Leakage Analyses Caused by Corrosion of Buried Ash Pipeline in a Power Plant

Serious corrosion and leakage of buried ash pipelines happened frequently in a power plant. The method of Pipeline Current Mapper(PCM) was used to assess the pipeline′s coating and inspect the leaking point. The soil corrosivity and the exterior interference current were examined separately. The results showed that the main reasons of pipeline corrosion were strong soil corrosivity, badly damaged outer coating of pipeline, serious external interference current corrosion and galvanic corrosion. Some suggestions were proposed to deal with the corrosion, induding the replacement partial pipelines and repair of the pipe and the coating, as well as cathodic protection. Several suggestions were proposed for the buried pipeline maintenance.