Corrosion presents a significant threat to the integrity of many facilities. The key to mitigating the threat of corrosion is accurately predicting the corrosion rates of your assets. Leveraging a model that combines the computational strength of data science and the input and validation of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) can help your facility estimate corrosion rates more accurately.
Corrosion rate estimation is typically performed by SMEs who use historical process and equipment data, along with industry-standard tools and standards, to produce results. Although this analysis is helpful, this process has some limitations, such as each facility having unique corrosion profiles due to different environmental conditions, maintenance and operation practices, and other factors. In addition, SME-created corrosion models often lean on the conservative side.
However, recent technological advancements are now providing facilities with access to an unprecedented amount of data —an amount that is almost impossible for a human or a team to analyze adequately. These large volumes of data can now be analyzed quickly and efficiently through the power of machine computation. By combining the knowledge of an SME with the analytical power of a machine, facilities can optimize suggested inspection tasks to create efficiencies and reduce costs.