Inspection Techniques for Detecting

Corrosion Under Insulation

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Corrosion under insulation is a real threat to the on stream reliability of many of today’s plants. This
type of corrosion can cause failures in areas that are not normally of a primary concern to an
inspection program. The failures are often the result of localized corrosion and not general wasting
over a large area. These failures can be catastrophic in nature or at least have an adverse economic
effect in terms of downtime and repairs. The American Petroleum Institute code, API 570, Inspection,
Repair, Alteration and Re-rating of In-service Piping Systems, the piping code first published in June
1993, identifies corrosion under insulation as a special concern. Typically, as happened with API 653
and the Clean Water Act, the API codes become an industry standard, and the regulations demand
that organizations maintain a program to meet that standard. OSHA 1910 is the rule that ensures the
standard is met.

Corrosion under insulation is difficult to find because of the insulation cover that masks the problem
until it is too late. It is expensive to remove the insulation, particularly if asbestos is involved. There
are a number of methods used today to inspect for corrosion under insulation. The main ones are
profile radiography, ultrasonic spot readings, and insulation removal. The other method now available
is real time X-ray. Real time X-ray has proven to be a safe, fast, and effective method of inspecting
pipe in plant operations.

Corrosion under insulation is difficult to find because of the

insulation cover that masks the problem until it is too late.

When Does Corrosion Under Insulation Occur?

The problem occurs on carbon steels and 300 series stainless steels. On carbon steels it manifests
as generalized or localized wall loss. With the stainless pipes it is often pitting and corrosion induced
stress corrosion cracking. Though failure can occur in a broad band of temperatures, corrosion
becomes a significant concern in steel at temperatures between 0 and 149 ºC (32 and 300 ºF) and is
most severe at about 93 ºC (200 ºF). Corrosion and corrosion induced stress corrosion cracking
rarely occur when operating temperatures are constant above 149 ºC (300 ºF) (Kobrin and Moniz,
1993). Corrosion under insulation is caused by the ingress of water into the insulation, which traps the
water like a sponge in contact with the metal surface. The water can come from rain water, leakage,
deluge system water, wash water, or sweating from temperature cycling or low temperature operation
such as refrigeration units.

Systems Susceptible to Corrosion Under Insulation

API 570 specifies the following areas as susceptible to corrosion under insulation: areas exposed to
mist overspray from cooling water towers; areas exposed to steam vents; areas exposed to deluge
systems; areas subject to process spills, ingress of moisture, or acid vapors; carbon steel piping
systems, including those insulated for personnel protection, operating between -4 and +120 ºC (25
and 250 ºF). Corrosion under insulation is particularly aggressive where operating temperatures
cause frequent condensation and re-evaporation of atmospheric moisture.

Other susceptible areas include: carbon steel piping systems that normally operate in-service above
120 ºC (250 ºF) but are in intermittent service; dead legs and attachments that protrude from
insulated piping and operate at a temperature different than the active line; austenitic stainless steel
piping systems that operate between 60 and 204 ºC (150 and 400 ºF), as these systems are
susceptible to chloride stress corrosion cracking; vibrating piping systems that have a tendency to
inflict damage to insulation jacketing, providing a path for water ingress; steam traced piping systems
that may experience tracing leaks, especially at the tubing fittings beneath the insulation; piping
systems with deteriorated coatings and/or wrappings; locations where insulation plugs have been
removed to permit thickness measurements on insulated piping should receive particular attention.

All equipment will be shut down at some time or other. The length of time and the frequency of the
down time spent at ambient temperature may well contribute to the amount of corrosion under
insulation that occurs in the equipment. It would be a daunting task to muster the resources needed
to tackle this extensive list of piping with the traditional inspection methods. This is where real time
radiography offers a real advantage. Once the damaged areas are identified in carbon steel pipe,
follow-up X-rays and ultrasonics can measure the loss by external corrosion. These techniques will
not detect corrosion induced stress corrosion cracking in stainless steels.

API 570 specifies the following areas as susceptibleto CUI:

o Areas exposed to mist overspray from cooling water towers.
o Areas exposed to steam vents.
o Areas exposed to deluge systems.
o Areas subject to process spills, ingress of moisture, or acid vapors.
o Carbon steel piping systems, including those insulated for personnel
protection, operating between 25° F and 250° F (-4° C and 120° C).
CUI is particularly aggressive where operating temperatures cause
frequent condensation and re-evaporation of atmospheric moisture.
o Carbon steel piping systems that normally operate in-service above
250° F (120° C) but are intermittent service.
o Deadlegs and attachments that protrude from insulated piping and
operate at a temperature different than the active line.
o Austenitic stainless steel piping systems that operate between 150° F
and 400° F (60° C and 204° C). These systems are susceptible to
chloride stress corrosion cracking.
o Vibrating piping systems that have a tendency to inflict damage to
insulation jacketing providing a path for water ingress.
o Steam traced piping systems that may experience tracing leaks,
especially at the tubing fittings beneath the insulation.
o Piping systems with deteriorated coatings and/or wrappings.

o Locations where insulation plugs have been removed to permit

thickness measurements on insulated piping should receive particular
attentions (2).
Alternative Inspection Methods
The present corrosion under insulation detection methods are: profile radiography, ultrasonic
thickness measurement, insulation removal, infrared, and neutron back-scatter.

Profile Radiography. Exposures are made of a small section of the pipe wall. A comparator block
such as a Ricki T is used to calculate the blowout factor for the exposure in order to calculate the
remaining wall thickness of the pipe. The exposure source is usually iridium 192, with cobalt 60 used
for the pipes of heavier wall.

Profile radiography (Figure 1) is an effective evaluation method, but becomes technically challenging
in piping systems over 250 mm (10 in.) in diameter and only offers the limited luxury of verifying
relatively small areas. This technique will not detect corrosion induced stress corrosion cracking on
stainless steels. In addition, radiation safety can be a real concern. Nobody can work within the area
while the inspection is underway. This can result in downtime and personnel scheduling conflicts.

Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement. This is an effective method (See Figure 2), but limited to a small
area. It is expensive to cut the insulation holes and cover the holes with caps or covers. It is not
practical to cut enough holes to get a reliable result. The inspection holes cut in the insulation may
compromise the integrity of the insulation and add to the corrosion under insulation problem, if they
are not recovered carefully. This technique will not detect corrosion induced stress corrosion cracking
on stainless steels.

Insulation Removal. The most effective method is to remove the insulation, check the surface
condition of the pipe, and replace the insulation. This approach will detect corrosion induced stress
corrosion cracking on stainless steels and may require eddy current or a liquid penetrant inspection.
This is also the most expensive method in terms of cost and time lost. The logistics of insulation
removal will probably involve asbestos and its attendant complications. Process related work
problems may occur, if the insulation is removed while the piping is in service.

Infrared. In the right conditions, infrared can be used to detect damp spots in the insulation, because
there is usually a detectable temperature difference between the dry insulation and the wet insulation.
Corrosion is a distinct possibility in the areas beneath the wet insulation.

Neutron backscatter. This system is designed to detect wet insulation on pipes and vessels. A
radioactive source emits high energy neutrons into the insulation. If there is moisture in the insulation
the hydrogen nuclei attenuate the energy of the neutrons. The instrument’s gage detector is only
sensitive to low energy neutrons. The count displayed to the inspector is proportional to the amount of
water in the insulation. Low counts per time period indicate low moisture presence.

Real Time Radiography

Fluoroscopy provides a clear view of the pipes outside diameter through the insulation, producing a
silhouette of the pipe outside diameter (OD) on a TV-type monitor that is viewed during the
inspection. No film is used or developed. The real time device has a source and image
intensifier/detector connected to a C-arm (Figure 3). There are two major categories of real time
radiography devices on the market today, one using an X-ray source and one using a radioactive
source. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages; however, the X-ray systems deliver far
better resolution than the isotope type equipment (Wolf, 1995).
The X-ray digital fluoroscopy equipment operates at a maximum of 75 KV, a low level radiation
source, but the voltage is adjustable to obtain the clearest image. This allows for safe operation
without disruption in operating units or even confined spaces. The radiation does not penetrate the
pipe wall as more powerful gamma ray or X-ray would, instead it penetrates the insulation and
images the profile of the pipe’s outside wall. The radiation is generated electrically so the instrument
is perfectly safe when the power is off, whereas the iridium 192 used in wall shots produces gamma
radiation constantly, even when shielded within the camera. Therefore the gamma ray camera always
needs careful supervision and control during all operations, including transportation and shipping. The
systems with the electrically generated X-rays are far more convenient for shipping.

The new systems come with a heads-up video display. The helmet mounted, visor-type video display
frees the system operator’s hands to maneuver the C-arm, while keeping the image before the
operator at all times. The heads-up display also improves interpretation by shielding the screen from
the sun. The video images can be printed on site using a video printer or recorded using a standard
VCR for evaluation later.

Limitations
One of the main limitations of the system is the C-arm. There are a couple of sizes of C-arms
available; the manufacturer has had success in checking pipes up to 600 mm (24 in.) in diameter.
These systems were not originally designed for the field but rather for laboratory work. This limitation
has been addressed and the systems available today are more robust. However, they still require a
lot of care and attention. There will always be some percentage of piping where real time radiography
cannot be used. The prime example is the center lines among tightly nested pipelines with little
clearance between the pipes. Finally, while the X-rays are low energy, they are still radiation, and so
the system must be used with extreme caution.

Performing the Inspection

Using the sorting criteria listed above, it is possible to prioritize a list of piping for inspection that is
manageable in a reasonable time frame. The corrosion under insulation inspection crew then inspects
the pipes iso by iso.

The C-shaped arm is the actual device used to scan the pipe. A cathode ray tube on one side
generates the X-rays, shooting them across to the receiver on the other side. The operator
manipulates the arm around the pipe, guiding it by the black and white heads-up display mounted on
a hardhat. A typical scan will go up the pipe while moving the arm about 45 degrees to both sides of
the track. The C-arm is then rotated 180 degrees and the pipe is scanned downward in a similar
fashion. After rotating 90 degrees, the up and down process is repeated.

Results
To the untrained eye, the image in the screen would appear to indicate very serious corrosion.
However, what is being imaged is the exfoliation of the rust (see Figures 4 and 5). Performing the
inspection in this manner, the inspector can inspect a considerable amount of pipe in a short time.

Real Time Radiography Used to Locate Piping Components for Positive Materials
Identification Programs
Alan Wolf (1995) of Exxon Research and Engineering Company recently wrote, "Over the years the
industry has experienced several incident failures where the root cause was attributed to installation
of improper material." He also suggests real time X-ray as an effective alternative to insulation
removal in the search for piping components. Using correct procedures with real time radiography
extensive field tests have demonstrated a 99 percent field reliability of detecting circumferential welds
with a weld crown of at least 1-2 mm (0.04-0.08 in.). Figure 6 shows a real time radiography image of
a weld crown through insulation. Real time radiography’s proven ability to detect weld crowns offers
compelling testimony of the system’s ability to detect corrosion under insulation.

Definition of Terms
Cobalt 60: Nuclear isotope that emits gamma radiation with far greater penetrating power than
iridium 192. Used to expose radiographic film.

Comparater block: A steel object such as a steel ball or block used to calculate the "blow-out" factor
for distortion on a radiograph of a wall pipe. The "blow-out" factor is then used to calculate the true
thickness of the pipe wall.

Deadleg: Section of piping of a system where there is no product flow and therefore has different
corrosion characteristics.

Fluoroscopy: Real time X-ray system based on the principal of fluorescing screens.

Gamma radiation: Photons or packets of energy emitted from certain nuclear isotopes such as
iridium 192 or cobalt 60.

Iridium 192: Nuclear isotope that emits gamma radiation. Used to expose radiographic film.

Ricki T: A type of comparison block used to calculate the "blow-out" factor for distortion on a
radiograph of a pipe wall.

X-ray: Photons or packets of energy emitted from the cathode ray tube of an X-ray unit when the
cathode is bombarded with electrons.

References
Kobrin, G., and B. Moniz, "Inspection, maintenance and prevention of corrosion of piping under
thermal insulation," First International Symposium on Process Industry Piping, December 14-17,
1993, Orlando, Florida, sponsored by NACE International and MTI.

Wolf, H.A., "Positive materials identification of existing equipment," Second International Symposium
on Mechanical Integrity of Process Piping, 1995. MTI Publication No. 48.
Fig. 1 – Profile Radiography
Fig. 2 – Ultrasonic Inspection
 Fig. 4 – Example of Rust Build-up
Fig. 3 – Real Time Radiography

Fig.Fig.
5 - 6Exfoliation
– Real timeofRadiographic
Rust image of weld
through insulation

"Prevention and Inspection of Corrosion Under Insulation"

What is Corrosion Under Insulation?

The increase in corrosion failures under thermal insulation has made this topic a major concern for petroleum,
chemical, food processing and many other types of industrial operations. Energy conservation has expanded the
use of thermal insulation to reduce energy loss and associated costs in applications involving heating and
cooling of process equipment. Since insulation tends to cover the metal surface it allows corrosive degradation
to proceed in an insidious manner which unfortunately in many occasions results in serious consequences.
What is the Mechanism of Corrosion Under Insulation?
The mechanism of corrosion under insulation involves three requirements:
1. Availability of oxygen.
2. High temperature.
3. Concentration of dissolved species.
Normally, as the temperature increases, the amount of oxygen dissolved in solution decreases as the boiling
point is reached resulting in reduced corrosion rates. However, on the surface covered by insulation, a poultice
effect is created which holds in the moisture which essentially makes it s closed system. In fact the measured
corrosion rates associated with corrosion under insulation follow trends to higher corrosion rates commonly
associated with only pressurized systems. Furthermore, in cases where precipitation becomes trapped on the
metal surface by insulation, corrosive atmospheric constituents such as chlorides and sulfuric acid can
concentration to also accelerate corrosion. In some cases, chlorides are present in the insulation which greatly
promotes corrosion of the underlying surface which it becomes laden with moisture.

How do I Inspect for Corrosion Under Insulation?

The most common and straightforward way to inspect for corrosion under insulation is to cut plugs in the
insulation that can be removed to allow for ultrasonic testing. However, many times such plugs can be the
source of moisture leakage. The main problem with this technique is that corrosion under insulation tends to be
localized and unless the inspection plug is positions in the right spot the sites of corrosion can be missed. Other
techniques that are available include special eddy current techniques, x-ray, remote TV monitoring and electro-
magnetic devices.

How do I Prevent Corrosion Under Insulation?

The most serious problem is the system already in service with a know corrosion under insulation problem.
Inhibitors have been tried with varying success since repeated wet / dry cycles may make inhibitors ineffective.
This is an area of opportunity. However, long terms performance and efficacy must be proven. Water proofing
to prevent the ingress of water from outside sources is another method. However, it has been shown that
sometimes these techniques tend to lock in moisture which can also increase corrosivity. Careful selection of
insulation materials to prevent those that contain high levels of corrosive impurities such as chlorides is critical
to reducing corrosion under insulation. One of the best but most expensive options to prevent corrosion under
insulation is the use of protective coating systems. Unfortunately, in most cases, coatings that have been
successful for atmospheric service are used under insulation with disastrous results. In it often a surprise that
under-insulation service is a more severe condition than straight atmospheric service. Special coating system
must be utilized that have proven performance. In some applications inorganic zinc has worked well, but not in
others. Anticorrosion and inhibitive coatings are being are also being proposed or considered for longer term
performance.

Corrosion under Insulation (CUI)

CUI is a particularly severe form of localized corrosion that has been plaguing chemical
process industries since the energy crisis of the 1970s forced plant designers to include
much more insulation in their designs.

Intruding water is the key problem in CUI. Special care must be taken during design not
to promote corrosion by permitting water to enter a system either directly or indirectly
by capillary action. Moisture may be external or may be present in the insulation
material itself. Corrosion may attack the jacketing, the insulation hardware, or the
underlying equipment.

For high temperature equipment, water entering an insulation material and diffusing
inward will eventually reach a region of dry-out at the hot pipe or equipment wall. Next
to this dry-out region is a zone in which the pores of the insulation are filled with a
saturated salt solution. When a shutdown or process change occurs and the metal-wall
temperature falls, the zone of saturated salt solution moves into the metal wall.

Upon reheating, the wall will temporarily be in contact with the saturated solution, and
stress-corrosion cracking may begin. The drying/wetting cycles in CUI associated
problems are a strong accelerator of corrosion damage since they provoke the formation
of an increasingly aggressive chemistry that can lead to the worst corrosion problems
possible, e.g. stress corrosion cracking, and premature catastrophic equipment failures.

Types of Corrosion Under Insulation

By understanding the types of corrosion that can occur under insulation, the proper
materials and construction can be employed to prevent them. Intruding water is the key
problem in CUI. Special care must be taken during design not to promote corrosion by
permitting water to enter a system either directly or indirectly by capillary action.
Moisture may be external or may be present in insulation.

What is the Mechanism of Corrosion Under Insulation?

The mechanism of corrosion under insulation involves three requirements:

1. Availability of oxygen.
2. High temperature.
3. Concentration of dissolved species.

Normally, as the temperature increases, the amount of oxygen dissolved in solution

decreases as the boiling point is reached resulting in reduced corrosion rates. However,
on the surface covered by insulation, a poultice effect is created which holds in the
moisture which essentially makes it s closed system. In fact the measured corrosion
rates associated with corrosion under insulation follow trends to higher corrosion rates
commonly associated with only pressurized systems. Furthermore, in cases where
precipitation becomes trapped on the metal surface by insulation, corrosive atmospheric
constituents such as chlorides and sulfuric acid can concentration to also accelerate
corrosion. In some cases, chlorides are present in the insulation which greatly promotes
corrosion of the underlying surface which it becomes laden with moisture.

How do I Inspect for Corrosion Under Insulation?

The most common and straightforward way to inspect for corrosion under insulation is to
cut plugs in the insulation that can be removed to allow for ultrasonic testing. However,
many times such plugs can be the source of moisture leakage. The main problem with
this technique is that corrosion under insulation tends to be localized and unless the
inspection plug is positions in the right spot the sites of corrosion can be missed. Other
techniques that are available include special eddy current techniques, x-ray, remote TV
monitoring and electro-magnetic devices.

How do I Prevent Corrosion Under Insulation?

The most serious problem is the system already in service with a know corrosion under
insulation problem. Inhibitors have been tried with varying success since repeated wet /
dry cycles may make inhibitors ineffective. This is an area of opportunity. However, long
terms performance and efficacy must be proven. Water proofing to prevent the ingress
of water from outside sources is another method. However, it has been shown that
sometimes these techniques tend to lock in moisture which can also increase corrosivity.
Careful selection of insulation materials to prevent those that contain high levels of
corrosive impurities such as chlorides is critical to reducing corrosion under insulation.

One of the best but most expensive options to prevent corrosion under insulation is the
use of protective coating systems. Unfortunately, in most cases, coatings that have been
successful for atmospheric service are used under insulation with disastrous results. In it
often a surprise that under-insulation service is a more severe condition than straight
atmospheric service. Special coating system must be utilized that have proven
performance. In some applications inorganic zinc has worked well, but not in others.
Anticorrosion and inhibitive coatings are being are also being proposed or considered for
longer term performance.

Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)

What is Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)?

What causes Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)?

How does Nansulate® Prevent Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)?

THE PROBLEM: Corrosion Under Insulation is a multi-billion dollar problem that destroys expensive industrial infrastructure and
causes continuous scheduled manufacturing plant and facility downtime to conduct inspections for failure and unexpected downtime
when equipment failure occurs.

It is exactly what it sounds like… corrosion of pipes, tanks, and equipment which occurs under the pipe insulation and, in many cases,
is caused by insulation. The root cause is simple: At the interface between the pipe insulation and the substrate to which the insulation
is applied there is a temperature differential. Regardless of how tight a pipe insulation material is wrapped around, or applied to, the
substrate there is a space where the temperature makes a quick change from higher to lower and that causes a release of moisture…
commonly referred to as condensation… and that causes rust and corrosion.

TWO IMPORTANT PIPE INSULATION CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND:

1. It is important to note here that “warm” and “cool” or “hot” and “cold” are relative terms. If “hot” is a pipe that is 200°C and the
surrounding environment is 100°C, although we would consider the 100°C to be hot, in the context of the thermal system… it
is cool.

The most basic law of heat transfer is that heat always flows to cold. Warmer air can hold more moisture than colder air. When the
warm air is quickly cooled by its encounter with the pipe insulation which reduces the rate of heat transfer… moisture is released or, to
put it another way, condensation occurs.

1. Heat transfer is not necessary correlated to air movement. Heat energy moves through matter… metal, insulation, air, etc. An
analogy is a wave rolling into the beach. What you see is not the actual water moving to shore (as can be demonstrated by the
fact that a boat or a piece of floating debris does not move forward with the wave… just up and down as the wave passes
underneath). Heat “waves” of heat energy pass through material the same way and the temperature of the matter is lowered
as the rate of heat transfer (or the speed of the heat “wave”) is reduced. Therefore the temperature of the air directly adjacent
to the heat source (a steam pipe at a factory OR the outside air around a cold pipe) is higher than the temperature of the air
adjacent to the insulation. It doesn’t matter how small the distance is between the insulation and the substrate, there is
ALWAYS a temperature differential.

This layer of moisture remains trapped and it is not difficult to deduce what happens when you keep a constant layer of moisture
trapped against a piece of metal. It corrodes.