How many years can a carbon steel pipe last without internal anti-corrosion treatment?

Carbon steel pipes (CS pipe) are a common pipeline material and are widely used in oil, natural gas, chemical and other fields. However, since their interior is easily affected by medium corrosion, their service life has become a focus of attention. Generally speaking, the service life of carbon steel pipes without internal anti-corrosion treatment is affected by many factors and is usually 3 to 15 years, which may be shorter under extreme conditions. The following is a detailed analysis and key influencing factors:

Typical service life range:

Environmental conditions	Estimated service life (without anti-corrosion)	Main failure form
Dry air (indoor)	10~15 years	Slow oxidation, surface rust
Ordinary humid atmosphere (outdoor)	5~10 years	Uniform rust, local pitting
Industrial polluted atmosphere	3~8 years	Acidic gas accelerates corrosion
Neutral water (pH=6~8)	2~5 years	Inner wall rust + microbial corrosion
Acidic/alkaline medium	1~3 years	Rapid chemical corrosion + perforation
Seawater/high salt environment	1~5 years	Electrochemical corrosion + pitting

Factors affecting the service life of carbon steel pipes:

1. Working environment: The working environment of carbon steel pipes has a significant impact on their service life. For example, carbon steel pipes used in marine environments will corrode faster due to the influence of salt and humidity, thereby shortening their service life.
2. Medium properties: The properties of the medium transported in the pipeline are also an important factor affecting the service life. Corrosive media such as acids and alkalis will accelerate the corrosion process of carbon steel pipes, resulting in a shortened service life.
3. Temperature fluctuations: Temperature fluctuations will cause thermal expansion and contraction effects on carbon steel pipes, which may cause fatigue damage to the pipes in the long run, thus affecting the service life.
4. Maintenance: Regular inspection, cleaning and repair of carbon steel pipes can timely detect and deal with potential problems, thereby extending the service life.

Key influencing factors:

(1) Medium characteristics
pH value: Acidic (pH <4) or alkaline (pH >9) media will greatly accelerate corrosion.
Oxygen content: When the dissolved oxygen in water is >2mg/L, the corrosion rate increases exponentially (such as circulating water systems).
Chloride ions (Cl⁻): Concentrations >200ppm are prone to pitting and perforation (common in seawater and chemical fluids).

(2) Flow rate and scouring
When the flow rate is >1.5m/s, mechanical scouring will peel off the rust layer, exposing the fresh metal surface and accelerating corrosion.
Case: Due to turbulent erosion, the life of the elbow of the water pipeline may be 30%~50% shorter than that of the straight pipe section.

(3) Temperature
For every 10℃ increase in temperature, the chemical corrosion rate increases by 1~3 times (Arrhenius law).
High temperature water (>80℃): may cause oxygen concentration corrosion, and the life is shortened to less than 2 years.

Recommended measures to extend the service life of carbon steel pipes:

In order to extend the service life of carbon steel pipes, the following measures can be taken: First, in the design and material selection stage, select the appropriate carbon steel tube material according to the specific working environment and medium properties; second, regularly perform external and internal anti-corrosion treatment on the pipeline, such as applying anti-corrosion coatings, injecting corrosion inhibitors, etc.; finally, establish a complete pipeline management system and strengthen daily maintenance and maintenance work.

Conclusion:

The service life of carbon steel pipes without internal anti-corrosion is generally 3 to 15 years. This conclusion is based on general industry experience and reference data from multiple professional sources. The actual service life will be affected by many factors, such as working environment, medium properties, temperature fluctuations, and maintenance. By taking appropriate anti-corrosion measures and strengthening maintenance, the service life of carbon steel pipes can be effectively extended to ensure the safe and stable operation of industrial production.

Read more: Advantages and Disadvantages of Carbon Steel Pipe or Schedule 80 Carbon Steel Pipe