Galvanic Corrosion 3

Steel, galvanized steel and copper pipes and fittings are all frequently used to handle fresh waters.  Copper is not galvanically compatible with steel or galvanized steel and measures areusually taken to avoid using them in contact.  However, even when they are not in contact, accelerated corrosion of steel and galvanised steel can still occur.

If copper, or its alloys, are used upstream of steel or galvanised steel, then corrosion can still occur if copper corrosion products are carried downstream and settle on the steel/galvanized steel.  This is particularly prevalent in warm and hot waters.  This corrosion mechanism has caused a numberof expensive failures in blocks of flats with a common hot water system.  For this reason it is usual to specify that copper and copper alloys may only be used downstream of steel and galvanized steel.

Posted on: 21st Jan 2017

< NewerArchiveOlder >

Image (top left) by Agnieszka