Syed Suhail
Sales Manager - Asset Management
Tel: DXB +971 2 550 6868
Mob: +971 50 158 1076
Email: syed.suhail@kanoo.com
Soil-side corrosion of above ground storage tanks is a chronic problem in the industry. It is the principal cause of storage tank failure and imposes a major environmental and operational challenge worldwide. Different foundation construction methods and corrosion protection systems have been implemented over the last several decades in attempts to mitigate and control soil-side corrosion. This includes the use of asphalt pads, bituminous sand, cathodic protection (CP), and coating.
However, the total effectiveness of these techniques as standalone or combined have been questionable in providing the needed protection, especially against pitting corrosion. The inevitable presence of air gaps between the bottom plates and at the tank pad due to hydrostatic stresses, fills emptying cycle, and at weld overlaps shields the cathodic protection current in these areas.
The results of such failures are substantial on multiple fronts:
- Unscheduled interruptions
- Loss of products
- Costly repairs and safety concerns
Corrologic Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI) are amine carboxylate based. They provide protection through a combination of volatilization from the VCI source, and adsorption onto surfaces where the rate of soil-side corrosion of the bottom plate is thereby inhibited.
The volatile nature of the inhibitor allows it to mitigate corrosion in hard-to-reach areas and supplement the Cathodic Protection (CP) for increased overall corrosion protection. VpCI’s are effective alone or in combination with CP. The system can be applied to new tanks, out of service tanks, and in-service tanks.