The impact of corrosion on marine vapour recovery systems by VOC generated from ships

Abstract

Marine emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have received much attention because the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requires the installation of vapour emission control systems for the loading of crude oils or petroleum products onto ships. It was recently recognised that significant corrosion occurs inside these vapour emission control systems, which can cause severe clogging issues. In this study, we analysed the chemical composition of drain water sampled from currently operating systems to investigate the primary causes of corrosion in vapour recovery systems. Immersion and electrochemical tests were conducted under simulated conditions with various real drain water samples, and the impact of corrosion on the marine vapour recovery system was carefully investigated. Moreover, corrosion tests on alternative materials were conducted to begin identifying appropriate substitutes. Thermodynamic calculations showed the effects of environmental factors on the production of condensed sulphuric acid from VOC gas. A model of sulphuric acid formation and accumulation by the characteristics of VOC from crude oil and flue gas is suggested. Keywords: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Vapour emission control system, Vapour recovery system, Corrosion, Sulphuric acid