A model is presented for corrosion of carbon steel in 60–96% weight sulfuric acid with correlations and data to facilitate quantitative use of the model for mechanical and process design. Corrosion is limited by the rate of convective mass transfer of ferrous ion from a ferrous sulfate (corrosion product) film‐liquid interface into bulk acid. This interface is saturated with ferrous ion. The model has been verified in both laboratory and plant acids with rotating cylinder and pipeline geometries and with a variety of carbon and low alloy steels. Ferrous ion is an inhibitor for corrosion, and sacrificial corrosion in certain equipment in plants in which acid is recirculated can protect other critical items in the system. Changing liquid levels in storage tanks, acid purges, addition of iron, and lining of vessels can affect corrosion rate in a plant system.
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Ellison et al. (1978) studied this question.