Hydrodynamic effects on erosion-enhanced corrosion of stainless steel in aqueous slurries

This paper studies the hydrodynamic effects of erosive slurry on corrosion of passive target (type 304 stainless steel). The transient current response to disruption of passive film is investigated using the single particle impingement technique. The transient current density over the damaged surface is approximately independent of the hydrodynamics of fluid when the flowing velocity is in range of 5–10 m/s. It is characterized by a sharp rise caused by disruption of passive film and a slow decay due to repassivation. Therefore, the difference in transient current response is a result of different damaged surface area produced by solid particle impingement. After the kinetic parameters of repassivation are determined, the hydrodynamic effects on average corrosion rates of the passive target are quantitatively predictable with aid of the physical model developed by Lu and Luo.