Individual Project 10 << back

Overview

Industrial sector: power supply facilities
Research sub-programme: cooling systems in energy facilities

Host partner: RCNS-HAS - Budapest, Hungary

Associated partners involved: AREVA, Nanochem and MiSwaco

Recruited researcher: Loránd ROMÁNSZKI

Scientists-in-charge: Judit TELEGDI & Zsofia KERESZTES


Description

Title: effective substances built in nanolayers against MIC

Field problem addressed:

Cooling circuits in energy production plants inland and off-shore are subject to biofouling and biocorrosion. Copper alloy substrates, notably in condensers of marine power plants circulating sea water rich with mud, are exposed to severe corrosion after a few months operation. There are 2 current treatments: ferrous iron circulation + ball mechanical friction and chlorination. This later is limited to 0.2 mg/l concentration for environmental reasons and shows efficiency if regularly applied. Many studies have led to controversial or ambiguous conclusions about the effect of the chlorine used as antifouling, specially the toxicity of chlorination by-products on human health and the environment.
It is necessary to increase the efficiency of traditional treatments from the point of view of both subjects, i.e. corrosion and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). There are different possibilities. We have chosen a special way of coatings: application of nanocoatings (nanolayers alone and/or together with nanoparticles).



Objectives:


LB and SAM - Langmuir–Blodgett films and Self-Assembled Monolayers have demonstrated anti-corrosion efficiency with cooling water on substrates such as iron and copper. More recently, other techniques such as micro-coating with micro-capsules containing chemical inhibitors (biocides) have shown good potential. The objective of the IP is to develop anti- fouling / anti-corrosion nanocoatings and to test their efficiency in corrosive and microbial environment in cooling systems.
The nanocoatings will consist of nanolayers alone and/or together with nanoparticles. Self assembled nanolayers (SAM) as well as Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) mono- and multimolecular films on different metal surface will be deposited. The other way we would like to reduce MIC is with application of microspheres and microcapsules. In the case of microcapsules the repellent type core material will be slowly released and so the life time of the coating will be significantly increased.