A 316L stainless steel tank storing inhibited acetic acid perforated due to pitting corrosion after less
than 1 year in service. This paper presents potentiodynamic polarization, potentiostatic and
galvanostatic test results using reagent grade solutions compared to acid from the field. Chlorides in
the corrosion inhibitor proved to be the primary cause of the pitting corrosion, which led to severe pitting
damage at the weld heat-affected zones. Various preventive measures (cathodic protection) were
tested in the laboratory. The primary preventive measure applied was to remove the inhibitor from the
acid blend.
Keywords: pitting corrosion, inhibitor composition effects, and pit kinetics.