Hydrostatic testing is an important part of ensuring the safety and reliability of pipes, vessels, and other fluid-related equipment. Running high pressure water through these pieces of equipment before putting them in service is a critical step to discovering any leaks or weak points present.
This exercise encounters tremendous cost savings when conducted in offshore environments where there is ready access to an abundant supply of seawater. However, use of this water poses a major problem: the threat of equipment corrosion from the high chloride content of untreated seawater.
To avoid corrosion while utilizing this valuable marine resource, Cortec® Corporation has developed a biobased corrosion inhibitor specially designed for hydrotesting with seawater. The addition of EcoLine® VpCI®-642 allows seawater to be safely utilized without the danger of premature corrosive equipment failure. EcoLine® VpCI®-642 effectively protects the ferrous metals in contact with the corrosive, high-chloride fluid by forming a protective layer on metal surfaces and inhibiting cathodic corrosion reactions. Its low dosage of 0.3-0.75% by volume makes it economical and cost-competitive.
As a USDA certified biobased product, EcoLine® VpCI®-642 is also an eco-conscious option for corrosion protection during offshore hydrostatic testing. Chiefly derived from renewable resources, it contains 93% USDA certified biobased content. It provides an excellent replacement for more hazardous products containing nitrite, chromate, and hydrazine. EcoLine® VpCI®-642 is also biodegradable with an environmentally friendly profile that makes disposal of large quantities of used hydrotesting water more likely to comply with local regulations. Once the treated water is drained, corrosion protection of the vessel can be extended by rinsing with fresh water containing 0.5 percent by weight of VpCI®-609.
Major benefits of EcoLine® VpCI®-642:
- Specially designed for corrosion protection of ferrous metals against aggressive attack from a high chloride environment
- Economical and cost-competitive
- Readily water-soluble for easy dilution
- Biobased and biodegradable
- Nitrite and amine free
EcoLine® VpCI®-642 is not limited to hydrotesting and can be used as a low dosage treatment for a wide variety of other applications. This includes corrosion protection during wet lay-up of carbon steel vessels containing saltwater, brine, or high chloride/halogen-content water.