C02-corrosion on piping steels might cause problems during injection of flue gases for their storage in deep geological aquifer fluids. Therefore, the selection of appropriate piping steels is a key factor to increase safety and reliability of the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology, and to keep the process cost-efficient.
Within the project COORAL (German acronym for “C02 purity for capture and storage”) corrosion studies on injection piping steels exposed to C02 and artificial brine with high Chloride concentration have been carried out. Corrosion of the injection pipe in C02-rich aquifer fluid may occur within the aquifer brine or when at injection interruptions the aquifer fluid may flow back into the injection pipe. Because of high salinity of aquifer brine and C02-corrosion an appropriate material ranking of injection piping steels should be made.
Corrosion resistance of steels 1.4034, 1.4021, 1.4542, 1.4162 and 1.4562 was investigated in a corrosive environment using electrochemical and metallographic techniques. Electrochemical experiments in order to investigate the surface corrosion kinetics and polarization measurements in order to investigate localized corrosion phenomena have been carried out. Critical pitting potentials and repassivation potentials were determined by polarization curves of investigated materials and compared with measured corrosion potentials. Measured values were used in order to determine the suitability and performance of tested steels in C02-injection conditions.
The corrosion behaviour of martensitic stainless injection-pipeline steel X46Cr13 exposed to CO2 saturated artificial saline brine with high chloride concentration similar to onshore CCS-site at Ketzin, Germany has been investigated by means of electrochemical technique and microscopic observations at short exposure times (up to 24?h) and by mass loss and metallographic observations at exposure times up to 17520?h. Pitting corrosion kinetics has been characterised and the predictions about the corrosion mechanism are made.
Within the project COORAL (German acronym for 'CO2 purity for capture and storage') first studies on piping steels exposed to CO2 and artificial brine with high chloride concentration have been carried out. Corrosion behavior of martensitic Cr13 steel (1.4034) was investigated in a corrosive environment (artificial saline brine, T = 60 °C, CO2-flow rate 3 – 5 L/h, atmospheric pressure, exposure times from 1 h up to 14 days) using electrochemical and metallographic techniques. Different corrosion kinetics were observed as a function of exposure times and chloride concentration in the artificial brine. In CO2-saturated brine pitting corrosion was observed at free corrosion potential, whereas in the brine without addition of NaCl a stable passive layer built up. Predictions about corrosion mechanism are made and verified by means of surface analytical techniques.
Corrosion resistance of duplex stainless Steel UNS S32101 and super austenitic stainless Steel UNS NO8031 (alloy 31) was investigated in crevice conditions in a corrosive environment (saline brine, T = 60 °C, C02-flow rate 3-5 L/h, normal pressure) using electrochemical and metallographic techniques. Rectangular rubber was used to form a metal/non-metal-crevice configuration.
Potentiodynamic measurements have been carried out in order to determine critical pitting and repassivation potentials. Potentiostatic measurements at different Potentials have been performed and the dependence of pit depth on the potential applied in crevice conditions was investigated. It was shown that the repassivation potential of duplex stainless Steel S32101 coincides with its corrosion potential. Strang pitting corrosion occurred after potentiodynamic measurements with pit depths up to 100 pm. Otherwise, stainless Steel UNS NO8031 shows about 0.5 V difference between the free corrosion potential and the repassivation potential and did not show any signs of pitting corrosion after polarization measurements. Slight rouging effects have been observed. By potentiostatic measurements on duplex stainless Steel S32101 potentials slightly more positive than the corrosion Potentials causing strong pitting corrosion, and pit depths up to 650 pm were measured. Super austenitic stainless Steel UNS NO8031 did not exhibit any signs of pitting corrosion even by applying potentials much more positive than the corrosion potential.