AbstractExternal Stress Corrosion Cracking (ESCC) of austenitic stainless steel under insulation is increasing year by year in Japan even though most insulation types which had contained detrimental ions have been replaced.It was determined that externally introduced detrimental ions were the problem, and in 1984 the Japanese Society of Chemical Engineers tabulated results of a questionnaire to learn about the actual conditions of failure in chemical processing plants.Complete water-proofing prevents ESCC under insulation, but metal jacketing, most commonly used in Japan, has proven effective. Various potential solutions are discussed in relationship to increasing temperature. As temperature increases, countermeasures become more costly and less effective.A thermosetting tape wrap applied over the insulation was a very effective means of eliminating ESCC without regard to temperature. A thermosetting tape wrap and thermal spraying of Aluminum or Zinc applied directly to the stainless steel under insulation was most effective at elevated temperatures.
