harmful.
One approach, as currently preferred by pipeline operators, is to clean the CO2-stream to such levels, acceptable for carbon steel, commonly used as pipeline material. Another consideration would be, to use more corrosion resistant alloys for CO2-streams with higher amounts of impurities.
Due to the absence of certified benchmarks for upper limits, systematic experiments with impurities in the CO2-stream were carried out reflecting mainly transport and injection conditions.
Within the COORAL project (German acronym for “CO2 purity for capture and storage”) levels of impurities in the CO2-stream, being acceptable when using specific steels, were evaluated. Material exposure to dense or multiphase carbon dioxide (CO2) containing specific amounts of water vapor, oxygen (O2) sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) can be a challenge to steels. In some situations, condensation of impurities and reaction products from the CO2 stream can occur.
CO2 saturated brine is supposed to rise in the well when the injection process is interrupted. The material selection shall ensure that neither CO2 nor brine or a combination of both will leak out of the inner tubing.
This COORAL-work was extended by a follow-up project, called CLUSTER. Here the additional influence of impurities was investigated when merging CO2 streams from different sources, combined within a “so-called” cluster.
Results are summarized within the following table regarding suitability for different parts of the process chain.
Une transition mondiale vers des systèmes énergétiques plus durables, abordables et fiables a été initiée par l’accord de Paris et l’Agenda 2030 des Nations unies pour un développement durable. Il s’agit là d’un défi industriel majeur car les systèmes et infrastructures énergétiques résilients au changement climatique exigent de se positionner pour le long terme. Se pencher sur le comportement dans la durée des matériaux structurels - principalement des métaux et des alliages - s’impose alors comme une nécessité. Dans cette optique, « La corrosion : un défi pour une société durable »présente une série de cas montrant l’importance de la tenue à la corrosion et de la protection anticorrosion des métaux et des alliages pour le développement de systèmes durables, économiques et fiables de production d’énergie.
The research focus of this study was set on the corrosion process of condensate as droplets on the surface of carbon steels (X52, X70) martensitic steel UNS S41500, and super austenite UNS N08031 in CO2 atmosphere with impurities at 278 K (to simulate the offshore transportation condition in a buried pipeline). The possibility of dew/droplet formation on the steel surface and wetting behavior of corresponding materials were evaluated by contact angle measurement in dense CO2 at 278 K. To observe the effect of impurities (SO2 and O2) on droplet corrosion process, exposure tests were carried out in the mixed atmosphere with a drop, 1 ‑ 10 µL in volume, of CO2 saturated ultra-pure water on steel surface. Comparable exposure tests were carried out with the same gas mixture and the same volume of water, as vapor, to observe the droplet formation and the corrosion process that follows. Effects of surface roughness on the droplet formation and its corrosion process were further studied and showed no significant role upon long time exposure. The results from droplet experiments were compared to those from the bulk electrolyte for the further recommendation on the quality control of gas stream along with the use of carbon steels as transport pipelines in CCS - Carbon Capture and Storage system.
This work examined the droplet corrosion of CO2 pipeline steels caused by impurities in CO2 supercritical/dense phase at 278 K, simulating the underground transport condition. The wetting properties of carbon steels (X52 and X70) as well as martensitic steel UNS S41500, and superaustenite UNS N08031 were studied by contact angle measurement, revealing reactive wetting behavior of carbon steels. Exposure tests with CO2 saturated water droplet on steel surface showed that the impurities (220 ppmv SO2 and 6700 ppmv O2) diffused into the droplet and then reacted with metal coupons in supercritical/dense phase condition, forming the corrosion product instantly during pumping process. Due to the active wetting behavior, the carbon steels suffered from heavily attack, while negligible corrosion product was observed in cases of martensitic steel UNS S41500 and superaustenite UNS 08031 coupons. Condensation experiments that were carried out on fresh polished coupons in CO2 with 1200 ppmv H2O showed that the formation and aggregation of droplet is dependent on the presence of impurities. Without SO2 and O2, the same concentration of H2O did not cause observable corrosion process after a week of exposure. With 220 ppmv SO2 and 6700 ppmv O2 even low water concentration (5-30 ppmv) still resulted in heterogeneous nucleation and subsequent growth of droplets, leading to corrosive process on carbon steel surface albeit to a lesser extent.