Localised Corrosion of Stainless Steels during Food Processing

Abstract

The austenitic stainless steels are widely used in the food industry as constructional materials for processing plant. One of their drawbacks is a susceptibility to localised attack, particularly in the presence of the chloride anion. The various forms of localised attack which stainless steels can suffer, including pitting, crevice attack, deposit attack, stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue, are illustrated with case histories drawn from the food processing industry.