Inhibitory protection of steels from high-temperature corrosion in acid solutions. A review. Part 1

• Ya.G. Avdeev and Yu.I. Kuznetsov

A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky pr. 31, 119071 Moscow, Russian Federation

Abstract: This review discusses the most important fields of practical application of acid solutions. They are used in the oil and gas industry for acid stimulation of oil- and gas-bearing strata and at metallurgical plants for removal of high-temperature scale from the surface of steel products. It is noted that during operation these process fluids can be heated to temperatures t≥100°C, which significantly increases their corrosiveness toward steel technological structures or steel products with which they contact. Analysis of literature reviews on acid corrosion inhibitors of metals shows the absence of detailed information on the possibility of steel protection in acid solutions at t≥100°C. In view of this, the long-term experience in the field of inhibitory protection of steels against corrosion in acid solutions at elevated temperatures t>80°C is summarized and a critical analysis of the results achieved in this area and existing theoretical concepts is performed. The technical specifics of studying the corrosion and electrochemical behavior of steels in acid solutions at elevated temperatures are considered. It is noted that the most correct data on steel corrosion under these conditions cannot be obtained without autoclave equipment. Data on the corrosion rates of steels of various grades in solutions of mineral and organic acids under high-temperature corrosion conditions are summarized and analyzed. The activation energies of corrosion of steels in acids are analyzed. Data on the electrochemical behavior of steels in acids at temperatures close to 100°C are presented. The corrosion rates of steels observed in acid solutions under high temperature corrosion conditions are extremely high, which makes it impossible to use them in these environments without special protective measures. Metals in contact with hot solutions of both mineral and organic acids need to be protected. It is noted that corrosion inhibitors are the only acceptable way to protect metals under these conditions. The bibliography includes 123 references.

Keywords: high-temperature acid corrosion, steel, corrosion inhibitors, acidizing, acid pickling of steels, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, citric acid

Int. J. Corros. Scale Inhib., 2020, 9, no. 2, 394-426 PDF (808 K)
doi: 10.17675/2305-6894-2020-9-2-2

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