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Chemical Engineering vocabulary · Materials and Corrosion

Corrosion allowance

Meaning in chemical engineering, with examples

nounCommon term

In chemical engineering, corrosion allowance means: Extra wall thickness added to a vessel or pipe on top of what strength calculations require, so that it can lose metal to corrosion over its life and still be safe.

In Turkish: korozyon payı

How it is used

Specified on datasheets and line classes. Typical values for carbon steel are 1.5 mm or 3 mm; stainless steel often has little or none. Inspectors compare measured thickness with the original corrosion allowance to estimate remaining life.

Example sentences

  1. The vessel was designed with a 3 mm corrosion allowance for a 20-year life.

  2. After ten years we've already used up most of the corrosion allowance on the bottom head.

Common collocations

  • corrosion allowance of
  • use up the corrosion allowance
  • remaining corrosion allowance
  • design thickness
  • corrosionThe slow damage of a metal by chemical or electrochemical reaction with its surroundings, such as rust on carbon steel or attack by acids and chlorides.
  • pressure vesselA closed container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure well above or below atmospheric, such as a reactor, separator, drum or column.
  • material of constructionThe material that a piece of equipment, pipe or part is made from, chosen for strength, temperature, corrosion resistance and cost.
  • pittingA form of local corrosion that creates small, deep holes in a metal surface while the area around them looks almost undamaged.

More terms: Materials and Corrosion

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