Hydrodynamic Effect on the Inhibition for the Flow Accelerated Corrosion of an Elbow

The inhibition effect of thioureido imidazoline inhibitor (TAI) for flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) at different locations for an X65 carbon steel elbow was studied by array electrode and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The distribution of the inhibition efficiency measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is in good accordance with the distribution of the hydrodynamic parameters at the elbow. The inhibition efficiencies at the outer wall are higher than those at the inner wall meaning that the lower inhibition efficiency is associated with a higher flow velocity, shear stress, and turbulent kinetic energy at the inner wall of the elbow, as well as secondary flow at the elbow rather than the mass transport of inhibitor molecules. Compared to the static condition, the inhibition efficiency of TAI for FAC was relatively low. It is also due to a drastic turbulence flow and high wall shear stress during the FAC test, which prevents the adsorption of inhibitor and/or damages the adsorbed inhibitor film.