Corrosion challenges exist in many industries including the chemical and mineral processing industry as well as in the oil and gas production industry. Many of these corrosion challenges can be solved using equipment fabricated with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). FRP has been used for over 60 years in these industries to control corrosion problems where stainless steel or higher nickel alloys are required because of the severity of the chemical environment. The use of the correct FRP material provides a product resistant to the chemical environment with a long service life and often at a more economical price. FRP corrosion resistant equipment consists of a chemical resistant resin reinforced with fiberglass. In order to determine the proper resin and corrosion barrier construction for a specific chemical service, resin coupons are evaluated in the laboratory (per ASTM C581) as well as in the field. Corrosion coupons are immersed in a specific chemical environment in the laboratory or they are sent to a customer who places them in their specific process. After extended exposure, the FRP coupons are evaluated visually and by physical testing to determine if that resin and corrosion barrier construction is suitable for the specific chemical environment. Case histories are also used to confirm the use of a resin in a specific chemical environment. The details of resin selection, corrosion barrier construction, including veil selection, coupon testing and evaluation will be discussed in this paper. A variety of examples and case histories where these materials have been successfully used in the chemical and mineral processing and oil and gas production industries will also be discussed.
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) equipment has been used in a variety of chemical industries for over 60 years. It is critical to choose the correct FRP material for the specific chemical environment. In the chemical processing industry, vinyl ester resins are used in a variety of applications including strong acid and caustic environments, chlor-alkali environments, chlorine, bleach, and fertilizer applications. FRP equipment is used in the oil and gas industry to handle crude oil, fire water storage and underground fuel storage. Regardless of the chemical application, the process for evaluating the resin involves specific testing per ASTM C-581[1], Standard Practice for Determining Chemical Resistance of Thermosetting Resins Used in Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Structures Intended for Liquid Service. This paper will discuss the ASTM C-581 procedure including the importance of resin selection, corrosion barrier construction, veil selection, and coupon evaluation. Case histories supporting the use of FRP in various chemical and mineral processing industries as well as the oil and gas industry will also be presented.
