Cortec announces patented corrosion technology
Published by Lydia Woellwarth,
Editor
World Pipelines,
Major oil pipeline companies have been using Cortec’s patented CorroLogic® VpCI® Filler to address the insidious problem of corrosion at cased pipeline crossings. Over the years, countless cased pipelines have been installed under road crossings to protect against physical damage and allow pipeline maintenance without excavating the road. Unfortunately, these cased crossings often trap moisture and debris that can accelerate corrosion and ultimately threaten pipeline integrity if left unprotected.
Cortec® Corporation designed CorroLogic VpCI Filler to meet the long-term protection needs of cased pipeline crossings. The US government recognised the innovation of this technology by granting US Patent #9,518,328 to Cortec Corporation in December 2016. An additional patent affirming Cortec’s intellectual property of the technology is pending.
CorroLogic VpCI Filler contains a special blend of vapour-phase corrosion inhibitors that offer protection in the liquid-phase, in the vapour-phase, and at the air-water interface. This multi-phase package of corrosion inhibitors is designed to migrate under disbonded coatings, form a protective molecular layer in void spaces, and inhibit corrosion even in the presence of moisture.
CorroLogic VpCI Filler consists of two components that form a corrosion-inhibiting gel when injected into pipeline casings or other tubular void spaces. The liquid VpCI component (Part A) can be diluted onsite to the appropriate concentration. The powder gelling agent (Part B) is added just prior to application and causes an increase in viscosity that ultimately forms a gel over a pre-determined time period (usually within a few hours).
CorroLogic VpCI Filler has several advantages over traditional methods of protection. First, the gel consistency enhances the filler effectiveness by discouraging the ingress of water and other contaminants.It is also a good alternative to wax or petrolatum-based fillers in terms of corrosion protection (traditional fillers degrade and offer insufficient protection over time) and the environment (CorroLogic VpCI Filler has a lower environmental impact in case of leakage).
Interestingly, CorroLogic VpCI Filler gel is also electrically conductive, allowing it to be used in concert with cathodic protection (CP) to deliver the cathodic current to the carrier pipe. However, unlike cathodic protection, it does not require a constant source of electricity, and it continues to protect the pipeline even if the CP electricity source should fail.
Cortec Case History 628 describes how a major oil company used CorroLogic VpCI Filler to protect 18 in. (46 cm) fuel oil carrier pipelines enclosed in 30 in. (76 cm) steel casings at two road crossings. Before application, the casings were thoroughly flushed with VpCI®-649 BD hydrotest water to ensure the cleanest possible surfaces for filler application. After cleaning and pressure testing, workers injected the two-component CorroLogic VpCI Filler into each pipeline casing until the spaces were filled. The application vents were closed, and the CorroLogic VpCI Filler was left to form a gel that would continue to emit vapour-phase corrosion inhibitors for long-term protection. The application was considered an effective and cost saving method of protecting and extending the service life of these two cased pipeline crossings.
In addition to this application, CorroLogic VpCI Filler has become a leading system used to protect many cased pipeline crossings across the US. It is a viable, advantageous alternative to traditional methods for protecting pipeline casing trouble spots.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/product-news/22052019/cortec-announces-patented-corrosion-technology/
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