Demonstration and Validation of Technologies to Mitigate Corrosion on Infrastructure Components at Fort Bragg: One Year Results

A number of critical issues related to the corrosion of infrastructure components have become evident at Fort Bragg, NC.  Two of the most pressing issues are the corrosion of steel utility piping union joints in mechanical rooms and the corrosion of steel pump housings on cooling tower systems.  Reliable operation of these components is essential to the ongoing mission of Fort Bragg.  The corrosion problem in the mechanical rooms is considered to be a safety issue (should a leak develop or a pipe to burst due to corrosion of the components) as well as a potential health issue (with the possibility of mold or mildew growth in the damp environment).  The pump corrosion problem could lead to system failure and/or downtime, which would disrupt the use of these facilities and require considerable labor and expense to repair or replace critical components.  To address these concerns, established corrosion prevention technologies – including high-performance coatings, materials, insulation, water treatment, and dehumidification - were applied to mechanical room pipes and cooling tower housings at Fort Bragg in January of 2008.  The performance of the technologies, as well as the overall corrosivity of the environment, was monitored from January 2008 to December 2008.  This paper will review the test data after one year of service, and will evaluate each technology in terms of its ability to provide enhanced long-term system reliability and safety for these applications.