Corrosion of Stainless-Steel Tubing in a Spacecraft Launch Environment
Summary:
This is a report of exposure of various metal tubing
to oceanfront launch environment. The objective is to
examine various types of corrosion-resistant tubing for
Space Shuttle launch sites. The metals were stainless
steels (austenitic, low-carbon, Mo-alloy, superaustenitic,
duplex, and superferritic), Ni-Cr-Mo alloy, Ni-Mo-Cr-Fe-W
alloy, and austenitic Ni-base superalloy.
The objective of this project is to test and examine various
types of corrosion-resistant tubing for use at Space Shuttle
launch sites. The existing 304-stainless-steel tubing
at Launch Complex 39 (LC-39) launch pads is susceptible
to pitting corrosion. This pitting corrosion can cause
cracking and rupture of both high-pressure gas and fluid
systems. Failures of these systems can affect the safety
of Shuttle launches as well as pose life-threatening conditions
to personnel in the immediate vicinity. The use of a new
tubing alloy for launch pad applications would greatly
reduce the probability of failure, improve safety, lessen
maintenance costs, and reduce downtime losses.
Format:
Pages : 14
Size: 780 kb
Author :Dynacs, Inc.and NASA ; Kennedy Space Center,
FL 32899
Download:Corrosion of Stainless-Steel Tubing in a Spacecraft Launch Environment
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