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Carbon Dioxide

Last updated: June 27, 2019

What Does Carbon Dioxide Mean?

Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound with the chemical formula CO2. It has two oxygen atoms that are covalent and double bonded to one atom of carbon. It is in gas form at standard pressure and temperature.

Carbon dioxide is produced through animals' respiration and utilized by plants, bacteria and other living things for photosynthesis.

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Corrosionpedia Explains Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a beneficial component in the atmosphere. However, this compound also has harmful effects on the environment and in industries. Carbon dioxide that can be found like free carbon dioxide within aqueous solutions can also be found as the combination of bicarbonate and carbonate ions.

When carbon dioxide is dissolved, it can often lead to corrosion. This is because gas disbands in water, resulting in carbonic acid, which can be very corrosive. This reaction also leads to low pH levels, which further enhance the corrosiveness of oxygen.

Carbon dioxide is usually the cause of corrosion in boiler systems, particularly in condensate systems. This is because the de-aeration of water eliminates carbon dioxide in boiled water. Alkaline water in this situation can generate high carbon dioxide levels. This extremely high level of carbon dioxide can result in a highly corrosive condensate.

Although corrosion by carbon dioxide is also typical in water distribution systems, it is more apparent in condensate systems. Therefore, industries should have measures to test concentration levels of carbon dioxide, which can be highly corrosive.

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