Unusual Corrosion Behavior of 1.4542 Exposed a Laboratory Saline Aquifer Water CCS-Environment
(2017)
Differently heat treated coupons of 1.4542 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in an a) water saturated supercritical CO2 and b) CO2-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to on-shore CCS-sites in the Northern German Basin. Surface corrosion layers are homogeneous but unusually discontinuously ellipsoidal. After 8000 h at 100 bar maximum corrosion rate in the liquid phase is approximately 0.014 mm/year, with normalizing providing best corrosion resistance and approximately 0.003 mm/year in the supercritical phase where hardening+tempering at 670 °C leads to lowest corrosion rates.
To mitigate carbon dioxide emissions CO2 is compressed and sequestrated into deep geological layers (Carbon Capture and Storage CCS). The corrosion of injection pipe steels is induced when the metal is in contact with CO2 and at the same time the geological saline formation water. Stainless steels X35CrMo17 and X5CrNiCuNb16-4 with approximately 17% Cr show potential as injection pipes to engineer the Northern German Basin geological onshore CCS-site. Static laboratory experiments (T = 60 ◦C, p = 100 bar, 700–8000 h exposure time, aquifer water, CO2-flow rate of 9 L/h) were conducted to evaluate corrosion kinetics. The anomalous surface corrosion phenomena were found to be independent of heat treatment prior to exposure. The corrosion process is described as a function of the atmosphere and diffusion process of ionic species to explain the precipitation mechanism and better estimate the reliability of these particular steels in a downhole CCS environment.
Corrosion fatigue specimen with different surfaces (technical surfaces after machining and polished surfaces) of high alloyed martensitic stainless steel X46Cr13 (1.4043) and duplex stai nless steel X2CrNiMoN22 3 2 (1.4462) were compared at load amplitudes from 175 MPa to 325 MPa in the geothermal brine of the N orthern German Basin at 98 °C. Surface corrosion layers and pits reveal carbonate corrosion products on the surface such as FeCO 3 and FeOOH as the main precipitation phases with no dependence on the original surface roughness . At high stress amplitudes above 275 MPa technical surfaces (P50% at σa 300 MPa=5 × 10 5 ) resulted in more cycles to failure than polished (P50% at σa 300 MPa=1.5 × 10 5 ). The greater slope coefficient for technical surfaces k = 19.006 compared to polished surfaces k =8.78 demonstrate s earlier failure at given stress amplitude σa .
Properties of pipe steels for CCS technology require resistance against the corrosive environment of a potential CCS-site (heat, pressure, salinity of the aquifer, CO2-partial pressure). The influence of austenitizing in heat treatment routines of two different injection pipe steels (1.4034, X46Cr13 and 1.4021, X20Cr13) was evaluated. Steel coupons were austenitized at different temperatures (900 – 1050 °C) for different lengths of time (30–90 min) before quenching and annealing prior to long term corrosion experiments (60°C, 100 bar, artificial brine close to a CCS-site in the Northern German Basin, Germany). In general, fewer pits are found on X46Cr13. Comparing steels with 13% chromium each the higher carbon content of X46Cr13 (0.46% C) results in a lower number of pits compared to X20Cr13 (0.20% C). It is found that neither the carbon content of the steels nor austenitizing temperature has much influence, but local corrosion behaviour is most susceptible towards austenitizing time
The CCS technique involves the compression of emission gasses in deep geological layers. To guarantee the safety of the site, C02-corrosion of the injection pipe steels has to be given special attention when engineering CCSsites. To get to know the corrosion behaviour samples of the heat treated Steel 1.72252CrMo4, used for casing, and the stainless injection-pipe Steel 1.4034 X46Cr 13 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in a C02-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to possible geological on-shore CCS-sites in the northern German Basin. The isothermal corrosion behaviour obtained by mass gain of the steels in the gas phase, the liquid phase and the intermediate phase gives surface corrosion rates around 0.1 to 0.8 mm/year at ambient pressure and much lower about 0.02 to 0.2 mm/year at 100 bar where the C02 is in its supercritical state. Severe pit corrosion with pit heights around 4.5 mm are only located on the 42CrMo4 Steel. Main phase of the continuous complicated multi-layered carbonate/oxide structure is siderite FeCO} in both types of Steel.
The CCS technique involves the compression of emission gasses in deep geological layers. To guarantee the safety of the site, CC>2-corrosion of the injection pipe steels has to be given special attention when engineering CCS-sites. To get to know the corrosion behaviour samples of the heat treated Steel 1.72252CrMo4, used for casing, and the stainless injection-pipe Steel 1.4034 X46Crl3 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in a CC>2-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to possible geological onshore CCS-sites in the northern German Basin. The isothermal corrosion behaviour obtained by mass gain of the steels in the gas phase, the liquid phase and the intermediate phase gives surface corrosion rates around 0.1 to 0.8 mm/year at ambient pressure and much lower about 0.02 to 0.2 mm/year at 100 bar where the CO2 is in its supercritical state. Severe pit corrosion with pit heights around 4.5 mm are only located on the 42CrMo4 Steel. Main phase of the continuous complicated multi-layered carbonate/oxide structure is siderite FeCCh in both types of Steel.
Dealing with first corrosion screening experiments to predict the reliability and safety of Germanys first Carbon Capture and Storage site in the northern Bassin of Germany, northwest of the Capital Berlin, laboratory experiments have been established to simulate the particular conditions at T=60 °C, highly saline aquifer water similar to 'Stuttgart Aquifer', but only at ambient pressure. With mounting 2 independent full 2-grade titanium autoclave systems (running up to 250 bar and 300 °C) pressures up to p=100 bar are possible. In 2010 a specific corrosion chamber of 2-grade titanium working up to 100 °C, flowing aqui fer water with different gas mixtures was designed to fit to a high cycle fatigue testing machine. Long term fatigue experiments simulating fatigue crack growth under corrosive environments will soon start. These experiments may not only help engineering a CCS site, but results can be used to improve the maintenance of geothermal energy production sites, especially moved parts such as pumps and shafts.
Potential of martensitic stainless steel X5CrNiCuNb 16-4 as pipe steel in corrosive CCS environment
(2017)
Pipe steels suitable for carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) require resistance against the corrosive environment of a potential CCS-site (heat, pressure, salinity of the aquifer, CO2-partial pressure). X5CrNiCuNb16-4 has been proven to be sufficient resistant in corrosive environments, but shows rather unusual corrosion behaviour in CCS environment. Therefore differently heat treated coupons of 1.4542 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in an a) water saturated supercritical CO2 and b) CO2-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to on-shore CCS-sites in the Northern German Basin. Additionally fatigue tests were performed via push-pull tests with a series of 30 specimens was tested at stress amplitudes between 150 MPa and 500 MPa (sinusoidal dynamic test loads, R=-1; resonant frequency ~ 30 Hz). Best corrosion resistance in the liquid phase is achieved via normalizing prior to exposure and hardening+tempering at 670 °C leads to lowest corrosion rates in the supercritical phase. With no regard to atmosphere discontinuously ellipsoidal surface corrosion regions appear after exposure of 4000 h and more. The endurance limit of X5CrNiCuNb16-4 measured in air is reduced by more than 50% when exposed to CCS environment (maximum number of cycles (10 x 106) at a stress amplitude of 150 MPa) The scatter range TN = 1:34 is disproportionately large contributing to an overall unusual corrosion behaviour.