How does stainless steel behave in seawater? This post deals with current and possible uses of high-alloy stainless steels in various marine environments for different applications.
Localised corrosion in seawater
Stainless steels such as 316L or 304 possess a poor corrosion resistance in seawater. Indeed, if exposed to seawater they may suffer from localised corrosion like pitting, often determined by the presence of interstices.
These can be:
- Inherent to the design of the component (for example flanges or seals);
- Caused over time by the growth of marine organisms, or defects and deposits on metal surfaces.
Corrosion resistance in running seawater
On the other hand, in running seawater with a speed greater than 1 m/s, the tendency to pitting decreases. In fact, at high speeds – up to 40 m/s – the steel is free from damages. In the interstitial zones, the speed will always be equal to zero, and these are also subject to corrosion, whatever the speed outside the interstice.
Where to use stainless steel?
Stainless steel are extremely resistant at high flux speed. For this reason, the use of this material has increased ofr components like impellers, pump casings, valve parts and mechanisms for the effluent treatment of desalination plants – or in any other application where the speed is high, where the copper-based alloys can fail due to corrosion.
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