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4.3.3 Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)

4.3.3.1 Description of Damage

Corrosion of piping, pressure vessels and structural components resulting from water trapped under
insulation or fireproofing.

4.3.3.2 Affected Materials

Carbon steel, low alloy steels, 300 Series SS, and duplex stainless steels.

4.3.3.3 Critical Factors

a) It affects externally insulated piping and equipment and those that are in intermittent service or
operate between:
1) 10°F (–12°C) and 350°F (175°C) for carbon and low alloy steels,
2) 140ºF (60°C) and 400 ºF (205°C) for austenitic stainless steels and duplex stainless steels
b) Corrosion rates increase with increasing metal temperature up to the point where the water
evaporates quickly. For insulated components, corrosion becomes more severe at metal
temperatures between the boiling point 212°F (100°C) and 350°F (121°C), where water is less likely
to vaporize and insulation stays wet longer.
c) Design of insulation system, insulation type, temperature and environment are critical factors.
d) Poor design and/or installations that allow water to become trapped will increase CUI.
e) Insulating materials that hold moisture (wick) can be more of a problem.
f) Cyclic thermal operation or intermittent service can increase corrosion.
g) Equipment that operates below the water dewpoint tends to condense water on the metal surface
thus providing a wet environment and increasing the risk of corrosion.
h) Damage is aggravated by contaminants that may be leached out of the insulation, such as chlorides.
i) Plants located in areas with high annual rainfall or warmer, marine locations are more prone to CUI
than plants located in cooler, drier, mid-continent locations.
j) Environments that provide airborne contaminants such as chlorides (marine environments, cooling
tower drift) or SO2 (stack emissions) can accelerate corrosion.

4.3.3.4 Affected Units or Equipment

a) All insulated piping and equipment are susceptible to CUI under conditions noted above even on
piping and equipment where the insulation system appears to be in good condition and no visual
signs of corrosion are present.
b) Examples of locations where CUI can occur are listed below:
1) CUI can be found on equipment with damaged insulation, vapor barriers, weatherproofing or
mastic, or protrusions through the insulation or at insulation termination points such as flanges.
2) Equipment designed with insulation support rings welded directly to the vessel wall (no
standoff); particularly around ladder and platform clips, and lifting lugs, nozzles and stiffener
rings.
3) Piping or equipment with damaged/leaking steam tracing.
4) Localized damage at paint and/or coating systems.
5) Locations where moisture/water will naturally collect (gravity drainage) before evaporating
(insulation support rings on vertical equipment) and improperly terminated fireproofing.
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6) Vibrating piping systems that have a tendency to inflict damage to insulation jacketing
providing a path for water ingress.
7) Deadlegs (vents, drains, and other similar items).
8) Pipe hangers and other supports.
9) Valves and fittings (irregular insulation surfaces).
10) Bolted-on pipe shoes.
11) Steam tracer tubing penetrations.
12) Termination of insulation at flanges and other piping components.
13) Insulation jacketing seams located on the top of horizontal piping or improperly lapped or
sealed insulation jacketing.
14) Termination of insulation in a vertical pipe.
15) Caulking that has hardened, has separated, or is missing.
16) Bulges or staining of the insulation or jacketing system or missing bands. (Bulges may
indicate corrosion product buildup.)
17) Low points in piping systems that have a known breach in the insulation system, including low
points in long unsupported piping runs.
18) Carbon or low-alloy steel flanges, bolting, and other components under insulation in high-alloy
piping systems.
19) Locations where insulation plugs have been removed to permit piping thickness
measurements on insulated piping and equipment should receive particular attention. These
plugs should be promptly replaced and sealed. Several types of removable plugs are
commercially available that permit inspection and identification of inspection points for future
reference.
20) The first few feet of a horizontal pipe run adjacent to the bottom of a vertical run.

4.3.3.5 Appearance or Morphology of Damage

a) Carbon and low alloy steels are subject to localized pitting corrosion and or localized loss in
thickness.
b) 300 Series SS are also subject to Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) if chlorides are present, while
the duplex SS are less susceptible.
c) 300 Series SS and duplex SS are subject to pitting and localized corrosion. For 300 Series SS,
specifically in older calcium silicate insulation (known to contain chlorides), localized pitting and
chloride stress corrosion cracking can occur.
d) After insulation is removed from carbon and low alloy steels, CUI damage often appears as loose,
flaky scale covering the corroded component. Damage may be highly localized (Figure 4-73 to 4-
79).
e) In some localized cases, the corrosion can appear to be carbuncle type pitting (usually found under a
failed paint/coating system).
f) Tell tale signs of insulation and paint/coating damage often accompany CUI.

4.3.3.6 Prevention / Mitigation

a) Since the majority of construction materials used in plants are susceptible to CUI degradation,
mitigation is best achieved by using appropriate paints/coatings and maintaining the
insulation/sealing/vapor barriers to prevent moisture ingress.
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b) Flame-sprayed aluminum coatings have been used on carbon steels. The coating corrodes
preferentially by galvanic action, thereby protecting the base metal.
c) High quality non-metallic coatings, properly applied to the surfaces to be insulated can provide long
term protection.
d) Thin aluminum foil wrapped on stainless steel piping and equipment has been used on stainless
steels as an effective barrier under insulation.
e) Careful selection of insulating materials is important. Closed-cell foam glass materials will hold less
water against the vessel/pipe wall than mineral wool and potentially be less corrosive.
f) Low chloride insulation should be used on 300 Series SS to minimize the potential for pitting and
chloride SCC.
g) It is not usually possible to modify operating conditions. However, consideration should be given to
removing the insulation on equipment where heat conservation is not as important.

4.3.3.7 Inspection and Monitoring

a) An inspection plan for corrosion under insulation should be a structured and systematic approach
starting with prediction/analysis, then looking at the more invasive procedures. The inspection plan
should consider operating temperature; type and age/condition of coating; and type and
age/condition of insulation material. Additional prioritization can be added from a physical inspection
of the equipment, looking for evidence of insulation, mastic and/or sealant damage, signs of water
penetration and rust in gravity drain areas around the equipment.
b) Although external insulation may appear to be in good condition, CUI damage may still be occurring.
CUI inspection may require removal of some or all insulation. If external coverings are in good
condition and there is no reason to suspect damage behind them, it may not be necessary to remove
them for inspection of the vessel.
c) Considerations for insulation removal are not limited to but include:
1) History of CUI for the vessel or comparable equipment.
2) Visual condition of the external covering and insulation.
3) Evidence of fluid leakage, e.g. stains.
4) Equipment in intermittent service.
5) Condition/age of the external coating, if applicable.
d) Common areas of concern in process units are high moisture areas such as those down-wind from
cooling towers, near steam vents, deluge systems, acid vapors, or near supplemental cooling with
water spray.
e) When developing the inspection plan for CUI inspection, the inspector should consider
1) Areas that are most susceptible to CUI. If CUI damage is found, the inspector should inspect
other susceptible areas on the vessel.
2) Utilize multiple inspection techniques to produce the most cost effective approach, including:
• Partial and/or full stripping of insulation for visual examination.
• UT for thickness verification.
• Real-time profile x-ray (for small bore piping).
• Neutron backscatter techniques for identifying wet insulation.
• Deep penetrating eddy-current inspection (can be automated with a robotic crawler).
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• IR thermography looking for wet insulation and/or damaged and missing insulation under
the jacket.
• Guided wave UT.

4.3.3.8 Related Mechanisms

Atmospheric corrosion (see 4.3.2), oxidation (see 4.4.1) and chloride SCC (see 4.5.1).

4.3.3.9 References
1. API RP 581, Risk-Based Inspection Technology, American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.,
2008.
2. NACE Standard RP0198, The Control of Corrosion Under Thermal Insulation, and Fireproofing – A
Systems Approach, NACE International, Houston, TX.
3. W.I. Pollock and C.N. Steely, “Corrosion Under Wet Thermal Insulation,” NACE International,
Houston, TX, 1990.
4. M. M. Chauviere, et al., “Managing CUI in aging refinery pressure vessels”, Paper #07566, NACE
International, Houston, TX.
5. API 510, “Pressure Vessel Inspection Code: Maintenance Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration”,
American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.
6. API 570, Piping Inspection Code, American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.
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Figure 4-73 – Tee in a 1000 psig ethylene line before insulation removal.

Figure 4-74 – Close-up of Tee CUI of a Tee in Figure 4-73 after insulation removal.
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Figure 4-75 – CUI of a 30 inch CS Butadiene line showing highly localized corrosion which could
only be found by stripping the entire line. Note the 0.25 in (6.5 mm) diameter hole at arrow.

Figure 4-76 – CUI of nozzle on a bottom head.

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Figure 4-77 – CUI of nozzle on a top head.

Figure 4-78 – CUI of vessel wall. Note leak at arrow.

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Figure 4-79 – CUI at attachment supports and vessel head.

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Figure 4-80 – CUI of CS level bridle.