Corrosion Penetration Rate (CPR)
The Corrosion penetration rate is the speed at which any metal or alloy deteriorates in a specific
corrosive environment through chemical or electrochemical reactions. It is also defined as the
amount of weight loss per year in the thickness of metal or alloy due to corrosion. The Corrosion
penetration rate also referred as corrosion rate.
Corrosion penetration rate depends on following factors;
1. Nature of metal.
2. Nature of corrosive environment/medium.
3. Nature corrosion product.
4. Speed at which corrosion spreads in the inner portion of metal.
The Corrosion penetration rate is calculated using the following formula;
Where,
W is weight loss after exposure time.
T is exposure time in corrosive medium.
D is the density of metal or alloy.
A is surface area of exposed specimen.
K is constant.
The CPR is conveniently expressed in terms of either mils (0.001 inch) per year (mpy) or
millimeters per year (mmpy). K=534 to give CPR in mpy when surface area of test specimen is in
inch2 and K=87.6 for CPR in mmpy when surface area of test specimen is in cm2
Where, 1 mil =0.001 inch
CPR in mpy CPR mmpy
K 534 87.6
W (wt loss) mg mg
(D)ρ g/ cm3 g/ cm3
A inch2 cm2
t hrs Hrs
Numerical Problems on CPR
1. A sheet of carbon steel one meter wide by three meters long has lost 40g to corrosion over the past
six months. Convert that mass loss to a penetration rate of the steel in mm units and mpy units. What
would be the corrosion rate? (Carbon steel density=7.8g/ cm3) To calculate CPR in mmpy
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mmpy
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 40 g 40 x 1000 mg
(D)ρ 7.8 g/ cm3 7.8 g/ cm3
2
A 1mx3m=3m 3x100 x 100 cm2
T 6 months 6 x 30 x 24 hrs
1/18
CPR =
CPR = 3.466 X10-3 mmpy
To calculate CPR in mpy
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 40 g 40 x 1000 mg
Ρ 7.8 g/ cm3 7.8 g/ cm3
2
A 1m x 3m = 3m 3 x 1550 inch2
T 6 months 6 x 30 x 24 hrs
1 sq mt= 1550 sq inch
CPR =
CPR = 0.0503 mpy
2. Calculate the CPR in both mpy and mmpy for a thick steel sheet of area 100 inch 2 which
experiences a weight loss of 485g after one year. (Density of steel=7.9g/cm3).
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mmpy
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 485 g 485 x 1000 mg
ρ 7.9 g/ cm3 7.9 g/ cm3
A 100 inch2 100 x 6.45cm2
t 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
2 2
1 inch = 6.45 cm
1 cm2 = 0.155 inch2
2/18
CPR =
CPR = 0.9518 mmpy
To calculate CPR in mpy
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 485 g 485 x 1000 mg
ρ 7.9 g/ cm3 7.9 g/ cm3
A 100 inch2 100 inch2
t 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
CPR =
CPR = 37.424 mpy
3. A thickness of brass sheet of area 400 inch2 is exposed to air near the ocean. After two years
period it was found to experience a weight loss of 375g due to corrosion. If the density of Brass is
8.73 g/cm3. Calculate the CPR in mm/yearmpy.
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mmpy
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 375 g 375 x 1000 mg
ρ 8.73 g/ cm3 8.73 g/ cm3
2
A 400 inch 400 x 6.45cm2
t 2 year 2 x 365 x 24 hrs
1 inch2= 6.45 cm2
1 cm2 = 0.155 inch2
3/18
CPR =
CPR =0.083mmpy
To calculate CPR in mpy
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 375 g 375 x 1000 mg
Ρ 8.73 g/ cm3 8.73 g/ cm3
2
A 400 inch 400 inch2
T 2 year 2 x 365 x 24 hrs
CPR =
CPR = 3.27 mpy
4. A metal iron plate was found in a vessel containing acidic media, it was estimated that the original
area was 20 inch2 that approximately 1.2 kg had corroded. Assuming a corrosion penetration rate of
400mpy for this iron in acidic, calculate time in years, density of iron 7.87g/ cm3.
Solution:
To calculate time in years
T=
Given
K 534
W (wt loss) 1.2 kg 1.2 x 1000 x 1000mg
ρ 7.87 g/ cm3 7.87 g/ cm3
2
A 20 inch 20 inch2
t ?
CPR mpy 400 400
4/18
T=
T= 10177.89 hrs
Converted into years
T= = 1.16 yrs
5. A piece of corroded aluminum plate was found in a submerged ocean vessel, it was estimated that
the original area was 64cm2 that approximately 350 g had corroded away during the submersion.
Assuming a corrosion penetration rate of 2.4mmy for this alloy in sea water, estimate the time in
years, density of aluminium 2.7 g/ cm3.
Solution:
To calculate time in years
T=
Given
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 350 g 350x 1000mg
ρ 2.7 g/ cm3 2.7 g/ cm3
A 64 cm2 64 cm2
t ?
CPR mmy 2.4 2.4
T=
T= 73929.39 hrs
Converted into years
T= = 8.44 yrs
5/18
6. The alloy bronze exposed to different corrosive environment of area 50 cm2, for a period of 6
months. The bronze alloy loss of weight in acidic medium was 200 g, in neutral 120 g and in basic
medium 48 g. Calculate the CPR in mpy. (Density of bronze =8.73g/ cm3)
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mpy
In acidic medium
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 200 g 200 x 1000 mg
ρ 8.73 g/ cm3 8.73 g/ cm3
2
A 50 cm 50 x 0.155 inch2
t 6 months 6 x 30 x 24 hrs
1 cm2 = 0.155 inch2
CPR =
CPR = 365.40 mpy
In neutral medium
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 120 g 120 x 1000 mg
ρ 8.73 g/ cm3 8.73 g/ cm3
A 50 cm2 50 x 0.155 inch2
t 6 months 6 x 30 x 24 hrs
CPR =
CPR = 219.24 mpy
In basic medium
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 48 g 48 x 1000 mg
ρ 8.73 g/ cm3 8.73 g/ cm3
2
A 50 cm 50 x 0.155 inch2
t 6 months 6 x 30 x 24 hrs
6/18
CPR =
CPR = 87.70 mpy
7. A zinc rods is dipped in a NaCl solution of area 20 inch2 each at different temperature. The metal
zinc undergone corroded of 50g at 338 K, 30g at 323K, 10 g at 300 K over a period of one month.
Determine the CPR in terms of mmpy. (Density of Zinc = 7.12 g/ cm3)
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mmpy
At 338K
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 50 g 50 x 1000 mg
ρ 7.12 g/ cm3 7.12 g/ cm3
2
A 20 inch 20 x 6.45cm2
t 1 month 30 x 24 hrs
1 inch2= 6.45 cm2
CPR =
CPR =6.60mmpy
At 323K
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 30 g 30 x 1000 mg
ρ 7.12 g/ cm3 7.12 g/ cm3
2
A 20 inch 20 x 6.45cm2
t 1 month 30 x 24 hrs
2 2
1 inch = 6.45 cm
CPR =
CPR =1.32mmpy
7/18
At 300K
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 10 g 10 x 1000 mg
ρ 7.12 g/ cm3 7.12 g/ cm3
2
A 20 inch 20 x 6.45cm2
t 1 month 30 x 24 hrs
1 inch2= 6.45 cm2
CPR =
CPR =3.97mmpy
8. A copper plates of length of 2 cm and width of 5 cm were kept in a salt solution of pH - 3, loss of
metal was 1 g, at pH – 8 of the solution was 0.8 g and at pH – 12 of the solution was 0.2 g in a one
year of period. Estimate the CPR of Copper in terms of mmpy. (Density of the copper – 8.96 g/cm3)
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mmpy
At pH – 3 of the salt solution
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 1g 1 x 1000 mg
3
ρ 8.96 g/ cm 8.96 g/ cm3
A 2 cm x 5 cm 10 cm2
t 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
CPR =
CPR =0.112mmpy
At pH – 8 of the salt solution
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 0.8g 0.8 x 1000 mg
3
ρ 8.96 g/ cm 8.96 g/ cm3
A 2 cm x 5 cm 10 cm2
t 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
8/18
CPR =
CPR =0.09 mmpy
At pH – 12 of the salt solution
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 0.2g 0.2 x 1000 mg
3
Ρ 8.96 g/ cm 8.96 g/ cm3
A 2 cm x 5 cm 10 cm2
T 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
CPR =
CPR =0.022 mmpy
9. Estimate the corrosion period (in years) of metal tin bar exposed to environment of summer, the
surface area of 20 inch2, 0.8mpy of CPR with a loss of 730 mg tin. The density of tin is 7.31g/cc.
To calculate time in years
T=
Given
K 534
W (wt loss) 730 mg 730 mg
3
Ρ 7.31 g/ cm 7.31 g/ cm3
A 20 inch2 20 inch2
t ?
CPR mpy 0.8 0.8
T=
T = 3335.93 hrs
Converted into years
T= = 0.38 yrs
9/18
Module-II
10. A thickness of alloy sheet of area 100 inch2 is exposed to air near the ocean. After 1 year period
it was found to experience a weight loss of 35gdue to corrosion. If the density of alloy is 8.4 g/cm3.
Calculate the CPR in mmy and mpy.
Solution:
To calculate CPR in mmpy
Given CPR in mmpy
K 87.6
W (wt loss) 35 g 35 x 1000 mg
3
ρ 8.4 g/ cm 8.4 g/ cm3
A 100 inch2 100 x 6.45cm2
t 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
1 inch2= 6.45 cm2
1 cm2 = 0.155 inch2
CPR =
CPR = 0.064 mmpy
To calculate CPR in mpy
Given CPR in mpy
K 534
W (wt loss) 35 g 35 x 1000 mg
3
Ρ 8.4 g/ cm 8.4 g/ cm3
A 100 inch2 100 inch2
T 1 year 365 x 24 hrs
CPR =
CPR = 2.54 mpy
10/18
