Corrosion in the piping industry costs the industry several billion dollars each year
Metal dusting corrosion is a catastrophic degradation process that occurs in a range of chemical industries. Corrosion in the piping industry costs the industry several billion dollars each year and represents a chief pain that has a high priority to be addressed. The young Norwegian company PreCore, led by Dr XiaoYang Guo, has set high ambitions to solve this pain and has delivered significant results in a very short term.
Our efficient and low-cost method can improve the resistance of alloy to corrosion, and in particular metal-dusting corrosion. Our method has great potential for saving costs in the metallurgical, oil and chemical industry where the alloy equipment often is subjected to a harsh operating environment.
Dr Xiaoyang Guo, Co-founder of PreCor AS, Researcher in Department of Chemical Engineering, NTNU
Most explored protection methods for metal-dusting-induced corrosion are either expensive or insufficient, leading to costly maintenance of high-temperature alloy-based equipment in the industry. To solve this dilemma, the Norwegian start-up company PreCor AS has developed a simple method to reduce metal dusting corrosion of high-temperature alloys.
The method extends the lifetime of alloy equipment, is easy to apply and lower the maintenance cost of new and existing equipment working in harsh conditions. Furthermore, the price of PreCor-pretreated alloy that is widely used in the industry is much lower than newly designed alloys. The innovative technology- so-called PreCor (PREvent CORrosion) has been developed, approved in the lab and applied for a PCT patent.
Based on research and innovation from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), this technology is highly relevant to EIT RawMaterials. Currently, PreCore is participating in our Accelerator Program, a program aiming at accelerating new businesses and innovations.
Ulf Orrebrink, Business Development Manager at EIT RawMaterials
Metal dusting corrosion starts with the formation of unwanted carbon on the surface of the equipment that leads to a disintegration of the alloy. PreCor method forms a protective layer over the alloy that can inhibit carbon growth at the initial stage of metal dusting corrosion of high-temperature alloys. The PreCor technology has captured industrial interest through academic-industrial networking platforms such as EIT RawMaterials and iCSI (industrial Catalysis Science and Innovation, innovation center co-founded by the Research Council of Norway and process industry). The company has further plan to initiate dialogue and contact with more companies in the process industry.
PreCor AS has a close connection to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), where Dr Xiaoyang Guo is an expert in material processing and characterisation. He works closely with Professor Hilde Johnsen Venvik and Innovation Manager Dr Li He. The establishment of PreCor AS has been inspired during participation in the EIT RawMaterials Accelerator programme Phase 1 – Explore.
I have been looking for this kind of training program. The EIT RawMaterials Accelerator programme makes it possible for those who have innovative ideas to get the necessary support and training to be able to accelerate their business and take it to the market. The EIT RawMaterials network is an important part of our innovation network at NTNU.
Dr Li He, Innovation Manager at NTNU
PreCor AS expects to scale up the method for the Fe-based high-temperature alloys and possibly extend the method to other types of high-temperature alloys within three years.
