ASTM A380/A380M-17
(Practice)Standard Practice for Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel Parts, Equipment, and Systems
Standard Practice for Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel Parts, Equipment, and Systems
ABSTRACT
This practice covers the standard recommendations and precautions for cleaning, descaling, and passivating of new stainless steel parts, assemblies, equipment, and installed systems. Consideration shall be given in the design of parts, equipment, and systems that will require cleaning to minimize the presence of areas in which dirt, or cleaning solutions might become trapped, and to provide for effective circulation and removal of cleaning solutions. Materials shall be precleaned. Scales shall be removed through chemical descaling, acid pickling, and mechanical descaling. Degreasing and general cleaning shall be accomplished by immersion in, swabbing with, or spraying with alkaline, emulsion, chelate, acid, solvent, or detergent cleaners or a combination of these; by vapor degreasing; by ultrasonics using various cleaners; by steam, with or without a cleaner; or by high-pressure water-jetting. Recommended cleaning practices shall be followed for welds and weld-joint areas, specially critical applications, installed systems and post-erections. The following shall be used as the basis for cleanness acceptability: Visual inspection; wipe tests; residual pattern; water-break test; free iron test such as water-wetting or drying; high-humidity test; and copper sulfate test. Precision inspection shall be performed by solvent-ring test, black light inspection, atomizer test, and ferroxyl test. Precaution shall always be practiced to minimize iron contamination, in reuse of cleaning and pickling solution, in water rinsing, in circulation of cleaning solutions and rinse water, in protection of cleaned surfaces, for safety, and disposal of used solutions and water.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers recommendations and precautions for cleaning, descaling, and passivating of new stainless steel parts, assemblies, equipment, and installed systems. These recommendations are presented as procedures for guidance when it is recognized that for a particular service it is desired to remove surface contaminants that may impair the normal corrosion resistance, or result in the later contamination of the particular stainless steel grade, or cause product contamination. The selection of procedures from this practice to be applied to the parts may be specified upon agreement between the supplier and the purchaser. For certain exceptional applications, additional requirements which are not covered by this practice may be specified upon agreement between the supplier and the purchaser. Although they apply primarily to materials in the composition ranges of the austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, and duplex stainless steels, the practices described may also be useful for cleaning other metals if due consideration is given to corrosion and possible metallurgical effects.
1.1.1 The term passivation is commonly applied to several distinctly different operations or processes relating to stainless steels. In order to avoid ambiguity in the setting of requirements, it may be necessary for the purchaser to define precisely the intended meaning of passivation. Some of the various meanings associated with the term passivation that are in common usage include the following:
1.1.1.1 Passivation is the process by which a stainless steel will spontaneously form a chemically resistant surface when exposed to air or other oxygen-containing environments. It was at one time considered that an oxidizing treatment was necessary to establish this passive metal oxide film, but it is now accepted that this film will form spontaneously in an oxygen-containing environment providing that the surface has been thoroughly cleaned or descaled.
1.1.1.2 Passivation is removal of exogenous iron or iron compounds from the surface of a stainless steel by means of a chemical dissolution, most typically by a treatment with an acid solution that will remove the surface contamination but will not significantly affect the stainless steel itself. This process is des...
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This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: A380/A380M − 17
Standard Practice for
Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel
1
Parts, Equipment, and Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designationA380/A380M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 1.1.1.2 Passivation is removal of exogenous iron or iron
compounds from the surface of a stainless steel by means of a
1.1 This practice covers recommendations and precautions
chemical dissolution, most typically by a treatment with an
for cleaning, descaling, and passivating of new stainless steel
acid solution that will remove the surface contamination but
parts, assemblies, equipment, and installed systems. These
will not significantly affect the stainless steel itself. This
recommendations are presented as procedures for guidance
process is described in a general way in 6.2.11 and defined
when it is recognized that for a particular service it is desired
precisely in 6.4 with further reference to the requirements of
to remove surface contaminants that may impair the normal
Annex A2 and Part II of the table on acid cleaning of steel.
corrosion resistance, or result in the later contamination of the
Unless otherwise specified, it is this definition of passivation
particularstainlesssteelgrade,orcauseproductcontamination.
that is taken as the meaning of a specified requirement for
The selection of procedures from this practice to be applied to
passivation. (See also Specification A967/A967M.)
the parts may be specified upon agreement between the
1.1.1.3 Passivation is the chemical treatment of a stainless
supplier and the purchaser. For certain exceptional
steel with a mild oxidant, such as a nitric acid solution, for the
applications,additionalrequirementswhicharenotcoveredby
purpose of enhancing the spontaneous formation of the protec-
this practice may be specified upon agreement between the
tive passive metal oxide film. Such chemical treatment is
supplier and the purchaser. Although they apply primarily to
generally not necessary for the formation of the passive metal
materials in the composition ranges of the austenitic, ferritic,
oxide film.
martensitic, and duplex stainless steels, the practices described
1.1.1.4 Passivation does not indicate the separate process of
may also be useful for cleaning other metals if due consider-
descalingasdescribedinSection5,althoughdescalingmaybe
ation is given to corrosion and possible metallurgical effects.
necessary before passivation can be effective. Depending on
1.1.1 The term passivation is commonly applied to several
theapplication,chemicaldescaling(acidpickling)asdescribed
distinctly different operations or processes relating to stainless
in 5.2.1 may provide sufficient passivation as defined in
steels. In order to avoid ambiguity in the setting of
1.1.1.2.
requirements, it may be necessary for the purchaser to define
precisely the intended meaning of passivation. Some of the 1.2 This practice does not cover decontamination or clean-
various meanings associated with the term passivation that are ingofequipmentorsystemsthathavebeeninservice,nordoes
in common usage include the following: it cover descaling and cleaning of materials at the mill. On the
1.1.1.1 Passivation is the process by which a stainless steel other hand, some of the practices may be applicable for these
purposes. While the practice provides recommendations and
will spontaneously form a chemically resistant surface when
exposedtoairorotheroxygen-containingenvironments.Itwas informationconcerningtheuseofacidsandothercleaningand
descaling agents, it cannot encompass detailed cleaning proce-
at one time considered that an oxidizing treatment was neces-
sary to establish this passive metal oxide film, but it is now dures for specific types of equipment or installations. It
thereforeinnowayprecludesthenecessityforcarefulplanning
accepted that this film will form spontaneously in an oxygen-
containing environment providing that the surface has been and judgment in the selection and implementation of such
procedures.
thoroughly cleaned or descaled.
1.3 These practices may be applied when free iron, oxide
scale,rust,grease,oil,carbonaceousorotherresidualchemical
1
films, soil, particles, metal chips, dirt, or other nonvolatile
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A01 on Steel,
Stainless Steel
...
This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: A380/A380M − 13 A380/A380M − 17
Standard Practice for
Cleaning, Descaling, and Passivation of Stainless Steel
1
Parts, Equipment, and Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A380/A380M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This practice covers recommendations and precautions for cleaning, descaling, and passivating of new stainless steel parts,
assemblies, equipment, and installed systems. These recommendations are presented as procedures for guidance when it is
recognized that for a particular service it is desired to remove surface contaminants that may impair the normal corrosion
resistance, or result in the later contamination of the particular stainless steel grade, or cause product contamination. The selection
of procedures from this practice to be applied to the parts may be specified upon agreement between the supplier and the purchaser.
For certain exceptional applications, additional requirements which are not covered by this practice may be specified upon
agreement between the supplier and the purchaser. Although they apply primarily to materials in the composition ranges of the
austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, and martensiticduplex stainless steels, the practices described may also be useful for cleaning other
metals if due consideration is given to corrosion and possible metallurgical effects.
1.1.1 The term passivation is commonly applied to several distinctly different operations or processes relating to stainless steels.
In order to avoid ambiguity in the setting of requirements, it may be necessary for the purchaser to define precisely the intended
meaning of passivation. Some of the various meanings associated with the term passivation that are in common usage include the
following:
1.1.1.1 Passivation is the process by which a stainless steel will spontaneously form a chemically inactiveresistant surface when
exposed to air or other oxygen-containing environments. It was at one time considered that an oxidizing treatment was necessary
to establish this passive metal oxide film, but it is now accepted that this film will form spontaneously in an oxygen-containing
environment providing that the surface has been thoroughly cleaned or descaled.
1.1.1.2 Passivation is removal of exogenous iron or iron compounds from the surface of a stainless steel by means of a chemical
dissolution, most typically by a treatment with an acid solution that will remove the surface contamination but will not significantly
affect the stainless steel itself. This process is described in a general way in 6.2.11 and defined precisely in 6.4 with further
reference to the requirements of Annex A2 and Part II of the table on acid cleaning of steel. Unless otherwise specified, it is this
definition of passivation that is taken as the meaning of a specified requirement for passivation. (See also Specification
A967/A967M.)
1.1.1.3 Passivation is the chemical treatment of a stainless steel with a mild oxidant, such as a nitric acid solution, for the
purpose of enhancing the spontaneous formation of the protective passive metal oxide film. Such chemical treatment is generally
not necessary for the formation of the passive metal oxide film.
1.1.1.4 Passivation does not indicate the separate process of descaling as described in Section 5, although descaling may be
necessary before passivation can be effective. Depending on the application, chemical descaling (acid pickling) as described in
5.2.1 may provide sufficient passivation as defined in 1.1.1.2.
1.2 This practice does not cover decontamination or cleaning of equipment or systems that have been in service, nor does it
cover descaling and cleaning of materials at the mill. On the other hand, some of the practices may be applicable for these purposes.
While the practice provides recommendations and information concerning the use of acids and other cleaning and descaling agents,
it cannot encompass detailed cleaning procedures for specific types of equipment or installations. It therefore in no way precludes
the necessity for careful planning and judgment in the selection and implementation of such procedures.
1.3 These practices may be applied when free iron,
...
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