Operational experience of stainless steels in seawater-cooled systems

A study has been made of chiefly Swedish and Finnish operational experience of stainless steel in seawater and brackish water. A report is given on 23 typical cases, behind which in actual fact a considerably larger number of individual practical cases are concealed. The answer to the primary question why a standard steel of type SS 2343 (AISI 316) sometimes, contrary to expectation, remains unattacked by local corrosion is that there is usually spontaneous cathodic protection by other less noble components of carbon steel, cast iron or some copper alloy in direct contact with the stainless steel. The study confirms in other respects the adverse effect of residual oxides after welding and the beneficial of low temperature, high continuous waterflow and periodic cleaning, and of rinsing with fresh water during out-of service periods. It also verifies the additional advantages of the new high-alloy special steels which have begun to be marketed in recent years for seawater applications. (author)