At Union Steel Tubes we understand that people want tubing that will offer the longest service life. It is important for all kinds of applications. We strive to achieve this with our ERW tubes. What we do is choose the best materials and manufacture the tube with care. There are quality controls here to keep standards high. We also think about conditions for storage and transport.
When it comes to oil and gas pipelines in particular, one of the most crucial things to look at is the anti-corrosion life of components. The last thing you want is to choose products that will begin to corrode quickly and only offer a short service life. They will require more frequent and costly maintenance. Plus, there will be more downtime and losses for repairs and replacement.
The surface treatment for the ERW tube will have an impact on the anti-corrosion life. What it will do is affect the quality of any subsequent coating, whether it is paint, zinc plating, or other treatments. You need to ensure you remove all traces of rust before you do any kind of treatment to address corrosion.
Options for rust removal
There are several different methods you can use to remove rust from ERW tubes. It is a good idea to inspect them all and choose the right option. Remember, the quality of the removal will have an impact on any subsequent anti-corrosion treatments.
The first option here is to use derusting tools to physically scrape away rust. Things like wire brushes can get rid of loose oxide scale and polish the surface. You can use hand tools or power tools depending on how tough the layer of rust is. However, this may not be the best option for removal and preparing the surface for treatment.
An alternative is spray removal. There are a number of options here such as traditional shot or sand blasting. There are also methods that use minerals or even iron wire. This can be an efficient and highly effective rust removal method. It also has the additional benefit that it can prepare the surface so the anti-corrosion layer will have better adhesion.
There is a third option with chemical cleaning and electrolysis. These are collectively known as pickling. The processes can remove rust and even old coatings. However, they can only achieve a relatively shallow clean on ERW tubes and other products. As a result, it may not be sufficient on its own.
Quality controls
It is vital to have the correct controls in place for rust. While the processes above can work to get rid of oxides, you must ensure there won’t be secondary damage. It can occur if the removal was too aggressive for the items or if there were operating errors.
Speak to us if you need quality ERW tubes
At Union Steel Tubes we offer products to cater for a wide range of requirements, including oil and gas. We have a huge number of options here, including several shapes and many wall thicknesses and diameters. We expand it even more with different types of finishing, including galvanisation. If that wasn’t enough, we can cut to bespoke lengths too.
So, get in touch today if you want to discuss your needs for ERW tubes with us. We support all clients to make sure you have an excellent experience.
