On a multiphysics approach to modelling the erosion–enhanced corrosion of low–alloy carbon steel in chloride containing environments

Abstract

The effect of chloride on erosion-enhanced corrosion was studied experimentally and by a multiphysics algorithm developed to describe the erosion-corrosion interactions. API 5?L X65 steel was exposed to a slurry jet of different chloride content (0.005, 0.05 or 0.5?M) containing silica particles (250–350 ?m). An electrochemical-transport-reaction model was used for numerical simulation of polarization curves. Visualization of the flow conditions was also carried out in this work. The effect of erosion on corrosion was found to be well described as a proportionality factor between the kinetics constants of the electrochemical reactions with and without the erodent. The presence of chloride was found to affect the system mainly through increased conductivity of the electrolyte.