Microbially influenced corrosion on stainless steels in waste water treatment plants: Part 1

Field tests on stainless steels have been carried out at five waste water treatment plants for one year. Three grades of stainless steel, i.e. AISI 304 (UNS S30400), AISI 316 (UNS S31600), and duplex 2205 (UNS S31803) were tested in the final settling tank in the plants. The time dependence of the open circuit potential (OCP) was measured for all coupons. Ennoblement of the OCP, similar to that reported from investigations in sea water, was found in one of the plants. Waters from three of the exposure sites, containing disperse deposits from exposed coupons, were chemically analysed. Pitting corrosion was observed after the field test on steel grade AISI 304 in three of the five plants, and on AISI 316 in one plant. No corrosion was found on 2205 in any of the plants. Laboratory measurements of the OCP were carried out for the AISI 304, AISI 316, and duplex 2205 steels in water collected from one of the plants. Cathodic polarisation curves were recorded in waste water from the same plant. The cathodic reaction rate increased at the highest OCP. Simulation of the ennoblement was carried out by potentiostatic polarisation in a 600 ppm chloride solution. The current response indicated corrosion of welded AISI 304 material and of AISI 304 and AISI 316 steels in crevice assemblies after a long induction time. Part 2 of this study presents the results of further testing and a risk assessment design.