The Flow Accelerated Corrosion Engineer and the Working Relationship With Disciplines Within the Company’s Organization

Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is a fundamental problem for nuclear, fossil, and combined cycle power plants which can result in the loss of power generation, damage to equipment, and personnel injury. These documented events and failures have attracted the attention of utilities, industry groups, and regulatory agencies. The economic impact of FAC in terms of lost power, lost revenue, damaged equipment and components, and personnel injury has gained increased attention. The mechanism of FAC involves the formation and removal of the protective oxide layer from the inside surface of the pipe or equipment. This process occurs in carbon steel piping systems, tanks, and vessels. The FAC process is influenced by flow rate, pH, oxygen content, operating temperature, material of construction, and piping configuration. To oversee and manage Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) in power plants, utilities have assigned personnel the responsibility to manage the FAC program either at the corporate level or a site representative or both. One of the keys in managing FAC is the relationship, interface, and communication with the other disciplines within the organization. Some of these disciplines include Management, Operations, Maintenance, Design Engineering, System Engineering, Water Chemistry, Plant Documentation, and Non-Destructive Examination (NDE). Their responsibilities within the organization and to each other are critical in keeping the plant on-line and minimizing personnel injury. In addition, it is the foundation for maintaining an effective Flow Accelerated Corrosion Program. These relationships and responsibilities within the FAC Program will be discussed in this paper.