Industrialists and researchers grouped within CorRTEx: the “Corrosion Research, Technology and Expertise” consortium was officially launched on October 3 at the collaborative innovation platform Axel’One in Solaize. It brings together 8 public and private partners, including Mines Saint-Étienne, around shared equipment: a unique tool in the region Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region to detect corrosion earlier and reduce associated risks.
The CorRTEx consortium brings together Axel’One, the CNRS, IFP Energies nouvelles, the French Corrosion Institute, INSA Lyon, MECM, Mines Saint-Etienne, and Lyon 1 University, partnered to create a public-private partnership in the field of corrosion in Lyon and Saint-Étienne.
CorRTEx aims to meet the needs of industrial players regarding the corrosion of their equipment and facilities. The objective is to pool tools and expertise around corrosion within an open-innovation approach. The ambition is to reproduce the severe conditions found in industry within a laboratory setting using an instrumented corrosion loop.
This high-pressure, high-temperature corrosion loop, which simulates various corrosive environments, is equipped with online measurement instrumentation.
It allows for testing the corrosion resistance of various materials while also providing an understanding of the origins of damage sustained by facilities. CorRTEx thus aims to develop new tools and methods to detect corrosion earlier, reducing associated risks and preventing the corrosion of metal structures exposed to complex environments.
At Mines Saint-Étienne, the consortium draws on the expertise and activities of the Physical Mechanics and Interfaces department of the Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering center, which focuses on studying environmental effects on the durability of structural materials.
Plenary – ‘Corrosion’ Workshop Plenary – ‘Corrosion’ Workshop The CorRTEx ‘Corrosion’ loop The CorRTEx ‘Corrosion’ loop AxelOne industrial analysis AxelOne industrial analysis
“The project launched 3 years ago, now an operational loop, will notably improve the durability of oil and chemical facilities and test new materials for renewable energies (geothermal).”
‘Corrosion’ workshop and inauguration of the CorRTEx loop in Solaize on 2019-10-03
The corrosion loop located at Axel’One PPI is unique in the region as it allows for the reproduction of varied industrial conditions with the ability to operate at high pressure (up to 200 Bar), high temperature (up to 350°C), under flow, and in the presence of various online analysis solutions. It addresses corrosion and damage issues encountered in numerous energy-related environments: CO2 capture, transport, storage, and valorization, geothermal energy, oil and gas production, etc.
The tool, representing an investment of €500,000, was funded half by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and half by the consortium members.
Contact: Krzysztof Wolski, Director of the SMS Center
Read the press release
