Corrosion Software Helps Plants Save Energy

A new software tool that predicts corrosion in advanced materials could save the chemical, petroleum, and power generation industries up to $1 billion in annual cost and enable the use of advanced energy-saving alloys, according to the Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program (ITP, www.eere.energy.gov). The tool, named the Corrosion Analyzer, was developed by OLI Systems (www.olisystems.com) and Southwest Research Institute (www.swri.edu) with support from the ITP. It is designed to help plant personnel evaluate advanced energy-saving materials in “real-world” environments and selects an optimal alloy for specific applications.

The software combines theoretical models and experimental results to develop models to predict general and localized corrosion of base alloys and fabricated components, including heat treatment and welding. The tool is intended to help save energy by enabling the use of advanced high-performance alloys, prediction of useful service life, and scheduling of maintenance activities.

To download a copy of the Corrosion Analyzer, click here.