Corrosion allowance dalam suatu desain dimaksudkan untuk mengantisipasi tingkat safety
suatu equipment agar tetap reliable saat beroperasi. Intinya tanpa diberi corrosion
allowance pun suatu equipment tetap safe dipakai karena gaya atau beban yang bekerja
masih di bawah nilai yield stress material yang digunakan namun dengan kondisi tidak
terjadi aliran fluida yang erosif.
Kalau kondisi operasinya melibatkan kondisi fluida yang erosif maka tidak mungkin CA=0,
terlepas dari apakah fluidanya bersifat asam atau basa.
Dalam suatu desain peralatan yang melibatkan aliran fluida e.g. pipe or tube, nilai
corrosion allowance selalu diikutsertakan tanpa melihat apakah fluida yang terlibat dalam
proses akan menyebabkan terjadinya jenis korosi lain seperti localized corrosion (e.g
pitting), SCC, HIC, dan lain sebagainya. Hal ini dimaksudkan untuk memudahkan estimasi
life time peralatan tersebut.
Apabila suatu pipa/tube nilai CAnya sudah habis, maka pipa/ tube itu masih bisa
beroperasi secara aman. Hal ini merujuk pada perhitungan berdasarkan ASME/API, karena
biasanya tebal pipa/tube dibulatkan lebih tinggi dari tebal minimum berdasarkan nilai
allowable stress-nya (dengan catatan, kegagalan hanya disebabkan akibat penipisan dan
bukan oleh jenis lain seperti SCC, galvanik, creep, dsb). Namun biasanya untuk langkah
aman yaitu bila nilai CAnya sudah habis, maka pipe/tube tersebut diganti.
http://blogmamet.blogspot.co.id/2011/01/corrosion-allowance.html
By knowing the expected general corrosion rate and the anticipated plant or service
life of a part, the designer can calculate the extra thickness required for corrosion
resistance of the process equipment being designed.
Corrosion allowance is not only determined by the designer, but also and especially
by a state or local agency. The latter often have years of experience with local
conditions and especially the weather conditions in a relevant area.
Humidity, temperature, rain, wind, impurities and metal wet times have an effect on
the corrosion rate. Corrosion occurs when the relative humidity of the air is 70 to
80%. Corrosion reaction is possible generally when the temperature is above 0°C
and the relative humidity is over 80% (the surface is wet). Air impurities that
dissolve in condensed water or rain water may accelerate corrosion. Settling of dust
and dirt on the metal surface accelerates atmospheric corrosion.
Corrosion rates are expressed in terms of mm per year of surface wastage and are
used to provide a corrosion allowance in the design thickness of equipment such as
vessels and pipework.
Operators will often use data based on historical experience from plant operations to
aid them in determining appropriate corrosion allowances. Alternatively corrosion
charts are widely available that give corrosion rates for many combinations of
materials of construction and process fluids and normally a range of values will be
provided for various process temperatures.
Notes:
Note 2: The corrosion allowance of pipes efficiently protected against corrosion may
be reduced by no more than 50%.
Note 3: When the corrosion resistance of alloy steels is adequately demonstrated, the
corrosion allowance may be disregarded.
Notes:
The corrosion allowance for other materials will be specially considered by the
Society. Where their resistance to corrosion is adequately demonstrated, the
corrosion allowance may be disregarded.
Note 2: In cases of media with high corrosive action, a higher corrosion allowance
may be required by the Society.
Interesting articles
http://www.wermac.org/materials/corrosion_allowance.html