(ASTM International: West Conshohocken, PA) -- Localized corrosion, such as pitting, cracking, or crevice corrosion, can be destructive to process equipment, but if it is detected early enough, potential damage can be minimized or avoided.

A new ASTM International standard provides a means for electrochemical testing for corrosion. The new standard, G199—"Guide for Electrochemical Noise Measurement," was developed by subcommittee G01.11 on Electrochemical Measurements in Corrosion Testing, part of Committee G01 on Corrosion of Metals.

According to Dawn Eden, a specialist in corrosion solutions with Honeywell Process Solutions and a G01 member, G199 will serve multiple purposes.

“Aside from the procedure for making electrochemical noise measurements for the detection of general and localized forms of corrosion, the guide provides a number of methods for analyzing the resulting data,” says Eden. “This will be particularly helpful to new users since many data analysis methods have been applied to electrochemical noise over its almost 30-year history and the brief overview has been assembled with input from many experienced users.”

Eden notes that G199 is primarily geared toward laboratory-based users with an interest in localized corrosion, although it could also be applied to some in-service applications, depending on the certified hazardous area classification of the equipment used.

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