Effect of acetic acid on Co2 corrosion of carbon steel in vapor-water two-phase horizontal flow

The effect of acetic acid on the corrosion behavior of X 65 and C 1018 carbon steel in vapor-water two-phase stratified flow (Vsg: 2 m/s; Vsl: 0.1 m/s) at 2 bars total pressure, 1.54 bars CO2 partial pressure, pH 5.5, and 80 degrees C was studied in a low pressure-high temperature multiphase flow horizontal loop using electrochemical and mass loss techniques. The liquid phase is composed of 1% NaCl aqueous solution containing different concentrations of acetic acid (500 to 5000 ppm total acetic acid), and the gas phase is composed of CO2-acetic acid-water vapor mixture. The corrosion rates, on both the top and bottom of the line, increase with increase in acetic acid concentration, which was attributed to the contribution of hydrogen ions by the free acetic acid to the cathodic reaction. Partial coverage of the metal surface by FeCO3 on both the top and bottom of the line is reported to be responsible for the observed localized corrosion. Surface analysis investigated with SEM and XRD is reported. A vapor-liquid equilibrium model was developed for the system studied.