Abstract
Corrosion behaviour of copper and steel under heat trap conditions in Cuban tropical climate is reported. Temperature and humidity reach higher values than those reported for traditional outdoor and indoor conditions. Annual calculated time of wetness is in the range corresponding to outdoor or ventilated sheds. This behaviour is not reported for other indoor conditions. Sulphur compounds deposition rate is higher than chloride deposition rate at all corrosion stations. Main corrosion products formed on steel and copper are goethite and brochantite respectively. No significant differences in the statistical influence of exposure time and time of wetness on atmospheric corrosion process of copper and steel under heat trap conditions are determined.
These results have been obtained based on an International CYTED Project named ‘TROPICORR’ headed by Brazil and with the participation of eight countries including Cuba. Thanks Dr A. Dago from Cuban Oil Research Centre to help during the X-ray diffraction characterisation.