Rusting of SS 316L materials

Dear sir,

We installed seal auxiliary system(the material is SS 316L) in Gas plant(Qatar) before one year now all the parts are started rusting(yellow stains)what may be the probable reason for this rusting.

Prakash
Qatar

I have visited your area in the past and found this condition due to the salt spray from the ocean nearby. The problem can easily be corrected by applying products to remove the rust and re-passivate. Probably the items were not passivated before installation and this made the problem worse. Please contact us if you need more information.

Dear Sir,
What you experience is normal in your environmental situation and is also dangerous for your stainless steel.
As Lee says, a regular re-passivation will be needed, certainly if your stainless steel is not electropolished.
Electropolishing guarantees the best corrosion resistance and should have been incorporated in the specs of your installation.

Kind regards,

Marc.