CT-10:   Corrosion’s Greater Impact To Chill Water Pipe Specific Causes Leading to Interior and Exterior Corrosion of Chill Water Piping Pipe corrosion represents the 2nd greatest threat to any building property next only to fire.  Different levels of threat exist for different piping systems – a roof level pinhole leak at a condenser water line representing a far lesser threat than a chill water pipe separation over high voltage electrical switchgear equipment.  Failures resulting from the corrosion of piping systems are easily capable of producing millions of dollars in equipment and water damage for most building properties, are cited at $1 million dollars of lost trading revenue per minute for a financial institution’s data center, and has caused the loss of human life where rust corrosion product itself has stopped water flow through a fire sprinkler system. Corrosion Is A Natural And Unstoppable Force Of Nature Simply stated, corrosion is the natural reversion of certain metals back into their original elements over time.  It can be slowed and greatly reduced by precautionary measures such as the addition of chemical corrosion…

CT-09:   Dual Temperature Piping Multiple Negative Factors Which Define Its Overall Greater Vulnerability Of the various piping systems subject to corrosion under insulation, CUI, dual temperature heating and cooling systems have consistently shown the greatest vulnerability.  In contrast to many other colder temperature piping systems, a combination of multiple factors exist.  Below we itemize the top 11 issues contributing to their higher failure potential:   1. First and foremost is the generally smaller diameter pipe installed at multiple risers. Existing at 4 in. and smaller, this pipe is typically threaded in its construction and therefore suffers an immediate near 50% wall loss at the thread cut. 2. The design of dual temperature piping systems is fairly typical throughout the HVAC industry and across the United States.  Almost all such systems are installed with risers at its perimeter support columns in order to feed the below window fan units – placing the pipe into a higher humidity environment.  Moisture can and will penetrate the outer building envelop to ultimately reach pipe which is poorly protected from its effects. 3. Most dual temperature piping systems are reduced reverse…

CT-08:   Localized Corrosion Issues Corrosion Trends In New York City Building Properties The corrosion of steel piping and its related components are a continuous and virtually unstoppable process.  Only fire presents a more potentially damaging threat to the operation of a commercial building.  In its less serious form, corrosion can produce problems ranging from lost heat transfer efficiency and constricted pipes – to annoyance pinhole leaks and temporary shutdowns. In extreme, but all too common examples, the failure to recognize and address a serious corrosion problem often results in a major pipe failure, loss of system services, high replacement costs, and legal liability.  For New York City properties, the age of the structure has a significant impact regarding pipe condition due to the various changes in construction and materials which have taken place over many decades. The age of a building property often defines the grade of pipe material used, it’s schedule or beginning wall thickness, corrosion susceptibility, and the general conditions under which natural deterioration has taken place.  Having provided piping evaluations at hundreds of commercial building properties throughout New York, we find that most piping systems can…

CT-06:   Piping Problems The Six Most Common Forms Of Corrosion Affecting HVAC And Process Piping Systems While the external signs can sometimes be subtle, learning of a corrosion problem often requires little more than a quick look into the cooling tower pans or related HVAC equipment such as refrigeration machines, pumps, and heat exchangers.  A rust build-up at the tower, fouled drift eliminators, tuberculation deposits, and flakes of scale and rust caught in the condenser water tubes are obvious indications of a corrosion problem.  Likewise, encrustations at the threaded joints, buckets of rust captured at start-up, a 10 MPY corrosion coupon result, lost heat transfer, and failed equipment should prompt the need to investigate further. Under real world conditions defined by the laws of nature, some degree of corrosion must be expected to exist within any piping system.  However, identifying the type and severity of corrosion responsible requires far more effort, and often multiple investigative tools.  The monitoring, testing, diagnosis, control, and repair of piping related corrosion problems is a multi-billion dollar business in itself.  Yet, corrosion caused piping replacement in the United States still exceeds…

CT-01:   Inadequate Corrosion Control Recognizing The True Threat Of Corrosion To Building Services Piping The severe corrosion of HVAC piping systems and their related equipment presents the most potentially damaging losses to any private, government, industrial, or commercial property next only to the threat of fire. It is surprising to see, therefore, the relatively low priority often provided for corrosion control and monitoring of critical HVAC and process piping by many building owners, operators, and plant engineers.  For many building properties, corrosion control is of little concern.  Whereas condenser and open water corrosion rates of 0.5 – 2 mils per year (MPY) were typical only three decades ago and easy to achieve, it is now common to find system-wide corrosion rates of 5 MPY and greater – with rates occasionally as high as 30 MPY. While certain unavoidable factors have contributed to generally higher corrosion rates, it remains clear that the service life of most piping systems could be greatly extended by allocating further effort to corrosion control measures. Massive Reporting Error A major factor in many pipe failures we see is caused by the often…