Corrosion of Newly Commissioned Stainless Steel Beer Fermentation and Aging Vessels

A series of stainless steel beer fermentation and aging vessels exhibited corrosion shortly after commissioning. Analyses were performed to rule out ingestion of seawater/salt air during transoceanic transport as a cause for the observed corrosion. Instead, the observed corrosion was consistent with the introduction of a contaminant through the clean-in-place (CIP) system after the tanks were installed on site. Additionally, it was determined that the tank repair methodology and execution would not cause additional corrosion absent the presence of an external aggressive species.