A hundred years of corrosion in the pulp and paper industry

Abstract

Through the decades, the pulp and paper industry greatly expanded production capacity to meet increasing demands. Correspondingly, the cost of corrosion damage soared. The most serious corrosion control challenges were researched and met by university and governmental researchers, and by task groups within the TAPPI Engineering Division’s Corrosion and Materials Engineering Committee. Today, thanks to material and process advances, mills encounter less corrosion than in the past. This overview takes a historical look back, covering many decades, at how corrosion problems have been managed in the pulp and paper industry. Yet, corrosion keeps on going, and today mills appear less able to manage corrosion problems for which known solutions are available. This paper also addresses the significant yet underrated task of optimizing corrosion control management in the present and into the future. Discussion is provided on best practices needed to mitigate new and ongoing corrosion problems.