What Does
Incubation Period Mean?
An incubation period, in terms of corrosion monitoring refers to the total time that a certain structure goes through crack nucleation until the time the crack progresses to a critical degree. The end result is a possibility of catastrophic failure.
The damage brought on by corrosion can be caused by stress and chemical attacks. The initial step is the formation of pits that grow into cracks, which leads to further damage.
Corrosionpedia Explains Incubation Period
Incubation period is vital in studying corrosion effects in various industrial settings, such as in gas turbines. Generally, the corrosion process comes in two forms:
- Type 1 hot corrosion – Corrosion attacks that occurs under temperatures ranging from 1470°–1740°F (800°–950°C)
- Type 2 hot corrosion – Corrosion that takes place below 1240°–1380°F (670°–750°C)
Regardless of the type of corrosion, hot corrosion takes place in two phases: an incubation period that is characterized by a slow rate of corrosion, which is followed by a fast incubation period. The incubation period of corrosion is influenced by various factors such as oxide scale formation. This is believed to be caused by protective oxide breakdown. The period of incubation can also undergo acceleration fluxing of acids, so these factors should be controlled in order to control the rate of corrosion.