Materials Performance is the world's most widely circulated magazine dedicated to corrosion prevention and control. MP provides information about the latest corrosion control technologies and practical applications for every industry and environment.
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UP FRONT New Concept Addresses Pipeline Expansion n A new concept developed by researchers with DNV (Høvik, Norway) addresses pipeline expansion when oil and gas are transported through pipelines from high-pressure and high-temperature reservoirs. A pipeline buried in the seabed responds to high pressure and high temperature by expanding, resulting in axial displacement and other movements that can cause pipeline failures. The concept, SliPIPE, consists of an outer pipe connected alongside a pressure chamber and an inner pipe that can slide inside it. Seals are placed at the contacts between the pressure chamber and the inner pipe. The inner pipe slides in or out of the outer pipe in response to axial stress. For more information, visit www.dnv.com. Industry Project Focuses on Offshore Wind Corrosion Control n A joint industry project (JIP) coordinated by FORCE Technology (Brøndby, Denmark) will generate data to update corrosion control design guidelines for offshore wind farm structures. The JIP aims to reduce corrosion protection costs for wind energy projects, which are designed for worst-case corrosion scenarios, and optimize the structures' life expectancy; and its output will include guidelines for cathodic protection with respect to actual conditions at sites, corrosion rate data within existing foundations, and recommendations for corrosion control. For more information, visit www.forcetechnology.com. Corrosion Reported in Canadian Mall Collapse n A report prepared for the Ontario Provincial Police by architectural engineering frm NORR (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on the collapse of the Algo Centre Mall (Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada) in June 2012 says that ineffective repair efforts for leakage problems led to continuous corrosion of the steel structure that went unnoticed or underestimated by most consultants who inspected the mall, and their inspection reports did not raise alarms on the corroding steel frame or suggest requirements to monitor the corrosion. If the critical condition had been identifed in time, the report notes, a number of actions could have been taken to avoid the collapse. For more information, visit www.elliotlakeinquiry.ca. 6 MATERIALS PERFORMANCE May 2013 Large Robotic Jellyfsh Designed for Underwater Surveillance n Researchers with Virginia Tech College of Engineering (Blacksburg, Virginia) unveiled an autonomous robotic jellyfsh the size and weight of a grown man as part of a $5 million nationwide multi-university project funded by U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center and the Offce of Naval Research. The self-powered, bio-inspired autonomous machine will be placed in waters for the purposes of surveillance and monitoring the environment and must operate for months on its own while simultaneously collecting, storing, analyzing, and communicating sensory data. The larger vehicle will allow for more payload, longer duration, and longer range of operation. To learn more, visit www.vt.edu. Study Forecasts Increase in Demand for Corrosion Inhibitors n U.S. demand for corrosion inhibitors is forecasted to rise 4.1% annually to $2.5 billion in 2017, according to a study published by Freedonia Group (Cleveland, Ohio) that analyzes the $2 billion U.S. corrosion inhibitors industry. Growth will be driven by an expanding economy, increasing chemical production, and rising oil and natural gas output, as well as rising demand for corrosion inhibitors in cement, concrete, coatings, and metal applications. The study notes the industry will continue to respond to environmental concerns regarding nitrite and molybdate corrosion inhibitors and invest in new products with improved performance and better environmental profles. To learn more, visit www. freedoniagroup.com. Model Predicts Corrosion Likelihood in Ultra-Deep Wells n A comprehensive model being developed by researchers at Rice University (Houston, Texas) will predict how brine, oil, and gas drawn from ultradeep wells react to everything encountered on the way up to the surface and suggest strategies to maintain the fow. Under high pressures and temperatures, the brine can form acidic mixtures that corrode pipes or form solid mineral deposits (scale) that inhibit flow in a well. The molecular-level model will predict the likelihood that scale and corrosion will hinder the fow in a well based on variables found at the site. To learn more, visit news. rice.edu. —K.R. Larsen NACE International, Vol. 52, No. 5