Influence of Inactivation Treatment of Ship's Ballast Water on Corrosion Resistance of Ship Steel Plate

The effect of seawater after ultraviolet inactivation on corrosion of a shipbuilding steel plate was investigated by means of natural corrosion potential experiments and immersion corrosion test. The effects of natural seawater and treated seawater after ultraviolet inactivation on corrosion of the selected steel plate samples were compared with each other. The results showed that there was no obvious change in the chemical composition of treated seawater compared with natural seawater. The corrosion potential slightly increased by 10 mV, whereas the corrosion rate rose significantly by 20%. The experiments verified the naturally formed biofilm in the natural seawater for the inhibition of corrosion on the shipbuilding steel plate. The possible influences of ballast water treatment on biofilm by ultraviolet and electrolysis inactivation under the condition of practical usage were also investigated. And it was found that ballast water treatment methods with no continuous disinfection could protect original tank biofilm structure, reducing the intensity of tank corrosion.