The Corrosion Rate Calculator is a tool used to estimate the rate at which a material degrades due to chemical reactions with its environment. This is crucial for industries like construction, manufacturing, and oil and gas, where understanding corrosion rates can prevent failures, reduce maintenance costs, and improve safety.
Formula of Corrosion Rate Calculator
The formula for calculating corrosion rate is:
corrosion rate = (weight_loss × constant) / (density × area × time)
Detailed Formula Components
- Weight Loss:
The mass of material lost due to corrosion, typically measured in grams (g). - Constant:
A conversion factor that depends on the desired unit of measurement:- For millimeters per year (mm/year): constant = 87.6
- For mils per year (mpy): constant = 534
- Density:
The density of the material being tested, measured in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). - Area:
The surface area of the exposed material, measured in square centimeters (cm²). - Time:
The duration of exposure to the corrosive environment, typically measured in hours. - Corrosion Rate:
The result is expressed in mm/year or mpy, indicating the thickness of material lost per year.
Pre-Calculated Table for Common Scenarios
| Weight Loss (g) | Density (g/cm³) | Area (cm²) | Time (hours) | Corrosion Rate (mm/year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 7.85 | 100 | 720 | 0.56 |
| 1.0 | 8.96 | 150 | 1000 | 0.66 |
| 0.8 | 2.70 | 120 | 500 | 2.91 |
| 0.3 | 7.85 | 80 | 300 | 1.63 |
Example of Corrosion Rate Calculator
Scenario:
A steel plate with a density of 7.85 g/cm³ is exposed to a corrosive environment. The weight loss after 1000 hours is measured to be 0.5 g, and the surface area of exposure is 150 cm². Calculate the corrosion rate in mm/year.
Step-by-Step Calculation:
- Identify Variables:
- weight_loss = 0.5 g
- density = 7.85 g/cm³
- area = 150 cm²
- time = 1000 hours
- constant = 87.6 (for mm/year)
- Apply Formula:
corrosion rate = (weight_loss × constant) / (density × area × time) - Substitute Values:
corrosion rate = (0.5 × 87.6) / (7.85 × 150 × 1000) - Perform Calculations:
corrosion rate = 43.8 / 1,177,500 = 0.0000372 mm/hour - Convert to Yearly Rate:
corrosion rate × 8760 (hours in a year) = 0.325 mm/year
Result:
The corrosion rate is 0.325 mm/year.
Most Common FAQs
Calculating corrosion rates helps predict the lifespan of materials, plan maintenance schedules, and design systems to resist corrosion.
Corrosion rates can be reduced by using protective coatings, selecting corrosion-resistant materials, and employing cathodic protection systems.
Millimeters per year (mm/year) and mils per year (mpy) are both units of corrosion rate. 1 mpy equals 0.0254 mm/year.