Corrosion under insulation or “CUI” presents an ongoing, significant, and costly challenge to processing lines/plants. Manufacturing equipment including pipes and tanks made of metal are constantly exposed to heat, humidity, and other corrosion-inducing conditions. These facilities need to insulate to save energy and keep employees from getting burned, but older forms of insulation, like fiberglass, mineral wool, and wraps, cause corrosion by trapping moisture between the insulation and metal surface. Corrosion of insulated equipment is often more problematic since it goes undetected until major damage has occurred because it is not readily visible. CUI can, therefore, lead to shutting down operations or logging safety incidents.

When moisture penetrates and is trapped beneath insulation, the corrosion process can be accelerated, resulting in aggressive CUI, particularly for metals heated at or above 100°C, where intermittent boiling and flashing of water occur.

Ongoing Inspection methods range from removal of the insulation to view the surface of the equipment to evaluation of the surface through the insulation using x-ray analysis, neutron backscatter and infrared thermography, ultrasonic thickness measurement, pulse eddy current analysis, and other nondestructive techniques. The latter two can reduce the cost of inspections, but their limitations must be kept in mind.

Polymer-based epoxy, polyurethane, and siloxane-based coatings are widely used for corrosion prevention. These types of coatings, however, only provide protection as long as they remain unblemished. Scratches, chips, and even tiny pinhole defects allow sufficient ingress of water and chemicals that can lead to corrosion. Once the coating is breached, it—and the insulation on top of it—can trap the water and any chemicals that promote corrosion, leading to CUI. We believe insulation should be a benefit, not cause a costly corrosion issue. That’s why we developed the Nano Silica Aerogel -NSA Blanket Series and engineered them to prevent corrosion at the same time they insulate, meaning you get two great benefits in a single, easy to apply insulation and no downside.

Recognizing the limitations of organic, polymer-based protective coatings, NSA Series Aerogel Blankets by OTA Fiberglass Engineering® are the complete solution for insulating and preventing corrosion. We designed the Nano Silica Aerogel -NSA Blanket Series by mixing Fiberglass with Nano-aerogels for completely hydrophobic high-performance insulation. And, in addition to Nano-aerogels measuring the lowest thermal conductivity among the known solids, NSA Blanket Series Aerogel composite nano-silica materials are soft, inorganic, and environmentally friendly Extreme-thermal insulation material solutions for both high and low temperatures.

By keeping pipes, tanks, and equipment dry, our NSA Series Aerogel blanket insulation delivers superior defense built with anti-corrosion protection at its core, literally! Thus reducing the need for maintenance, downtime, and the potential for incidents and therefore leading to cost savings and increased efficiency and safety of processing operations.

One company looking to leverage these benefits is China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp.), one of the largest integrated energy and chemical companies in the world, with upstream, midstream, and downstream operations.  Many of the company’s facilities for oil and gas extraction, transport, and storage are located in the DMM Eastern Province area, which has an extremely hot-humid climate. Corrosion here results in shortened equipment life and requires excessive maintenance to combat. The application of our NSA Series Aerogel Blanket has effectively stopped the CUI issue and is thus extending the storage tank’s functional life by decades. No shutdowns, process stoppages, inspection costs, or maintenance required. Learn more about our Nano-Silica Aerogel -NSA Blanket Series