Stainless steel sulfate reducer attack

Corrosion morphologies. Sulfate-reducing bacteria frequently cause intense localized attack (Figs. 6.2 through 6.7). Discrete hemispherical depressions form on most alloys, including stainless steels, aluminum. Carpenter 20, and carbon steels. Few cases occur on titanium. Copper alloy attack is not well defined. 

Figure 6.9 Irregular deposit and corrosion-product mounds containing concentrations of sulfate-reducing bacteria on the internal surface of a 316 stainless steel transfer line carrying a starch-clay mixture used to coat paper material. Attack only occurred along incompletely closed weld seams, with many perforations. Note the heat tint, partially obscured by the deposit mounds, along the circumferential weld.

Stainless steels attacked by sulfate reducers show well-defined pits containing relatively little deposit and corrosion product. On freshly corroded surfaces, however, black metal sulfides are present within pits. Rust stains may surround pits or form streaks running in the direction of gravity or flow from attack sites. Carbon steel pits are usually capped with voluminous, brown friable rust mounds, sometimes containing black iron sulfide plugs fFig. 6.10). 

Light, sandy, well-drained soil of high electrical resistivity is low in corrosivity and coated steel or bare stainless steels can be employed. It is unlikely that the whole pipe run would be in the same type of soil. In heavier or damp soils, or where the quality of back filling cannot be guaranteed, there are two major corrosion risks. Steel, copper alloys and most stainless steels are susceptible to sulfide attack brought about by the action of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the soil. SRB are ubiquitous but thrive particularly well in the anaerobic conditions which persist in compacted soil, especially clay. The mechanism of corrosion where SRB are involved is described in Section... 

Carbon and low-alloy steels and stainless steels are the most commonly affected materials. The morphologies created by MIC attack seem to be related to the organisms involved. Pinhole openings under nodules, accompanied by extensive tunneling, may be typical of Gallionella bacteria on stainless steels, while shallow surface attack beneath nodules or open pits may be typical of sulfate-reducing bacteria on stainless and carbon steels. 

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