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Corrosion Lab

Director: Dr. Ihsan ul Haq Toor

Lab Technician:

Location: 23-013

Tel: (860-2527) FAX: (860-2949)

Introduction to the Lab

Together with technical obsolescence and mechanical wear, corrosion is one of the commonest causes of premature failure, leading to the replacement of technical production installations, machinery and articles of utility. The economic loss due to corrosion is enormous as evidenced by surveys conducted in different countries. Yet the damage could have been avoided with suitable protective measures. In the long term, corrosion is a considerable environmental nuisance because valuable raw materials, and the energy used to process them, are wasted. The menace of corrosion can only be counteracted by adopting correct preventive measures. Due to the brackish water and aggressive coastal environments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the problems caused by corrosion are serous. In order to solve these problems, it is essential to acquire and understanding of basic corrosion engineering. King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) realized the importance of corrosion technology, and so introduced the subject of corrosion into the undergraduate program of the department of Mechanical Engineering in 1978. With the beginning of joint KFUPM-Austria corrosion projects in 1975, research activities in corrosion were activated. Basic facilities were created for corrosion studies. However, it was not until 1981 that an independent corrosion laboratory was established. With the availability of space and resources, the corrosion laboratory underwent a complete transformation form a small laboratory with limited facilities to a well-equipped spacious laboratory with modern facilities. More facilities have recently been added to increase its capabilities for Ph.D. research. The current excellence of the laboratory reflects the efforts made to keep pace with the latest developments in corrosion engineering.

Courses supported are:

ME:472
ME:575
MSE:511
MSE:512

Selected Research Activities

Completed Projects

The effect of suspended particles and variation of sea water velocity on the performance of condenser tube materials
Development of modified aluminum alloys for desalination applications
UPM-SAGE (Austria) Corrosion Research Project
KACST Project AR # 14 (65b) (in progress) "Erosion corrosion of AI-Sic composites at controlled velocities".
Erosion Corrosion of TICAD Compositeds for internal combustion engines, with Ashurst Advanced Technology, USA
The development and exploitation of AI-SC alloys for defense, automotive nd aerospace industries with Ashurst Advanced Technology, USA (in progress)

Running Projects:

Experimental and computational investigation of erosion-corrosion in piping systems, (11-ADV1619-04), NSTIP
Electrochemical investigations on the role of Si in ferritic stainless steel alloys (IN111048), Deanship of Scientific Research, KFUPM
Development of austenitic stainless steels with PM routes and their Electrochemical investigations (IN121033), Deanship of Scientific Research, KFUPM