People often think that assets built using austenitic stainless steel (SS) are protected from corrosion in all situations. Although the thin layer of chromium oxide covering the SS protects the components in wet or humid environments, an environment with higher chloride content puts the asset at risk for corrosion and other damage. Where can we find such an environment? Consider offshore or near shore installations where ambient air has a higher concentration of chloride coming from the seawater. Or again, let’s think of chemical and petrochemical plants, or even water pipes and other structures found in the food and beverage industry. Even poolside accessories are susceptible to Chloride Stress Corrosion Cracking (CSCC)!

Alternative materials like ferritic-austenitic SS or duplex or added protective coatings (Thermal Spray Aluminum or TSA) are now in use where chloride content is considered a potential threat, but multiple assets were built without it and need to be regularly inspected in order to verify their integrity and repair or replace them if needed. More importantly, any piping or vessel that has been built and put in service prior to the 1970s is at greater risk as the purity of the alloy was less controlled during that time.

Let’s see how CSCC develops and what our options are to detect it before it’s too late…