The effect of Acetobacter sp. and a sulfate-reducing bacterial consortium from ethanol fuel environments on fatigue crack propagation in pipeline and storage tank steels

Published

February 1, 2014

Author(s)

Jeffrey W. Sowards, Charles H. Williamson, Timothy S. Weeks, Joseph D. McColskey, John R. Spear

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) on fatigue crack growth of candidate materials useful in expanding bioethanol usage including: a storage tank steel (ASTM A36) and two pipeline steels (API 5L X52 and X70). The microbiological species sampled from an ethanol fuel production stream, Acetobacter aceti and Desulfosporosinus sp., were responsible for acetic acid and hydrogen sulfide production that led to significant increases in fatigue crack growth rate across a wide range of stress intensity amplitudes (ΔK). The mechanism for increased fatigue damage is uptake of hydrogen that embrittles material ahead of the growing fatigue crack.

Citation

Corrosion Science

Volume

79

Pub Type

Journals

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DOI Link

Keywords

A36, acetic acid, Acid producing bacteria, biocide, biofuel, fatigue crack propagation, fuel grade ethanol, hydrogen sulfide, microbiologically influenced corrosion, pipeline steel, sulfate reducing bacteria, X52, X70

Citation

Sowards, J. , Williamson, C. , Weeks, T. , McColskey, J. and Spear, J. (2014), The effect of Acetobacter sp. and a sulfate-reducing bacterial consortium from ethanol fuel environments on fatigue crack propagation in pipeline and storage tank steels, Corrosion Science, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2013.10.036 (Accessed October 8, 2024)