Corrosion Under Insulation: The Challenge and Need for Insulation (Part4 of 4)

Lifecycle Versus Investment

It's obvious that these options come with a surcharge in comparison to traditional ways of insulation. And without fundamental research and testing, it’s plausible that although water still can ingress, it has a way to get out. In other words, these systems are less susceptible to CUI. As a result, they contribute to expected lifecycles. Will these systems increase inspection intervals? This depends on more factors. But with Option 1, endoscopic visual inspections are a possibility and large-scale insulation dismantling is no longer necessary. Broken or damaged cladding/jacketing still needs to be repaired, but in this case you can feel more confident that water that has gone in will sooner or later get out.

New Developments in CUI

The technical insulation market is not famous for its inventiveness. Nevertheless, some simple bright ideas have being developed over the last years. For instance:

• Moisture detection systems
• Insulation with built-in wicking

The International Standard organization (ISO) has, under TC-67, formed a working group WG11 who is going to develop ISO/NP 19277 (Methods for Control of Corrosion Under Thermal Insulation and Fireproofing Materials). Part of the standard is to develop a standard that can be used to test and evaluate insulation systems and the effect of CUI. It's a necessary step in order to get worldwide acceptance and independent procedures, and open new ways for product development on a system level. 

CUI Isn't New

CUI is nothing new and a lot of solutions in this article have been known for years. In my opinion, there are two major steps necessary to control CUI in the years to come: Education and mindset. In the last decades, a lot of know-how has disappeared from the industry due to cut-backs, especially with asset-owners. And, since it’s impossible to get a bachelor's degree in industrial technical insulation, this knowledge gap has been filled in by insulation manufacturers and contractors. But since their expertise is thermal insulation and CUI is a corrosion issue, some bridges have to be built and knowledge shares. This starts with a changing mindset. CUI mitigation is a systems approach: metallurgic design, surface protection, insulation material and cladding/jacketing. By combining these disciplines within engineering, an important step forward can be made.

Source:  Johan Sentjens, January 30, 2015  http://www.corrosionpedia.com/2/1372/corrosion/corrosion-under-insulation-the-challenge-and-need-for-insulation

Leopad Group a leading provider of corrosion protection services ranges from the scope of blasting and painting, insulation, thermal spray application, passive fire protection, refractory and other services such as scaffolding, cable tray systems and cathode protection. 

We are a Malaysian company with close to 3000 staff and over 10 offices and fabrication yards throughout the country. Leopad Group is dedicated to being the market leader for corrosion protection and provide the highest standards in the industry with the convenience of providing multi-disciplinary services through a single point of contact.

For further enquiries on our services, please contact our Business Development Department at +603-22600200 , website www.leopad.com or email at hq@leopad.com